Traveling to London

d1975

Hi

I want to find out about traveling to London during the summer for few days, question is, Is it cheap? also where would I find cheap hotels and I take it the underground gets you everwhere ya want to go? also which Airport should I go to? and take it you can get transport from there to hotel?


thanks

amiable

d1975 wrote: »

Hi

I want to find out about traveling to London during the summer for few days, question is, Is it cheap? also where would I find cheap hotels and I take it the underground gets you everwhere ya want to go? also which Airport should I go to? and take it you can get transport from there to hotel?


thanks

There's

summerskin

travel to London is hideously expensive and also there are no connections from Airports to hotels, or anywhere at all for that matter. Most people just stay in Stansted and sleep on the floor.

the new "London Horse and Cart Scheme" will soon put an end to that though!!!

AntiMatter

The cheapest room you'll get would be a hostel. About £20 per night, if you don't mind sharing a room.

AnonoBoy

Why bother go to London when Athlone is just on our doorstep?

Discover Athlone...... the Vegas of the Midlands!











(This post was sponsored by Athlone Tourist Board - tricking people into visiting since 1957)

Mint Sauce

Big city, served by five airports, your gonna have to help us a little more OP, like where abouts in it you heading to for a start.

epgc3fyqirnbsx

Travelling to London is a two man job

m@cc@

*sits back and waits for the OP to be savaged*

starbelgrade

m@cc@ wrote: »

*sits back and waits for the OP to be savaged*

By an American werewolf.

In London.

AntiMatter

starbelgrade wrote: »

By an American werewolf.

In London.

Don't stray off the path, OP.

NoQuarter

ITT: A sever lack of abuse.

starbelgrade

And beware the moon.

kollegeknight

It all depends what you want to do. You can see alot of sites around london for free like museums etc. and then it can be a nice few quid into other attractions. I don't know about accommodation in london. Hope this helps, PM me if you need clarity on anything.

If Aerlingus are still doing their sale, id go to heathrow, the underground goes from there. If you go to stansted, you will have to get a train or bus to liverpool street.

A weekend in june with aerlingus to heathrow is about 107e (based on todays prices)
abd to get into town is about 5/6 pounds

Same date to stansted with ryanair is 63e return
Stansted express train is 27.50 pounds return to liverpool street or the bus is about 16pounds return

Bus details; http://www.stanstedairport.com/portal/page/Stansted%5EGeneral%5ETo+and+from+Stansted%5EBuses+and+coaches/b564e37e8077d110VgnVCM10000036821c0a____/448c6a4c7f1b0010VgnVCM200000357e120a____/

Train:
https://www.stanstedexpress.com/index.asp?SID={67F00FDA-E4A9-4D31-9ED8-E62F733FD26D}

Underground Prices:
http://www.londontoolkit.com/briefing/underground.html

If you book train, there are offers for 2for1 here:
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/attraction-types/2for1london.aspx

starbelgrade

I wonder if they have Google in London?

myflipflops

Considering you use After Hours as a search engine for travelling questions, I suggest you refrain from leaving your own house for personal safety reasons.

m@cc@

starbelgrade wrote: »

I wonder if they have Google in London?

Or London in Google?

d1975

someone in the office was saying Thailand would be cheaper, any other cheap place you can come up with?

Wompa1

London is really expensive. Been there a few times, I'd suggest keep your eye out for sales on flights because London is usually included. I believe you can get a flight for 1 cent at the moment.

The Tube is pretty expensive but really good for getting around.

I have only stayed in one nice Hotel there, the rest were overpriced sh!t holes. The nice one I stayed in was paid for by work so it cost a fortune.

m@cc@

d1975 wrote: »

any other cheap place you can come up with?

I'd spend a night in yore ma.

stovelid

If anybody offers you tuinals on the old main drag, hitch your trousers up and get the hell out of there.

myflipflops

d1975 wrote: »

someone in the office was saying Thailand would be cheaper, any other cheap place you can come up with?

He probably meant that the cheapest way to London is to fly through Thailand as a stopover. If you are willing to stop off in New York and Sydney then it gets a bit cheaper again but takes a bit of time.

Good luck with this.

George83

London is quite expensive for hotels, food etc etc. The tube is a handy way of getting around and if you buy an Oyster card it isn't that costly.

