Can any London people help please?

[buddhasbelly]

I’m due to fly to London on Wednesday 6th December and have two options for flights either:

• fly into Luton arrive 10pm (this flight is sometimes delayed)
• fly into Gatwick arrive 5.30pm

I then have to get to Kings Cross. I’m aware there’s train strikes on the Gatwick express that day with Thameslink operating a reduced service details here https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/travel-information/plan-your-journey/industrial-action#:~:text=Travel%20Advice%20for%20Wednesday%206,with%20fewer%20services%20than%20normal

I’m not in London very much and haven’t been when there’s been strikes. I can’t move the day I’m travelling. My meeting isn’t till Thurs but have to travel on the Wednesday.

would you advise getting the Luton late flight or the Gatwick flight despite the strikes on the Gatwick express / reduced thameslink service?

many thanks!

Oh and the reason I’m debating is that the last Luton express train is at 11.25pm from the parkway so I’ll need to get from a probably far off arrival gate onto the parkway bus to get to the Luton express train station and if a bit panicked in case of delays that I’ll be stuck in Luton.

i may well be overthinking this it’s just I don’t travel down to London very often and not sure how bad Gatwick will be to get through.

thanks for any replies!

A hopeful bump

Fly into Gatwick and take the National Express coach. I believe that they aren’t affected by strike action.

We landed at Luton at 11:30pm at the end of September and the queue to get through passport control was 40 minutes long.

I would go to Gatwick, you can always get a coach from there into London.

Thank you! Totally forgot that was an option!

I actually think some of the Gatwick trains will run. You have a choice of 3 lines at Gatwick and the Gatwick Express usually runs. Luton will only be Thameslink.

Thanks @nettie434 - the Gatwick express is no trains for the 6th I think but I may have read it wrongly.

i won’t have passport control as internal flight but even then at Luton will be one of the far away arrival gates which will probably involve a bus to the terminal.

gatwick and then either bus or train it seems is the better option. Thanks folks!

Agreed - I’d do Gatwick and see what Citymapper (download it in advance, if you don’t have it already) says about the best way to get to Kings Cross. There will probably be a train, and if not you have options and time.

You are right @buddhasbelly. The Gatwick Express is one of the lines affected on the 6th. On previous strike days, there have been some trains on the Gatwick London route. I need to travel that day too so I'm hoping for both of us!

Gatwick is a much bigger airport so there will be more transport options available.

I would personally do almost anything to avoid Luton, which is a truly dreadful airport.

East Midlands Railway run trains between Luton Parkway and King's Cross (well St Pancras which is right next door) if they're not striking?

The trains from Luton will run through the night
The 'express' train may stop but the normal Thameslink service from Bedford to Brighton runs all night (though only 1-2 an hour) and stops at St Pancras

What part of London do you need to get to as this may sway the decision.

It won't be east midlands. It doesn't run that late
It will be Thameslink
(just incase OP wants to look up service for a specific provider)

Go to Gatwick

@Notimefor EMR ah sorry yes I didn't think of that, it still goes through Luton parkway at 23.25 but yes I suppose that's cutting it rather fine and not allowing for delays...!

Thanks all! Have gone with Gatwick flight and will either get train or bus - the timetable for the strike days gets published tomorrow so I might just book the bus today.

need to get to King’s Cross area but not by any specific time.

we have one train provider and hence not in the habit of checking who runs which lines/routes so thank a everyone for feedback!

Could you book a hotel at Gatwick and travel in on Thursday morning?

You can get a Thameslink train direct from Gatwick to Kings Cross, this is different from the Gatwick express. Journey takes about an hour.

If Thameslink is a nightmare too then I would get the train to Clapham Junction, then change and go to Vauxhall before getting the Victoria line up to Kings Cross. Bit of a faff if you have lots of luggage, but an option.

Thanks @eurochick @HoHoHoliday and @IDontLikePinaColadas really useful

should just have a should bag thankfully so not lugging tons about! And thanks to pp re Citymapper!

On previous strike days there have been minimal if any trains to LGW. You could book a coach into Victoria then tube to Kings X.

You'll be fine on Thameslink from Gatwick on 6th - all of these services will get you from Gatwick to St Pancras

I do London Bridge to Gatwick alot and its actually quite rare that there's NO trains on a strike day. Its a priority route so is generally protected.

Gatwick!