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In article ,
(Martin Rich) wrote:

Going from Leeds to Gatwick I'd second the advice to take a Thameslink
train from Kings Cross to Gatwick, rather than to get the tube frrom
Kings Cross to Victoria. Two hours from arriving at Gatwick station
to the plane taking off should be sufficient, but it's not generous.

The airlines advise three hours nowadays.

Starting at King's Cross you would more likely than not get to Gatwick
sooner via Victoria but only if you pay the Gatwick Express premium. You
will definitely get to Brighton quicker that way but the fast trains on
Southern don't stop at Gatwick in order to prop up Gatwick Express
revenues.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Help me i'm a tourist?
 

On Sun, 2 Sep 2007 14:56 +0100 (BST), (Colin
Rosenstiel) wrote:

In article ,
(Martin Rich) wrote:

Going from Leeds to Gatwick I'd second the advice to take a Thameslink
train from Kings Cross to Gatwick, rather than to get the tube frrom
Kings Cross to Victoria. Two hours from arriving at Gatwick station
to the plane taking off should be sufficient, but it's not generous.

The airlines advise three hours nowadays.

Checking the Gatwick Airport website turns up guidelines of two hours
for European flights, three hours for long-haul (the flight that I
caught with just an hour to spare was European and I would reiterate
that I don't recommend the experience)


Starting at King's Cross you would more likely than not get to Gatwick
sooner via Victoria but only if you pay the Gatwick Express premium. You
will definitely get to Brighton quicker that way but the fast trains on
Southern don't stop at Gatwick in order to prop up Gatwick Express
revenues.

From Kings Cross to Gatwick by Thameslink is perhaps five minutes'
walk along Pentonville Road from the main Kings Cross station to the
Thameslink station, then a 45 minute train ride. Via Victoria and the
Gatwick Express it's down some stairs and an escalator at Kings Cross,
around 10 minutes on the tube, up another escalator at Victoria, and a
30 minute train ride to Gatwick.

Adding up the times, Victoria and Gatwick Express does look slightly
quicker, and the National Rail journey planner suggests that Gatwick
Express is quicker if you specify 'first train of the day' from Leeds.
Still, there's not much in it and I would be inclined to take the
Thameslink option simply because it entails only one change of train.

Martin

Help me i'm a tourist?
 

On Fri, Aug 31, 2007 at 07:56:45PM -0000, Russ wrote:

We're staying at the Sheraton Skyline near Heathrow (one of my
companies preferred hotels).

Then you have my sympathy. Heathrow is just about the worst place they
could possibly pick for you to stay.

1. How easy/costly is it to get from Heathrow airport area to the
touristy things like Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben,
Aquarium?

It will be a pain in the arse.

2. Is there anywhere better to stay for ~ 125 GBP that might be a more
convenient location and comparable to the Sheraton Skyline?

No idea what that hotel is like, but you'll be able to find cheaper
places around, say, Bloomsbury, Lancaster Gate, or in Southwark, which
are perfectly acceptable. Of course, being a Londoner I never stay in
hotels here, but I'm told by people who've come a-visiting that those
are good places to find decent cheap accomodation.

--
David Cantrell | London Perl Mongers Deputy Chief Heretic

Perl: the only language that makes Welsh look acceptable

Help me i'm a tourist?
 

On Sep 3, 9:29 am, Martin Rich wrote:
From Kings Cross to Gatwick by Thameslink is perhaps five minutes'
walk along Pentonville Road from the main Kings Cross station to the
Thameslink station, then a 45 minute train ride.

The best route from King's Cross to King's Cross Thameslink is via the
Victoria Line platforms. It's not directly signposted - you have to go
into the tube station and follow the signs to the Victoria Line, then
from there follow the Thameslink signs on the platforms, but it's
still easier than walking along Pentonville Road (and I'd think it's
roughly the same distance), and involves about the same number of
steps and escalators as taking the tube to Victoria.

U

--
http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/
A blog about transport projects in London

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On Sep 3, 3:29 pm, David Cantrell wrote:
On Fri, Aug 31, 2007 at 07:56:45PM -0000, Russ wrote:
We're staying at the Sheraton Skyline near Heathrow (one of my
companies preferred hotels).

