Travelling Gatwick Airport -> London

Pinch Flat

Hi all, really should know the answer to this myself - lived in London up to 2000:o

Anyhow, we're travelling over good Friday (Dublin - Gatwick). Southwest trains quoting just shy of £20 for the 3 of us (2 adults and a child) for a single. Anyone know if this is an advance fair, or can we pay on the day?

Also looking to travel out to Lego land on the Saturday - fairs seem to vary (and there's engineering works as well).

Anyone got any special deals on attractions going? I see the London Eye and Madame Tussaud doing a special offer if you buy both (we were going to go on the eye anyway).

83ste

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Southwest trains quoting just shy of £20 for the 3 of us (2 adults and a child) for a single. Anyone know if this is an advance fair, or can we pay on the day?

You can pay on the day, but there's always a horrendous queue at the ticket machines in Gatwick. And even if you buy in advance, you'll have to collect your tickets from there – unless you're being offered the option of getting the tickets posted to Ireland?

If you book with Gatwick Express, the tickets can be e-mailed to you and you can print them off in advance. Makes a huge difference being able to just walk off the plane, past the queues and on to the train.

Pinch Flat

83ste wrote: »

You can pay on the day, but there's always a horrendous queue at the ticket machines in Gatwick. And even if you buy in advance, you'll have to collect your tickets from there – unless you're being offered the option of getting the tickets posted to Ireland?

If you book with Gatwick Express, the tickets can be e-mailed to you and you can print them off in advance. Makes a huge difference being able to just walk off the plane, past the queues and on to the train.

Thanks, might be a bit tight to post the tickets. The gatwick express is too expensive for us. Might just have to muck in and queue up on the day

Blured

Just on the tickets - if you are going with Southern/Thameslink they have a separate ticket desk just when you come through security in the South Terminal of Gatwick. The larger queues tend to be beside the train station and are mainly for Gatwick Express tickets

Pinch Flat

Blured wrote: »

Just on the tickets - if you are going with Southern/Thameslink they have a separate ticket desk just when you come through security in the South Terminal of Gatwick. The larger queues tend to be beside the train station and are mainly for Gatwick Express tickets

Thanks for that blured

A Dub in Glasgo

What station do you want to go to?

Forget about the Gatwick Express, take the service to Victoria which stops at East Croydon, it is cheaper and only a few minutes slower. If you are heading to London Bridge, take the Thameslink service

Kelloggs are doing a promotion on their packs, very good value for getting into Legoland.

http://grownupsgofree.kelloggs.co.uk/faq.html

For the train, take the SWT service from Waterloo to Windsor then the bus or taxi. Alternatively, take a coach from Victoria to Legoland

http://www.legoland.co.uk/en/Plan/Directions/By-Coach/

Might be worthwhile getting a family railcard if you are travelling a lot by train

http://www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/

Pinch Flat

Thanks for that Dub, invaluable info - will be taking Thames link - it's very handy to LB, then a quick hop across on the Underground to Waterloo (ticks the underground box as well - my 8 year old son CAN'T WAIT to get on it!)

A neighbour handed in some tokens just after we'd booked legoland . So no use there - we got a special offer anyway for advance booking.

Anyway, we have one we'll use for the London Eye or Madame Tussaud. We plan doing the London eye when we get there. I might have to stock up on some Corn Flakes to get a few more. :pac:

A Dub in Glasgo

The TFL journey planner is great if going around London, a travel card is great for getting about (you can get a reduction with a family & friends railcard)

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/

An example what we did last summer with the family

Stayed near Waterloo, got the Thamesclipper from London Eye Pier to North Greenwich then the Emirates cable car to Royal Docks then DLR to Canning Town then Jubilee line to Waterloo. The river bus is excellent and allows you to see a different side to London

http://www.thamesclippers.com/
http://www.emiratesairline.co.uk/

exiledelbows

Make sure you book return train tickets - then you can avail of a 2-for-1 offer on loads of London attractions: http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

FAQs: http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/faq.aspx

Terrontress

You might consider taking the train to Eat Croydon, getting off there and starting your Oyster payg

It's cheaper to do it that way on a single to town, and if you are going to be travelling around for the day, you'll have started to build toward your price cap.