We will be flying into Heathrow in July and have 2 nights to spend before leaving again for Shannon, Ireland. We haven't bought tickets for the Ireland leg yet because we don't know where we want to stay. Air lingus flies out of Heathrow and Ryanair out of Gatwick. There is also a flight out of the other international London airport.
Any recommendations for a part of the city that would be great for exploring and convenient to those two locations? My husband and I have been to London and seen the major sights, our travel companions have not.
I'm open to suggestions.
Cathy
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32709 posts
The only secondary airport difficult to reach is Southend. Stansted and Luton are both easy but Stansted is much slower. Birmingham Airport also serves London (and has frequent services to Ireland) and according a current advertising campaign by Virgin Trains, taking their trains from London Euston Station to Birmingham International (and the free 2 minute cable car to the check in area) is faster than taking the Piccadilly Line from central London to Heathrow and then getting to the check in desks. True? dunno.
So it may be worth finding where you want to stay regardless of airport unless you intend to fly early in the morning.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
There is also London City Airport, which has flights to Dublin. And Southend airport, but that doesn't have any flights to Ireland.
I wouldn't say Stansted is hard to get to, it has regular trains from London Liverpool Street, and unlike other airports, direct trains to the north (trains to Cambridge and Peterborough).
For Shannon airport, Aer Lingus flies from Heathrow and Ryanair from both Gatwick and Stansted.
Cathy, there are no airports in the UK (or most of the rest of Europe), which have scheduled flights, but do not have international services. But airports rarely add "international" to their name, as they are all international.
To get back to your original question, it depends where in London you have seen already, and what you companions insist on seeing even if you have already seen them. How about Hampton Court? or Windsor?
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32709 posts
Birmingham Airport until recently called itself Birmingham International; the train station retains the old name.
Posted by
Atlanta
3250 posts
There are lots of possibilities. We liked Luna and Simone Hotel because of it's proximity to Victoria Station. That was a good location with easy access to public transportation.
Posted by
OP
midland, tx, usa
73 posts
Thanks for the help. I guess I should qualify my question a little better. Yes, the other airport is Stansted. I guess what I was trying to ask is if there is an area that would be the most interesting to stay if we have already done the typical Westminster, Tower, Big Bend, etc. I'm ordering my London book today. I just thought I'd get a handle on some other neighborhoods. We'll probably fly out of Heathrow on Air Lingus...just not committed yet. We have to go to Shannon. Taking the RS tour and it originates in Shannon on July 9.