Luton to London Bridge

Immigration customs - probably at least an hour from your plane landing to when you get into the arrivals hall with your luggage. You can get some discount on rail tickets booking online but it isn't worth it, since the fare isn't very high anyway and you probably don't want to be tied to a specific train.

You can get a ticket from the railway ticket counter in the airport terminal which will cover the shuttle bus to Luton Airport Parkway station and the train journey on to London. Most trains from Luton Airport Parkway are operated by Thameslink and will run through to London Bridge (and further on south of London). There are a very few trains operated by East Midlands Trains which terminate at St Pancras, don't get on one of those. Most of the East Midlands Trains services only call at Luton city centre station (which there is no reason for any tourist to visit) and not the airport.

The tube is the London Underground subway system run by Transport for London. The Thameslink route between St Pancras and London Bridge is the only main line railway which runs across central London - it was opened in the 1800s, closed during World War One, and re-opened in the 1980s.

Thanks Phillip! Very helpful
3 follow up questions:

Is three hours enough - I hope so :)
We are flying from CDG (Paris) to Luton on EasyJet giving 3 hours between arrival in Paris to departure to Luton. (to retrieve luggage and get through customs/immigration). We have 1 carry on each (approved travel size) and have pre-paid to check 1 bag each, have checked in and will have printed boarding passes ready to go.

Luggage - Train from Luton to London Bridge - are there any restrictions - we will each have a small carry on and a med. size suitcase.

Train Food -- are there snacks / sandwiches available on the train or should we pick up / bring with us?

Luggage - Train from Luton to London Bridge - are there any
restrictions - we will each have a small carry on and a med. size
suitcase. Train Food -- are there snacks / sandwiches available on the
train or should we pick up / bring with us?

No luggage restrictions but you need to be able to carry it on with you and be capable of lifting it into overhead racks or onto racks at the end of carriages. Lots of people will have luggage. Don’t be that person that blocks an aisle or puts a bag on a seat on a busy train.

Re snacks, the journey takes less than an hour. There’s a small shop at Luton Parkway station will sell you a bag of crisps and a bar of chocolate if you can’t cope for that long without food.

Thank you - very helpful!!

Is 3 hours enough time? Any tricks or tips ..........We are flying from CDG (Paris) to Luton on EasyJet giving 3 hours between arrival in Paris to departure to Luton. (to retrieve luggage and get through customs/immigration). We have 1 carry on each (approved travel size) and have pre-paid to check 1 bag each, have checked in and will have printed boarding passes ready to go.

I’m confused about this three hours. This is nothing to do with Luton, right?

You’re arriving (from where?) to Paris (where?) before leaving from CDG for Luton three hours later.

Do you mean you’re flying from somewhere else to CDG with three hours to spare before your flight to Luton?

Is it on one ticket?

Yes, correct ... US to CDG to Luton (3hr layover between CDG and Luton)
I've never flown into Luton or used easyJet so wondered if the connection time will work. Separate ticket - the US to CDG (United Airlines)

Well, this is the England forum so we’re not well-placed to give advice on how long it takes to transfer at CDG. What confuses me is that your question seems to ask: “it’s my first time flying into Luton - is three hours enough?”

Luton is irrelevant in this question. CDG is what you need to worry about - and maybe the transport or French forum is a better place to ask.

However - a warning about EasyJet.

Regardless of which airport it’s flying to, you need to understand that EasyJet are very strict on latest boarding times - they won’t offer any flexibility if your incoming flight is late. If you miss the boarding deadline, you miss the flight even if you could physically catch the flight. They don’t care that your other flight on a separate ticket was late.

They’re also very strict on cabin luggage size.

easyjet closes the boarding gate 25 minutes before flight departure. Therefore you have 2.5 hrs, assuming your flight arrives on time, to deplane go through the immigration processing, get to bag claim to pick up you bag and then get to wherever easyjet has their bag drop, get to and through security and get to the gate.

If I were doing it, I think I would give myself more time for the transfer at CDG

Thanks - these are exactly the details I was looking for!! Wonderful forum!

There's no food available on Thameslink trains.

To research airports, it's usually worthwhile to start with the airport's own website:
https://www.london-luton.co.uk/to-and-from-lla
You will see both coach and rail (railway, not Tube) information.
The Transport for London site has an interactive planner which will estimate frequency and duration of services
https://www.london-luton.co.uk/to-and-from-lla
You know about easyJet restrictions and fees, but it is worth repeating that the one-bag-in-cabin policy means ONE; not a small suitcase and a computer and a purse. ONE.

Thank you - appreciate the links and advice!