Britain/United Kingdom/England/Gatwick or Heathrow

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Expert: - 3/26/2008


Question
Hello Alun,
We are planning to visit London for a few days and then travel to Harwich to board a cruise ship. We will travel back to the U.S. directly upon leaving the cruise ship. Which airport do you recommend? What is the approximate distance and the best way to travel from the airport to London? Also, what is the approximate distance and the best way to travel to the airport from the port in Harwich? Thank you very much for your help with this.

Answer
Hi - than you very much for your question!

You don't say where you will fly from, but most flights from the USA arrive at either London Heathrow or at London Gatwick.

Heathrow is on the London Underground system (the "tube", known in the US as the subway, but here a subway is just a passageway under the road, making it easier to cross!) and the Piccadilly line runs every few minutes directly through all of Central London. The journey is 30 to 60 minutes - London is rather large!

From Gatwick, you can take an Express train direct to London's Victoria station in about 30 minutes. You can then take a tube or a bus to your hotel, easily.

For Harwich, the journey is really easy, as there are direct trains from London Liverpool Street station to Harwich.

From London Liverpool Street train station take the "Cruise Train" to Harwich International station.

On your day of sailing, there should be (at least) one train going direct to Harwich International station. Current timetables show a daily train leaving Liverpool Street at 12.25 and arriving Harwich International at 13.38.

The standard single fare is approx £20 / $40, but do ask for a return (round trip) as this will be cheaper than 2 singles.

There is a website at http://www.harwich.co.uk/cruise_trains.asp which shows some of the trains connecting to forthcoming cruises, but if you let me know which cruise you are on and which date, I'll be very happy to help further.

If you need help in visiting London - where to stay, what to do, etc, just let me know some of your interests and dates and I'll produce a suggested itinerary for you.

Does this help, please?

Alun Hill MCIJ

Britain/United Kingdom/England

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Alun Hill MCIJ

Expertise

As a full time, UK based, travel journalist, I travel almost constantly around the whole of the UK, searching out restaurants, hotels and "must see" places. Visitors for both business and pleasure are welcome to ask questions. I almost always travel by public transport, so questions on rail, air and coach / bus travel are also very welcome. I also regularly write about and use the "Eurostar" rail service between London and Continental Europe - which uses a tunnel under the English Channel - so I am able to help with any questions there, too.

Experience

I'm a full time, UK based, travel journalist. I travel almost constantly around the whole of the UK, searching out restaurants, hotels and "must see" places for my readers. I have been writing about, filming and reporting from UK tourism destinations for over 12 years. I cover both "business" and "pleasure" trips for my readers.

Organizations
I am a member of the "Chartered Institute of Journalists" (the world's oldest professional body for journalists), the "British Association of Journalists" and "The International Travel Writers Alliance". I hold a full UK Press Card, issued by the Metropolitan Police at Scotland Yard, London.

Publications
National and local press in UK. Local and National TV in the UK and Europe (Germany, Hungary), reporting on travel and tourism in the UK.

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