Hello,
I'm flying to London late September to Heathrow and my wife is flying
to Gatwick the next morning. I haven't been to London since 1989 and
don't remember anything (long story).

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

Questions a
1. How easy/costly is it to get from Heathrow airport area to the
touristy things like Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben,
Aquarium? What's the best mode of transportation for the least
expense?

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

Thanks

On Aug 31, 8:56 pm, Russ wrote:
Questions a
1. How easy/costly is it to get from Heathrow airport area to the
touristy things like Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben,
Aquarium?

From the airport itself there are various reasonable options, but your
hotel is outside the perimiter, so you'd have a hard time using any of
them.

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

From Heathrow, the Piccadilly Line. Buy an Oyster Card (£2/journey) or
a day Travelcard (£6.70 per day after 9.30am).

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. You're looking at 70-90 minutes door-to-door to
reach most places in Central London this way.

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

Definitely. Heathrow is a long trek from central London by public
transport (and by road). Just about anywhere would be better.

U

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

On Fri, 31 Aug 2007 19:56:45 -0000, Russ
wrote:

Hello,
I'm flying to London late September to Heathrow and my wife is flying
to Gatwick the next morning. I haven't been to London since 1989 and
don't remember anything (long story).

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

Questions a
1. How easy/costly is it to get from Heathrow airport area to the
touristy things like Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben,
Aquarium? What's the best mode of transportation for the least
expense?

You have the choice of the Heathrow Express (very expensive), Heathrow
Connect (Less Expensive) and the Piccadilly Underground line (Cheapest
rail method). The Travelcard gives you unlimited travel on
Underground, bus and some National Rail services within the Greater
London area, see http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ for details.

From the Skyline a combination of bus and underground is probably the
best way to go. Try the TfL journey planner.

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

Have a look at Travel Inn http://www.travelinn.co.uk which is less
upmarket but probably comparable in comfort. You will not get a
Business facility, for example.
--
Terry Harper
Website Coordinator, The Omnibus Society
http://www.omnibussoc.org

So where would be a better area and can I get a hotel there for less
than or equal to £125 that's not a dump? What's best for the £
between Marble Arch, Picadilly, Mayfair-Soho, Westminster?

On Aug 31, 3:57 pm, Mr Thant
wrote:
On Aug 31, 8:56 pm, Russ wrote:

Questions a
1. How easy/costly is it to get from Heathrow airport area to the
touristy things like Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben,
Aquarium?
From the airport itself there are various reasonable options, but your

hotel is outside the perimiter, so you'd have a hard time using any of
them.

What's the best mode of transportation for the least expense?
From Heathrow, the Piccadilly Line. Buy an Oyster Card (£2/journey) or

a day Travelcard (£6.70 per day after 9.30am).

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. You're looking at 70-90 minutes door-to-door to
reach most places in Central London this way.

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

Definitely. Heathrow is a long trek from central London by public
transport (and by road). Just about anywhere would be better.

U

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

OK, I think I found it. City Inn Westminster, looks like it has
raving reviews, and is only £109/night including breakfast. Can't
beat that!!!!

On Aug 31, 7:32 pm, Russ wrote:
So where would be a better area and can I get a hotel there for less
than or equal to £125 that's not a dump? What's best for the £
between Marble Arch, Picadilly, Mayfair-Soho, Westminster?

On Aug 31, 3:57 pm, Mr Thant
wrote:

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

Questions a
1. How easy/costly is it to get from Heathrow airport area to the
touristy things like Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben,
Aquarium?
From the airport itself there are various reasonable options, but your

hotel is outside the perimiter, so you'd have a hard time using any of
them.

What's the best mode of transportation for the least expense?
From Heathrow, the Piccadilly Line. Buy an Oyster Card (£2/journey) or

a day Travelcard (£6.70 per day after 9.30am).

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. You're looking at 70-90 minutes door-to-door to
reach most places in Central London this way.

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

Definitely. Heathrow is a long trek from central London by public
transport (and by road). Just about anywhere would be better.

U

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

On 31 Aug, 20:56, Russ wrote:
Hello,
I'm flying to London late September to Heathrow and my wife is flying
to Gatwick the next morning. I haven't been to London since 1989 and
don't remember anything (long story).

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

Questions a
1. How easy/costly is it to get from Heathrow airport area to the
touristy things like Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben,
Aquarium? What's the best mode of transportation for the least
expense?

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

Thanks

Hello,

The hotel you are staying at is located on the Bath Road, which runs
alongside the airport.
If you arrive at Terminals 1,2 or 3 you can get a bus number 285 from
the airport bus station and it will stop near to the Sheriton Skyline.
This bus should be free as no charge is made on the buses from central
area of airport as far as Hatton Cross station.
Another way to get to Central London from the Sheriton Skyline is to
buy a TravelCard and get the 285 bus from the Bath Road and stay on
the bus to Feltham station, where you can get a fast train to central
London -Waterloo station, (near the London Eye and Westminster).
If you want to stay in Central London and not pay too much try Travel
lodge hotels,link below.

http://www.travelodge.co.uk/find_a_h...4_c3#searchbox

Your wife when she arrives at Gatwick airport could take the airport
link bus to Heathrow and then meet you at the Sheriton Skyline.

Hope you and your wife have a pleasant stay.

John

"Russ" wrote in message
oups.com...

OK, I think I found it. City Inn Westminster,

You'll find it very basic in comparison to the Sheraton Skyline.

Ian

On 1 Sep, 09:50, wrote:

On 31 Aug, 20:56, Russ wrote:

We're staying at the Sheraton Skyline

Sheriton Skyline
Sheriton Skyline
Sheriton Skyline

You've written "Sheriton" three times, when you had "Sheraton" right
in front of you, and you must have only seen it seconds before!

On Fri, 31 Aug 2007 19:56:45 -0000, Russ
wrote:


Questions a
1. How easy/costly is it to get from Heathrow airport area to the
touristy things like Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben,
Aquarium? What's the best mode of transportation for the least
expense?


This largely overlaps with other responses: tube is the cheapest but
there are a lot of stops, and it isn't well laid out for people with a
lot of luggage. Of the tourist destinations that you've listed,
Buckingham Palace (you could walk from Green Park) and Trafalgar
Square (walk from Piccadilly Circus) are reasonably close to the
Piccadilly Line. To get to the others by tube from Heathrow, you
would need at least one change of train.

Heathrow Express is the most expensive, and the quickest to get into
Central London, but may not be particularly quick door-to-door if your
destination isn't close to Paddington Station. Heathrow Connect is a
bit slower and a bit cheaper than Heathrow Express, but still runs to
Paddington.

Unless your stay is very brief (in which case it may be better to get
one-day or three-day travelcards) I would recommend that you get an
Oyster card (smart card used for ticketing) when you arrive.

Regarding your questions in other threads: tube platforms are
generally signed as northbound, southbound, eastbound and westbound.
The final destination is shown on the front of a train and on
dot-matrix displays on the platforms. This is important, for example,
when going to Heathrow as a westbound train on the Piccadilly train
might have Heathrow as its final destination, or might be going to
Rayners Lane or Uxbridge.

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.
In particular, the rail station at Gatwick is directly connected to
the south terminal, so I'd be inclined to allow a few more minutes if
your flight out is from the north terminal. I did once arrive at
Gatwick Airport station just an hour before take-off from the north
terminal - and caught the plane - but I don't recommend the
experience:-(

Martin

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