Expert: Michael - 1/6/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi Michael,
I will be taking a cruise in late August which leaves from Harwich, England. I would like to visit London for a day or two prior to the cruise. Which airport should I fly into? How do I get from London to Harwich and how long does it take. Also, any suggestions on where to stay in London and what to see in a day or two. I will be flying from Atlanta, Georgia USA. Thanks so much

ANSWER: Hi Rhonda,
Thanks for your email. It sounds like you have an exciting trip planned!

Firstly, when flying into London there are 4 major airports to consider. My primary deciding factor would be cost of the flights from the US. The airports are at
London Heathrow
London Gatwick
London Luton
London Stansted

All 4 airports have air-link train services which take you into the city itself on a journey of between 30 minutes and 1 hour. Coach services are also available.

From London, there is a direct rail service from London's Liverpool Street rail station to Harwich International Rail station for connections to the port. The journey time is approximately 90 minutes with tickets costing approximately £25 ($50) for a one-way journey.

As for where to stay whilst in London, again I would base my decision in part on your decision about which airport to fly into. Since the rail express services from the different airports arrive in different areas, you may choose to stay in accommodation near to your incoming rail connection.

To help you in finding accommodation, I would recommend the London Tourist Board website
www.visitlondon.com

The website will also give you plenty of information about available attractions during your visit. My first thoughts are that common appealing attractions for visitors from the US are those which show some of the character of Britain's history, such as the Tower of London/Tower Bridge - a 1000-year-old Royal Palace where the Queen's Crown Jewels are kept.
http://www.visitlondon.com/attractions/detail/22249

As you are visiting in August, you will also have the opportunity to look at the state rooms inside the current home of Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace. The palace is only open for two months in 2008, but can be a great trip.
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/default.asp?action=article&ID=30

I hope that my information has been of use to you - do feel free to ask further questions, and I shall do my best to help further.

Kindest Wishes
Michael

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for such great information and speedy reply. Just one more question. Is flying into London the easiest way to get to Harwich?

Answer
Hello again Rhonda,

If you are thinking that you might by-ass the trip to London, or may not have time, then your best airport for Harwich would probably be London Stansted. This airport is 40 miles to the North-East of the city, and is just 50 miles from Harwich. However, this journey is not easily completed by public transport - you would either need to take a train into London and then another back out, or take a coach across-country to meet the train mid-way, meaning that the total journey time from the airport is about 2.5 hours.

I hope that helps to make your decisions. As ever, feel free to email again
Michael