Then you have my sympathy. Heathrow is just about the worst place they
could possibly pick for you to stay.

1. How easy/costly is it to get from Heathrow airport area to the
touristy things like Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben,
Aquarium?

It will be a pain in the arse.

2. Is there anywhere better to stay for ~ 125 GBP that might be a more
convenient location and comparable to the Sheraton Skyline?

No idea what that hotel is like, but you'll be able to find cheaper
places around, say, Bloomsbury, Lancaster Gate, or in Southwark, which
are perfectly acceptable. Of course, being a Londoner I never stay in
hotels here, but I'm told by people who've come a-visiting that those
are good places to find decent cheap accomodation.

--
David Cantrell | London Perl Mongers Deputy Chief Heretic

Perl: the only language that makes Welsh look acceptable

Go somewhere else, the Tube'll probably be on strike!

Neill

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In article . com, Mr
Thant writes
The best route from King's Cross to King's Cross Thameslink is via the
Victoria Line platforms. It's not directly signposted - you have to go
into the tube station and follow the signs to the Victoria Line, then
from there follow the Thameslink signs on the platforms, but it's
still easier than walking along Pentonville Road (and I'd think it's
roughly the same distance)

It's about 40% longer (and, yes, I do have access to maps showing where
the various tunnels are). I can't see why people are so bothered about a
brief walk along Pentonville Road, unless they're scared of walking past
Starbucks.

--
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Tel: +44 20 8495 6138 (work) | Web: http://www.davros.org
Fax: +44 870 051 9937 | Work:
Please reply to the Reply-To address, which is:

Help me i'm a tourist?
 

On Sep 4, 11:27 am, "Clive D. W. Feather" cl...@on-the-
train.demon.co.uk wrote:
It's about 40% longer (and, yes, I do have access to maps showing where
the various tunnels are). I can't see why people are so bothered about a
brief walk along Pentonville Road, unless they're scared of walking past
Starbucks.

But it's not just a walk down the street, in the way say West
Hampstead is. Crossing York Way isn't fun given the buses swerving in
from the right, then you have to work out whether Pentonville Road is
the one on the left (it is) or the right (Grays Inn Road), then you've
got to remember to cross the road before you get to the station
entrance, because there are railings for a quite a long way outside
it. Sure it's no problem if you've done it a few times, but for
everyone else the underground route is easier.

U

--
http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/
A blog about transport projects in London

Help me i'm a tourist?
 

On Fri, 31 Aug 2007, Mr Thant wrote:

On Aug 31, 8:56 pm, Russ wrote:

What's the best mode of transportation for the least expense?

From the hotel, a quick bus ride to Hayes & Harlington station, where
there are 3 or 4 trains an hour to Paddington, and then can catch the
tube to wherever. A Travelcard will cover both legs, but Oyster isn't
valid on those trains.

Or rather, *Oyster pay as you go* isn't valid. It's also possible to get
period travelcards put on an Oyster card, and those will be valid.

I mention this because if you're staying for more than a few days, a
secen-day travelcard might be better value than pre-pay or a string of
dady travelcards, and you can get that on Oyster (is there still a choice
of paper or plastic for 7DTCs?).

tom

--
Thinking about it, history begins now -- sarah

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On Mon, 03 Sep 2007 07:51:30 -0700, Mr Thant wrote:

The best route from King's Cross to King's Cross Thameslink is via the
Victoria Line platforms. It's not directly signposted - you have to go
into the tube station and follow the signs to the Victoria Line, then
from there follow the Thameslink signs on the platforms,

IIRC the signs directing towards Thameslink start in the tube ticket
hall, at the top of the escalator to the Victoria Line.

Help me i'm a tourist?
 

Tom Anderson wrote:

I mention this because if you're staying for more than a few days, a
secen-day travelcard might be better value than pre-pay or a string of
dady travelcards, and you can get that on Oyster (is there still a
choice of paper or plastic for 7DTCs?).


All LU ticket offices and other ticket offices with Oyster equipment
issue 7DTC on Oyster only. All other National Rail ticket offices still
issue them on paper.

--
Olof Lagerkvist
ICQ: 724451
Web: http://here.is/olof