Londoners - transport advice

dizzymcfarlane · 16 Jan 19, 05:00 PM

We are flying to Canada from Heathrow in August and intend coming down day before and staying overnight at airport. We have the option to fly to either London City or London Heathrow and as husband has always wanted to go to imperial war museum so I thought we could do it catching the first flight, leaving luggage at which ever airport but which airport has the better links for getting to the museum ? As our flight the following day isn’t till 5pm, transferring to Heathrow isn’t an issue as we can do the express. Thanks in advance.

400ixl · 16 Jan 19, 05:23 PM

Nearest Tube is Elephant and Castle.

London City would be about 45 minutes going Northern line to Bank and DLR straight into the airport.

Heathrow would be an hour or so via Bakerloo to Piccadilly and then Piccadilly to the airport.

London City is a much smaller airport and quicker to get through and has more alternative routes from the Imperial War Museum.

Where are you then flying out of?

I would stay at a hotel near the Imperial War museum if London City and leave the luggage there, collecting it when you finish.

If flying in and out of Heathrow, then probably stay there, although it does mean 2 journeys that day.

As either airport is accessible from there within 30 minutes of each other I'd take price / convenience as the deciding factor. Gatwick is also an hour by train.

loldis · 16 Jan 19, 05:57 PM

Much of a muchness travel wise to IWM from either airport. I would recommend City hands down for an outbound flight but since it's your arrival, I would choose Heathrow so you don't have to lug your bags across London. Just take them straight to your airport hotel and then back to the airport (or use the left luggage service if you don't want to leave the airport) to travel into the city for the day.

Heathrow Express is overpriced btw, much cheaper to jump on the tube. Although if you're prepared to pay for it, it works quite well for IWM as you can transfer straight to the Bakerloo line at Paddington.

dizzymcfarlane · 16 Jan 19, 09:12 PM

Decisions, decisions ! We are flying from Edinburgh so first flight gets us into London (either airport ) for 830ish. It’s not till August so have time to decide. I’m just as happy to get an afternoon flight n chill at the hotel (premier inn, bath road) but hubby keen to do something !

dizzymcfarlane · 16 Jan 19, 09:12 PM

Sorry... thank you both for replies

justacey · 19 Jan 19, 03:38 PM

We went to London for the weekend last December. We stayed in Hilton Garden Inn at Heathrow and caught the tube into the city. We went to the Imperial War Museum and it was just one change. It is a good half hour out of the centre but it saved us the hassle of getting into there and we saved money on a cheaper hotel.

katiec68 · 20 Jan 19, 12:00 AM

Originally Posted by dizzymcfarlane

Decisions, decisions ! We are flying from Edinburgh so first flight gets us into London (either airport ) for 830ish. It’s not till August so have time to decide. I’m just as happy to get an afternoon flight n chill at the hotel (premier inn, bath road) but hubby keen to do something !

Although we love this hotel (stayed 5/6 times) I wouldn't really say it was somewhere I would want to spend a whole afternoon "chilling" 😉😉

It's not near the tube so you'd have to do the shuttle bus to/from the airport to leave your luggage and then back to the tube to get into town. It's an easy enough tube ride though.

Xx

dizzymcfarlane · 20 Jan 19, 03:04 PM

Katie68 - trust me - if I can afford the Sofitel nearer the time be changing my booking 😀😀.

katiec68 · 20 Jan 19, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by dizzymcfarlane

Katie68 - trust me - if I can afford the Sofitel nearer the time be changing my booking 😀😀.

Enjoy - its actaully a really lovely hotel, but it more suited to overnights than lovely stays!

