Proposed London Trip

A question about : Proposed London Trip

I am hoping I might be able to get some information on a proposed trip to London for my husbands birthday in April. We are in Scotland so I have been looking online at transport options and at the moment my choices are:

Trains direct from Glasgow to Euston Ј130 for 2 adults (Virgin Trains)
Fly from Glasgow Prestwick to Stansted Ј101 for 2 adults (Ryanair)
Fly from Glasgow International to Gatwick Ј130 for 2 adults (Easyjet)

My question is which would be the best option as we would then need to get into London and I presume there would be additional costs for that - I had a quick look at the Gatwick Express and it seems a one way is more expensive than flights to London??

I have been before but it was many years ago and I have forgotten all information from the last time.

Also need some tips on hotels if anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance

Best answers:

• IMO the train is probably the easiest option as it brings you direct into London. Euston has the underground there and buses.. When you consider transfers to both Airports, security checks there probably isn't a lot of difference in the time. As purpleshoes says cheapest fares are released 12 weeks in advance, so keep an eye out for those as they go quickly. You also have the advantage of using the tickets for the 2for 1 London train vouchers for attractions.
  https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london
  In regard to places to stay if you are planning to be out all day and just want somewhere clean and basic to sleep in, then Travelodge or Premier Inn may suit you. Some posters recommend getting a hotel near your arrival train station to save taking bags on London Transport. This of course depends on your arrival time/hotel, as some hotels only allow check in after 3pm, with no baggage storage and if you arrive early in London then you still have to keep your bags until check in. Also if only going for a couple of days back packs are probably the way to go. Also if going for more than a couple of days, then there are nicer areas in London than staying near a mainline train station, which usually has vagrants hanging around at night. Sunday night is usually the cheapest for hotel rooms and if you can avoid a Saturday night, as it is the most expensive.
  If you have a contactless bankers card you can use that to travel on London transport and it will cap at a peak or off peak daily rate. If you don't have contactless, than you can pay a deposit for an oyster card on arrival and top up as required to travel. Once you have planned what you would like to do, you can use www.tfl.gov.uk to plan your journeys.
  Keep an eye on the group buying sites such as Groupon, Wowcher, Amazon Local etc as they often have London tours, restaurant deals etc.
• Take the train. You can at least board it with your own choice of drinks, and without having to remove your shoes, belt, and other personals before boarding.
  By the time you factor in early check-in, security, baggage reclaim, travel into London, the train gets you there just as quick.... And right into the heart of the city
• I used to travel from London tomGlasgow and Edinburgh a lot for work started flying ended up on train as I actaully found it quicker heart of city to heart of city. The train will be cheaper when you take into account the fares from Stanstead and LGW
• Where are you starting from? Are you nearer Glasgow than Prestwick for example?
  Where in London are you hoping to stay? Do you have a budget for your hotel?
  Last few times I have flown to London City but hat is because it is much more convenient for where I was going, and worked out quicker door to door than the train.
• Both Gatwick and Stanstead are some distance from Central London, however there are other train options than the dedicated "Express" services, which maybe take 5 minutes longer, but are significantly cheaper. There are also coach options from the airports.
  Personally, I would suggest not staying in Kings Cross/Euston. There are some nicer, much quieter Travelodges/Premier Inns in Waterloo and Southwark, close to attractions like The Globe and St Pauls.
• You can get very cheap coach tickets from Stansted airport to London, if you go to Stratford for example you are able to take the underground or DLR into London, you have the Jubilee and Central lines there and lots of buses.
  In fact, although Stratford is not central London, you could do worse than that for accommodation, and then travel into London, or you are on the doorstep of Westfield, very good shopping centre with restaurants etc and John Lewis.
  There is a Holiday Inn but I don't know other hotels. Not too sure about B&Bs as they vary in quality.
  Also look at Holiday Inn Express in the Millennium Village near North Greenwich jubilee line station.
• Have you considered getting the Caledonian sleeper - allows you more time in London as you travel overnight - leaving Glasgow on the Friday night arrive in London 8am gives you the whole day - if then leaving on the Monday night will also give you the whole of Monday to do things. The cost for both works out at Ј267, however if you bought a Two Together railcard for Ј30 this would bring down the cost to Ј176 for 2 people. Even if traveling during the day the cost of the railcard more than justifies the savings it brings. Even better savings if you have Tesco clubcard
  vouchers as Ј15 in voucher buys the card.
• And when you get into London if you get Travelcards for less than Ј10 each you can go on buses, tubes, overground, DLR, reduced river rides and 2 for 1 entry into many attractions.
• I wouldnt get the caledonian sleeper unless you got a bargain berth, youd be just as well getting an early train to london.
  Re the gatwick express, its not the only train that goes into london, there are other cheaper trains that make stops along the same route.
  There are a few travelodges around the kings x area, the one i stayed in was fine, not noisy at all.