Britain/United Kingdom/England/Gatwick to liverpool St Station

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Expert: - 1/21/2009


Question
Alun,

Hi, greetings from NZ.  My wife and I are planning to arrive at Gatwick and travel to The netherlands via Harwick/Hook of Holland.

What is the cheapest option for getting to and from Liverpool St Station from Gatwick.....I believe there are more economical services than the Gatwick express. So does one train to London and traverse via tube to liverpool St...we should have around 3 to 4 hours from the time we get on the Gatwick platform.....

Many thanks for your help

Steve

Answer
Hi - yes, there are other train services from Gatwick Airport to London - but do be aware that the other services, whilst cheaper, are not only slower - but can be very busy with commuters, who don't take kindly to people with luggage taking their precious standing room. This is part of one of the busiest train routes in the world.

If you're arriving on a weekend, or during the middle of the day, it's not so bad, though.

That said, the Gatwick Express service always has a train waiting in the platform and there are lifts down to the trains - which there may not be at the other platforms, so if you have heavy luggage - and don't want to wait around on a platform, making sure you get the correct train, do consider the Gatwick Express.

I'm not sure whether you already have a ticket from London's Liverpool St to Harwich, but if not, you can buy the cheapest through ticket (for the entire journey) for £34.50 each, at the ticket office at the Airport. If you are coming back this way, do ask for a return, as this will be much cheaper than getting 2 singles.

You can take a regular (approx every 30 minutes) "Bedford" train to Farringdon, cross over for a Circle line underground train from a nearby platform to Liverpool St, and take the train there to Harwich - this is much easier than going to London Victoria.

Allowing a few minutes extra for your luggage, the total journey will be approx 3 hours, so do make sure you allow time in your flight schedule, in case there's a delay in the flight - or the trains!

Do let me know where I can help further, please!

Alun Hill, MCIJ
http://www.TVTravelChannel.tv  

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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