V-Flyer

Hello all. Hitting dear old Barbados (out of LGW, for our sins) in October and becoming rather frustrated with our domestic travel plans. With the collapse of all London flights out of LBA, and the timings of BA's MAN-LGW offering being rather iffy, are there any tried and tested alternatives for getting from God's Own County to Gatwick and back?

The train seems like a pain what with changes and all, and to drive would be a dreadful drag, especially on the the return leg. Think we'll still end up flying to be honest, but a 4 hour wait in LGW on the homebound leg doesn't exactly fill my little heart with joy...

Remember with PP you can use the "arrivals" lounge in the Sofital at the North terminal. Will fill in an hour or two before the flight back and make everyone feel a little more human

David

Any chance that flying MAN-LHR then Gatwick Express would work?
I know it's a pain but apart from the train/driving options what else can you do........there's not a lot of options formYorkshire now. !

Is there a direct service from Hull? ):

buns

This might work........

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=yorksh ... ent=safari

buns wrote:Is there a direct service from Hull? ):

buns

Surely you mean ....ULL?

How about East Coast Trains to Bedford. Alternatively train to Kings X then a short walk to St Pancras next door. From either Bedford or St Pancras it's direct to LGW.

Train isn't always too painful.

I've done Wakefield to London Kings Cross, quick taxi to Victoria and the Gatwick Express - all pretty painless when we have done it :0

Staying overnight - how about the Courtyard just down the road from the South Terminal.

Jon

We tried the train at Easter for the first time and think would do again, bit of a faf doing the walk out of KGX, taxi to Paddington onto the HEX (yes you can do it cheap on the tube, but with kid, bags, snr's in tow this is easiest). But over all fairly seamless, biggest downside was lack of decent waiting area at KGX for return. So would aim to keep this time to a minimum. Mini loved the train however and added to the whole travel experience.
If you can do the St Pancras direct to LGW - I'd def go down this route. Plus you'll saved £2 on who would of dropped you off at LBA...daylight robbery!

Also book trains as far in front as poss, can get real cheap fares on East Coast 1st..(opening up the opportunity for Tizer to walk into the smelly normal coaches as a onboard adventure)

buns wrote:Is there a direct service from Hull? ):

I believe there is, buns. The problem is, you've got to change donkeys at Scunthorpe, so it takes an age.

St Pancras. Of course. It wasn't an option last time we tried the train; might just work, at least for the trip back.

northernhenry wrote:Also book trains as far in front as poss, can get real cheap fares on East Coast 1st..(opening up the opportunity for Tizer to walk into the smelly normal coaches as a onboard adventure)

Can't book train tickets for October yet, but September is showing £170 one-way in First. I'm sure they can do better than that, so I'll have to keep an eye on things. As for Tizer on trains, she's never made it further back than the restaurant car. I don't think she's quite ready for the shock of standard class rail travel yet.

horburyflyer wrote:Staying overnight - how about the Courtyard just down the road from the South Terminal.

I feel duty bound to return to the Hilton. Hoping to bump into an old friend in the executive lounge...

Cheap train tickets are possible but like airlines they don;t necessarily release them the same date as the full fat fares.

Train fares released three months in advance so too early for October.

Depends if you want flexible or specific train only tickets too.

@ co if you are going to fly into LHR then the coach to LGW would be a far better option than the train to Paddington, having to cross London then train to LGW (use a normal southern service as miles cheaper than GEX and only 5 mins longer)

@McMadog - East Coast Trains don't go via Bedford.

Simplest option using train would be into KingsX then St Pancras down to LGW. Though with bags in tow 'easy' is relative !

tontybear wrote:Cheap train tickets are possible but like airlines they don;t necessarily release them the same date as the full fat fares.

Train fares released three months in advance so too early for October.

Depends if you want flexible or specific train only tickets too.