I think at £40 for our booking there will be no chance that DH will stump up for the Sofitel

dizzymcfarlane · 20 Jan 19, 05:24 PM

As I’m nightshift and start my leave at 7am - I’ll be happy with an afternoon flight rather than trailing into London. It’s just a bed before my business class flights the following day ... we shall see
Thanks everyone who’s contributed

16 Jan 19, 05:00 PM	#1
	16 Jan 19, 05:00 PM dizzymcfarlane Apprentice Imagineer
dizzymcfarlane Apprentice Imagineer Join Date: Sep 06	Londoners - transport advice We are flying to Canada from Heathrow in August and intend coming down day before and staying overnight at airport. We have the option to fly to either London City or London Heathrow and as husband has always wanted to go to imperial war museum so I thought we could do it catching the first flight, leaving luggage at which ever airport but which airport has the better links for getting to the museum ? As our flight the following day isn’t till 5pm, transferring to Heathrow isn’t an issue as we can do the express. Thanks in advance.

16 Jan 19, 05:23 PM	#2
	16 Jan 19, 05:23 PM 400ixl Imagineer
400ixl Imagineer Join Date: Mar 12	Nearest Tube is Elephant and Castle. London City would be about 45 minutes going Northern line to Bank and DLR straight into the airport. Heathrow would be an hour or so via Bakerloo to Piccadilly and then Piccadilly to the airport. London City is a much smaller airport and quicker to get through and has more alternative routes from the Imperial War Museum. Where are you then flying out of? I would stay at a hotel near the Imperial War museum if London City and leave the luggage there, collecting it when you finish. If flying in and out of Heathrow, then probably stay there, although it does mean 2 journeys that day. As either airport is accessible from there within 30 minutes of each other I'd take price / convenience as the deciding factor. Gatwick is also an hour by train. Edited at 05:26 PM.

16 Jan 19, 05:57 PM	#3
	16 Jan 19, 05:57 PM loldis Imagineer
loldis Imagineer Join Date: May 17 Location: Sussex	Much of a muchness travel wise to IWM from either airport. I would recommend City hands down for an outbound flight but since it's your arrival, I would choose Heathrow so you don't have to lug your bags across London. Just take them straight to your airport hotel and then back to the airport (or use the left luggage service if you don't want to leave the airport) to travel into the city for the day. Heathrow Express is overpriced btw, much cheaper to jump on the tube. Although if you're prepared to pay for it, it works quite well for IWM as you can transfer straight to the Bakerloo line at Paddington. Edited at 06:00 PM.

16 Jan 19, 09:12 PM	#4
	16 Jan 19, 09:12 PM dizzymcfarlane Apprentice Imagineer Thread Starter
dizzymcfarlane Thread Starter Apprentice Imagineer Join Date: Sep 06	Decisions, decisions ! We are flying from Edinburgh so first flight gets us into London (either airport ) for 830ish. It’s not till August so have time to decide. I’m just as happy to get an afternoon flight n chill at the hotel (premier inn, bath road) but hubby keen to do something !

16 Jan 19, 09:12 PM	#5
	16 Jan 19, 09:12 PM dizzymcfarlane Apprentice Imagineer Thread Starter
dizzymcfarlane Thread Starter Apprentice Imagineer Join Date: Sep 06	Sorry... thank you both for replies

19 Jan 19, 03:38 PM	#6
	19 Jan 19, 03:38 PM justacey Apprentice Imagineer
justacey Apprentice Imagineer Join Date: Apr 09	We went to London for the weekend last December. We stayed in Hilton Garden Inn at Heathrow and caught the tube into the city. We went to the Imperial War Museum and it was just one change. It is a good half hour out of the centre but it saved us the hassle of getting into there and we saved money on a cheaper hotel.

20 Jan 19, 03:04 PM	#8
	20 Jan 19, 03:04 PM dizzymcfarlane Apprentice Imagineer Thread Starter
dizzymcfarlane Thread Starter Apprentice Imagineer Join Date: Sep 06	Katie68 - trust me - if I can afford the Sofitel nearer the time be changing my booking 😀😀.

20 Jan 19, 05:24 PM	#10
	20 Jan 19, 05:24 PM dizzymcfarlane Apprentice Imagineer Thread Starter
dizzymcfarlane Thread Starter Apprentice Imagineer Join Date: Sep 06	As I’m nightshift and start my leave at 7am - I’ll be happy with an afternoon flight rather than trailing into London. It’s just a bed before my business class flights the following day ... we shall see Thanks everyone who’s contributed