Help needed to get from Luton Airport to Southwark

[Glorieta]

Posting for a friend who has booked a last minute package to Harry Potter World for her and DC.

They arrive in Luton circa 8.30am tomorrow and need to get to the Mad Hatter Hotel in Southwark.

Not an experienced traveller so the simplest route recommendations best please.

Google maps is your friend here.

It's direct on the train. Get the ticket from Luton airport itself, not Luton airport parkway station so it'll include the shuttle bus. Then take the train straight through to Blackfriars, the south exit of which is 2-3 mins walk from the hotel.

Don’t use googlemaps. Citymapper is the best travel planner for London.

Avoid the train tomorrow if you can because of the strikes. Otherwise the train from Luton Airport Parkway would have been ideal.

Harry Potter World is a long way from Southwark! Does she know how to get to Watford?

There are train strikes tomorrow all across the network, she won't be able to get the train (or not very easily at least!)

Oh no...so how does she get there?

Oh there are more strikes! 🤦🏻‍♀️
Bus or cab to Edgeware or High Barnet probably then as a trainless plan b - Northern line straight down to Waterloo or London Bridge and a short walk along the south bank.

Nope

As the PP says, it couldn’t be simpler. Shuttle bus from airport to station the direct train to Blackfriars which takes 40-45 minutes. Annoyingly I think you still can’t exit the station on the side of the river they need to be on (though it’s been a while since I went there) but the hotel is just across the bridge, about a 5 minute walk.

Sorry, cross posted, forgot about strikes! Can she cancel the hotel and stay closer to Harry Potter? Luton is much nearer to Watford than Southwark,

Its a package deal with flights and hotel

There are very limited trains tomorrow but maybe try National Express or check for a coach service into central London.

Thanks all

There’s a National train strike tomorrow and presumably while they are so cheap.

Is it too late to cancel? I’m not even attempting to go to work (as a v experienced traveller) let alone a non essential journey.

There's coaches into london and then you can get the tube from there

757 green line to Baker Street then jubilee line comes up on Google for me

I bet someone cancelled because of the strikes! Does she have time restrictions on travel and her HP ticket? As even getting to the HP studios will be a bit tricky, she can easily get the tube to Watford but then needs a bus to Watford Junction (separate station) for the HP studios bus. Well, either that or a taxi from Watford tube direct to HP.

She could try national express or the arriva bus from luton to victoria station then a bus to waterloo station/southwark,

If they arrive 8.30 at the airport they mught want to check the hotel has storage as some dont let you check in till 3pm

Can she afford to book a cheap hotel in Watford as well, instead, and ditch the one which comes with the package? Luton into Southwark then back out to Watford is bonkers even before you factor in a train strike.

Honestly I presume she is a functioning adult? How can she not use the internet herself to work this out? Anyway Citymapper is the app to download as it gives best routes and clear guidance. Also Harry Potter world is probably closer to Luton than Southwark.

There is a Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition which I am sure I noticed the last time I was around Covent Garden. Maybe she means that, in which case staying in Southwark is logical.

If she means the Harry Potter Studio tour then that is in Watford, not London. Watford is much closer to Luton Airport than Southwark is.

That is before even factoring in train strikes. She sounds possibly confused about which exhibition she is going to. Check that out first.

There is a National Express coach from the airport to Victoria where she can change to tube.

Quicker would be to get off the coach at Finchley Rd / Golders Green and get in the Northern line. Google ‘Luton airport to Blackfriars bus’ and it gives details.

What day is she going to Watford?

Yes, but travel from central London (including Blackfriars) to Watford Junction for the shuttle bus isn’t really a big deal, and Blackfriars is a better place for visitors to stay than Luton or Watford.

However it is just over an hour in buses from Luton Airport to Watford if she went direct.

Does the package not include transfers or at least directions?