As with VS, once you see a fare you like, take it. We've got 1st Class rtn to Edinburgh in August for just over £120 each. We've had them for £60 before, but the £120 was still a lot cheaper than the EZY fares from STN (plus the fact that even this far in advance all the flights from EDI to STN on our return date are sold out...)

tontybear wrote:Simplest option using train would be into KingsX then St Pancras down to LGW. Though with bags in tow 'easy' is relative !

Yes. And you can then have a glass at the champagne bar...

I take the East Coast train to KingsX all the time, it's an easy walk over to St Pancras, much easier than going to Victoria and onto the GEX. I know I'm a bit further south (Peterborough) but it's around £27 in first for an advance fare through to Gatwick, as already said start looking 3 months prior to date and specify train.

Even with copious amounts of baggage it's an easy option, lifts down a couple floors to the St Pancras-LGW train and pretty quiet too if you avoid rush hour. I aim for around 2pm from St Pancras and the carriages are pretty empty.

The difficulty is on the return, LGW trains to St Pancras are usually packed early morning so if you're hitting peak times then I'd look for another option. Can't help with that one as I try and arrive home weekends and get picked up by car unless I'm luggage free.

Jilly

Jeez! I'd almost fly over myself, rent a Merc and drive you down to LGW myself at the thought of a mdvipond TR )

tontybear wrote:@McMadog - East Coast Trains don't go via Bedford.

ooops I meant East Midlands Trains

honey lamb wrote:Jeez! I'd almost fly over myself, rent a Merc and drive you down to LGW myself at the thought of a mdvipond TR )

With just a couple of bottles of T10 as payment? ): ):

IATA On The Fly Suggests:

I'm surprised no-one thought of netjets

Go on trainline and set an email alert for the date of release, has worked well for us numerous times...

Sterling idea, Michael. Done.

Thanks for the help, chaps. I'm favouring the flight down from MAN (so as to avoid any Friday afternoon 'unpleasantness' in dear old London town) then the train back, as it's a Saturday and should be relatively painless.

honey lamb wrote:Jeez! I'd almost fly over myself, rent a Merc and drive you down to LGW myself at the thought of a mdvipond TR

Dear lady, the prospect of conveyance via Honey Cars is a sorely tempting one and, at a cost of only two bottles of T10 and a TR, is something I may yet take you up on...

mdvipond wrote:

honey lamb wrote:Jeez! I'd almost fly over myself, rent a Merc and drive you down to LGW myself at the thought of a mdvipond TR

Dear lady, the prospect of conveyance via Honey Cars is a sorely tempting one and, at a cost of only two bottles of T10 and a TR, is something I may yet take you up on...

Well don't forget my fare over - into MAN and ex LGW, plus an overnight stay in LGW and the cost of the rental with a different location return in addition to the T10. I'm not a charity, you know.

I'll be kind and give you a discount by taking the Ryanair flight back home rather than the Aer Lingus one.

Tell me, do Honey Cars get a great deal of business? I fear it may be slightly cheaper for me to buy a Mercedes and drive myself.

mdvipond wrote:Tell me, do Honey Cars get a great deal of business? I fear it may be slightly cheaper for me to buy a Mercedes and drive myself.

Do you remember 'Oz Cabs' from EastEnders?

mdvipond wrote:Tell me, do Honey Cars get a great deal of business? I fear it may be slightly cheaper for me to buy a Mercedes and drive myself.

No, you were to be my first customer

mdvipond wrote:Thanks for the help, chaps. I'm favouring the flight down from MAN (so as to avoid any Friday afternoon 'unpleasantness' in dear old London town) then the train back, as it's a Saturday and should be relatively painless.

Just one little issuette over weekends - there's no direct service from Gatwick to St Pancras Been going on for years - these engineering works are supposed to finish end 2011. So you have to get off at London Bridge then on to underground.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_d ... tails.html "Until 2012, there are no 'cross-London' services between St Pancras International and London Bridge"

Cheers, James