Expert: Alun Hill MCIJ - 2/3/2008

Question
We are cruising to Dover in early May, and then spending several days in London.  what's the best way to get from Dover to London?  Any suggestions on a decent moderately priced Hotel in London?  And how do we get to Heathrow from downtown with 3 suitcases without spendin an arm and a leg?  Thanks

Answer
Hi - this is all much easier than you may have thought, you'll be pleased to hear!

From the cruise terminal at Dover you can take a taxi the short ride to Dover Priory rail station - it costs about £7. Most other people from the cruise will be going the same way, so you can probably share!

From Dover Priory Rail Station there are several trains each hour into London Victoria Rail Station (which, incidentally, is a couple of minutes from Buckingham Palace!).

You can buy your train ticket from a machine at the station (cash or credit card) or from the ticket office. It's quite a pleasant ride, approx 90 minutes, and there is usually a "trolley" service which comes through the train with refreshments. I've made the journey many times!

To stay in London, I always recommend my favourite hotel, "base2stay" (www.base2stay.com) - but do book early as it fills up quickly.

It's where I stay when I'm in London and you can see the reviews here:
http://www.base2stay.com/press_page/what_the_guests_say_about_base2stay_london.h...

From London Victoria Station, you can take a taxi directly to the hotel or you can take the District Line of the Underground Railway, (known as "the tube") which is green on the map, directly to Earls Court - the hotel is a level walk, a few minutes away.

Getting from the hotel to the airport is really easy - it's also on the Piccadilly line of the tube which will take you straight to any part of Heathrow airport - there's even lifts at both ends, so you'll have no luggage problems!

I could give you loads of tips on London, but I'm not sure what you like to do (but feel free to ask!) - one very important tip if you're going to be travelling around is to get an "Oyster" card at any tube station.

These cost £3 for each person, but by adding a few pounds "deposit" to them, you can travel on all buses and tubes for about a third of the "cash" fare - you just "touch" the card on a reader at the ticket barriers, which will then open automatically - there's a reader on each bus, too! The correct fare is automatically deducted, so you not only save money, you don't have to worry about getting individual tickets for each journey either! Over 95% of all Londoners and visitors now use them.

Even better, when you get to Heathrow, hand the cards back in and get any balance back - plus your £3 deposit ... getting around London can be really inexpensive this way!


I do hope this is helpful, but do ask if anything is not clear, or if I can help further, please.


Alun Hill MCIJ