TheZohanS

George83 wrote: »

London is quite expensive for hotels, food etc etc. The tube is a handy way of getting around and if you buy an Oyster card it isn't that costly.

Definitely buy an Oyster card. Contrary to popular belief oysters are a efficient form of transport and since being introduced to the tube they have really come on in leaps and bounds in terms of navigational skills. But always make sure you get the ones with the closed shells.

podgemonster

I flew from Dublin to London Gatwick for 35€ Ryanair return. Gatwick ExpressTrain from the Airport to Victoria Station (2mins from Buckingham Palace) was £25 (pricey but efficient).

A tube pass for the entire day between Zones 1 and 2(the main shopping, touristy, theatrical and historical parts) is £5.60 well worth it, you're never waiting more that 5mins for a tube but you may need to make 2-3 connections to get to you destination in some places.

Hotels aint cheap either, you can be looking at €80-€120 a night unless you go for a hostel.

You should really be looking up TripAdvisor or travel forums rather than coming on to After Hours though.

jackiebaron

London is one of my favourite places in the world. It's a fcuking super city and the women are beauties. But the place is damn expensive. If you don't know what you're doing you can burn through 20 pounds before you've even put a pint to your lips or a foot in a shop. The Tube is cool but it can shatter your budget. As for accomodation...dunno I always stay with mates when I'm in London but you can get decent places for cheap enough. North and East London (Islington, Highbury, Finsbury Park etc are good places to stay and there are millions of pubs, clubs and markets up around that area). Stay in the West End and be prepared to sign over your first born.

bonerm

Which London?

m@cc@

bonerm wrote: »

Which London?

Derry!

stovelid

London is not actually that more expensive than Dublin for socializing.

I go there regularly and I don't particularly think it is - for drinking and socializing at least unless you go out of your way to go to really expensive clubs or restaurants.

minty16

Absolute longshot but any idea of price for a flight to Gatwick early Saturday morning ? Cant get onto Ryanair or Aer Lingus in work!

Mint Sauce

podgemonster wrote: »

I flew from Dublin to London Gatwick for 35€ Ryanair return. Gatwick ExpressTrain from the Airport to Victoria Station (2mins from Buckingham Palace) was £25 (pricey but efficient).

A tube pass for the entire day between Zones 1 and 2(the main shopping, touristy, theatrical and historical parts) is £5.60 well worth it, you're never waiting more that 5mins for a tube but you may need to make 2-3 connections to get to you destination in some places.

Hotels aint cheap either, you can be looking at €80-€120 a night unless you go for a hostel.

You should really be looking up TripAdvisor or travel forums rather than coming on to After Hours though.

You can also take southernrail from Gatwick to Victoria, may take a little longer than the express depending on number of stops, sometimes might only stop a few times, sometimes more depending on service. But its alot cheeper. Nearly all southern trains serve Croydon and Clapham Juction if not staying in the City.

Also defenatly get an Oyster Card for London travel, can be used on the underground, buses, the DLR (docklands), croydon tramlink, london overground, and national rail within london. Its basically a prepay card, scan it when entering and leaving stations, and when getting on buses and trams. The cost of the journey is deducted from the card and works out cheeper if paying by cash. It also give you a saving if you produce it on riverbus services. If flying to heathrow you can buy one from Heathrow Tube station. If flying else where you can get one from the TFL (transport for london) website before traveling. Just to note, it cant be used on any of the express services (see below), or getting in and out of Luton/stanstead/gatwick airports, even though they have london in their title, none are in london.

Not sure about hotels to be honest, never used them in london.

Socalising is no different to any other major cities, you get resonable places, or pay through the nose in others. You can easily get a pint for £3 or less, or if you go somewhere more upmarket, expect to pay more for the privledge.

The main airlines from Ireland and connections are between Aer lingus, and Ryanair, to Heathrow (west of london) (served by the undergound and express services to paddington), Gatwick (south of london) (gatwick express and southern rail as above), Luton (commutor services to various stations in london), and Stanstead (both north of london) (express service to Liverpool St, might also be served by commutor rail, cant quite remember). City Jet to London City (east london) (served by DLR). Easy jet also from from Belfast to one or two of the london airports.

Be aware as well, that VAT has just gone up to 21% in the last couple of days so things will be slightly more expensive than they were before.