 Need info help from British brothers
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,839 Likes: 3
Loquacious
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OP
Loquacious
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,839 Likes: 3 |
My wife is having to fly to London on buisnes and I was hoping to get some info from those that have flown across the pond before. Things like , I understand one of the airports in that area is better then the other so which airport should she try to book into? Which airline is the better and safer?? Is our $$ good there or will she have to exchange?? I assume she will need a passport ?? Any info you can think of will be a big help as neither of us have ever traveled like this before. I'm really upset that I'm not going but she is only there for biz and it will be short, fly in today , tomorrow buisnes , next day home so I can't justify tagging along for one day lol thanks in advance for any info you might share , anything she should know !!!!! 
ENJOY!!!!! NEWT!!!!!
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Re: Need info help from British brothers
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 113
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 113 |
I wouldn't of said one airport was better than the other, they have good & bad days at each I guess but personally, I prefer Heathrow Airport to Gatwick Airport.
Airlines are all pretty much the same really & incidents are generally few & far between.
Yes, your wife will need a passport & a visa.
Once at Heathrow you can get a train, underground or bus into London, it's a pretty big place but there's plenty of public information boards around & there's a map showing all the different routes on the underground system.
Dollars are not accepted in the UK so you'll need to exchange some of your dollars for GBP if the wife needs cash. If your bank cards are MasterCard/Visa then they should work in our cash machines anyway. Failing that you can either get your English money before you fly or when you land in the UK.
Current exchange rate is 1 US dollar equals 0.82 GBP
Obviously you'll need to book hotel accommodation so you need to decide whether to book a hotel nearer the business venue or nearer to the airport.
Where in London is she heading?
Proper Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance
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Re: Need info help from British brothers
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,403 Likes: 7
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,403 Likes: 7 |
I too prefer Heathrow over Gatwick and I prefer British Airways.
Your $ is good against £ at the minute so she'll be in luck. Exchange rates at the airport doesn't tend to be as good as banks or maybe Post Office.
"You can't believe everything you read on the internet" : William Shakespeare
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Re: Need info help from British brothers
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,068 Likes: 1
Saddle Sore
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Saddle Sore
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,068 Likes: 1 |
Don't forget about the language barrier ! 
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Re: Need info help from British brothers
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,839 Likes: 3
Loquacious
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OP
Loquacious
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,839 Likes: 3 |
Thanks guys!! Why the train and not a cab?? Does the train get downtown faster and cheaper??she is concerned that when she gets off train she would still have to get cab or is it like NY with train stations everywhere unlike Detroit or Atlanta where you would still have quite far to walk . And yes wade , we have discussed the language thing and she's worried lol
ENJOY!!!!! NEWT!!!!!
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Re: Need info help from British brothers
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,403 Likes: 7
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,403 Likes: 7 |
Quote:
Why the train and not a cab??
Well you haven't said yet where she needs to go.
Heathrow (west of London) to central London is about 15 miles (as the crow flies).
The M4 motorway (freeway) is virtually a straight run past Heathrow and into the West End of London but at that distance, I doubt a cab would be cheap based on London prices but as it's not her daily commute, I'd personally bite the bullet and get the cab door to door. If its for work, maybe she can get expenses anyway.
Gatwick airport is south of London and maybe 25 miles (as the crow flies).
I've never had the misfortune to have to travel to London from Gatwick so I couldn't comment on rail / cab links but as with Heathrow, I'd guess door to door cab to be more convenient.
AIRPORT TRANSFERS HERE ...
If she is travelling to North or East of London from either Heathrow or Gatwick, it will take time.
Traffic on the M25 (the orbital motorway around London) can, at best, be a pain.
If she is travelling into Central London, well, like any old capital city, it was never designed or intended to allow the easy navigation of millions of cars, buses and taxis.
I believe the average speed of a car in Central London is less than 10 mph and on some days, I imagine 10 mph would be a luxury.
Trains into London then use the Tube to get around is an option. It's been many years since I was using the Tube so I couldn't comment of prices but I assume they run very frequently.
I guess it can be a bit daunting if she's never had to go there before but nowhere is a surprise these days with the internet. Anywhere can be investigated virtually before setting a foot there.
It's easy to find where she's going to be and the nearest tube stations, just Google it.
LONDON TRAVEL INFO HERE ...
A lot depends on where she is going ...
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Re: Need info help from British brothers
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 291
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 291 |
Quote:
Quote:
Why the train and not a cab??
Well you haven't said yet where she needs to go.
Heathrow (west of London) to central London is about 15 miles (as the crow flies).
The M4 motorway (freeway) is virtually a straight run past Heathrow and into the West End of London but at that distance, I doubt a cab would be cheap based on London prices but as it's not her daily commute, I'd personally bite the bullet and get the cab door to door. If its for work, maybe she can get expenses anyway.
Gatwick airport is south of London and maybe 25 miles (as the crow flies).
I've never had the misfortune to have to travel to London from Gatwick so I couldn't comment on rail / cab links but as with Heathrow, I'd guess door to door cab to be more convenient.
AIRPORT TRANSFERS HERE ...
If she is travelling to North or East of London from either Heathrow or Gatwick, it will take time.
Traffic on the M25 (the orbital motorway around London) can, at best, be a pain.
If she is travelling into Central London, well, like any old capital city, it was never designed or intended to allow the easy navigation of millions of cars, buses and taxis.
I believe the average speed of a car in Central London is less than 10 mph and on some days, I imagine 10 mph would be a luxury.
Trains into London then use the Tube to get around is an option. It's been many years since I was using the Tube so I couldn't comment of prices but I assume they run very frequently.
I guess it can be a bit daunting if she's never had to go there before but nowhere is a surprise these days with the internet. Anywhere can be investigated virtually before setting a foot there.
It's easy to find where she's going to be and the nearest tube stations, just Google it.
LONDON TRAVEL INFO HERE ...
A lot depends on where she is going ...
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Biggest decider is cost....
For example, the Tube (Underground) into central London is in the order of $10, fast train (Heathrow Express) nearer $60, verses anyway between $120-250 for the cab.
I fly through Heathrow to US about once a month and would never get a cab unless there was no other option.
If you aren't going into London, consider getting a car service from near intended destination. I live about 60miles outside London and the fast train costs almost exactly the same as the car service (into London and then out to where I live). Don't get a car service from near Heathrow...they will rip you off.
In terms of airports, you don't have much choice. More than 80% of trans-Atlantic flights go into Heathrow and those that don't are normally for a specific reason, like the flights from JFK to London City (LCY) which are really only run for business meetings in the financial centers on the east side of London.
In terms of airlines, make sure you compare like with like. For example American based airlines economy (coach) seats are bigger than BA or Virgin (BA are the smallest - and I say that as someone that flies with BA a couple of times per month), Virgin entertainment systems are the best, so if easily bored there is video on-demand and always something to watch. BA/Virgin also have the economy plus class (as well as business and first), which is the economy service, bigger seats, power, and cost about 3 times economy.
Caspian Blue '03 BA, Union Jack/Stars and Stripes paint, BUBs, Progressive 812s, and lots of chrome
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Re: Need info help from British brothers
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,174 Likes: 15
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,174 Likes: 15 |
assuming she is a US citizen, and not working an actual earning job in the UK, then no visa is needed for a short stay in the UK.
A passport is needed.
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