Dover to Heathrow - taxi

Hi - We will be docking in Dover at the end of July and need the names of some reliable taxis to take us to the airport. I don't have my air itinerary yet, but I finally sat down and looked at my final bill and nearly hit the ground looking at what the cruise line wants for transfers. Frankly, I could use that amount as a deposit on my next cruise :rolleyes:. So, since I have gotten a ton of info from these boards in the past, I figure someone out there must have had some experience with private transfers from Dover to Heathrow.

Thanks,

Ronnie

Hi

I think you will find any taxi really expensive from Dover - Heathrow. I would guess at circa £200.

I live not far from Dover, so know exactly what the journey time is like. If you are travelling across any of the rush hour times, I think avoiding a taxi at all cost would be wise because the M25 motorway is horrendous and totally unpredictable.

I will get you an exact price and post here for a taxi, but honestly I think you should look at doing it by train as it is pretty simple and will cost you a lot less.

Dover - London (high speed train) then change and get a tube (underground) straight to Heathrow.

I'll get a price and re-post.

Best wishes.

Beverley x

OK - made a quick couple of calls..... SHOCK.

1) Called a company that deal exclusively in port-airport transfers. When I spoke, he could obviously tell I was local and said.. oh, it's £185 but I deal with people coming in from cruises... you'd be better off with a normal taxi, they are much cheaper:eek: Freely admitting that he fleeces the foreigners stepping off the cruise ships!

2) Called a 'normal' taxi company and they said 2 passengers Dover-Heathrow is £130.

If you want any help or more quotes, let me know.

Unfortunately, the smaller companies (cheaper ones) won't have websites so it's more difficult for you to book etc.

I'd be more than happy to book a taxi for you, and give you their number so that when you dock you can call them.

I hate seeing people get ripped off just because they are on foreign soil!

Beverley x

OK - made a quick couple of calls..... SHOCK.

 

1) Called a company that deal exclusively in port-airport transfers. When I spoke, he could obviously tell I was local and said.. oh, it's £185 but I deal with people coming in from cruises... you'd be better off with a normal taxi, they are much cheaper:eek: Freely admitting that he fleeces the foreigners stepping off the cruise ships!

 

2) Called a 'normal' taxi company and they said 2 passengers Dover-Heathrow is £130.

 

If you want any help or more quotes, let me know.

 

Unfortunately, the smaller companies (cheaper ones) won't have websites so it's more difficult for you to book etc.

 

I'd be more than happy to book a taxi for you, and give you their number so that when you dock you can call them.

 

I hate seeing people get ripped off just because they are on foreign soil!

 

Beverley x

Thanks so much Beverly. Oceania wants 129USD per person so that is double what a taxi wants. I am waiting to see if anyone on the ship hires a van to take some of us to the airport in a group. I know that it is a fairly long trip, but I think I am getting ripped off by the cruise line. They want $89pp to go 13 miles from the airport in Amsterdam to the port :mad: - so I am doing my homework and trying to save a bunch of money. I will let you know as the day gets closer. Right now I don't even have my air itinerary. If you have the website of any companies I can call, that would help also - I hate to have you do my work.

Thanks a million

Ronnie

Thanks so much Beverly. Oceania wants 129USD per person so that is double what a taxi wants. I am waiting to see if anyone on the ship hires a van to take some of us to the airport in a group. I know that it is a fairly long trip, but I think I am getting ripped off by the cruise line. They want $89pp to go 13 miles from the airport in Amsterdam to the port :mad: - so I am doing my homework and trying to save a bunch of money. I will let you know as the day gets closer. Right now I don't even have my air itinerary. If you have the website of any companies I can call, that would help also - I hate to have you do my work.

Thanks a million

Ronnie

http://www.london-airport-shuttle.co.uk/dover-port-transfer.html

That is the link to the one that says it costs £185 for the two of you.

The other was a small taxi company, and have no website but they their telephone number is 01304201915 they will charge £130.

This is horrible to say, but don't be surprised if the price at the smaller one suddenly escalates when they hear your accent:mad: Everyone is out to rip of the tourist!

Hope that helps, and really would be happy to help if you need me to. For me, it's just one call away.

Kindest regards.

Beverley x

The airport-based private hire cars charge an arm and a leg.

You can get a taxi for around £100 by using a regular Dover taxi firm - they all do airport runs for locals & visitors & they know their stuff.

Google "Dover Taxi" and you will find a number of options, with web-sites & e-mail addresses.

But add "Heathrow" to your search & the listings will be dominated by Heathrow-based firms, with the sort of prices that have been mentioned on this thread.

Same applies to other ports.

John Bull

Has anyone heard of Steve Knibbs? We used him from Dover to London a few years ago, but I can't find his website. We also hired a driver on one trip from London to Gatwick and he never showed, not Knibbs. Of course that was the day that the tubes and public transportation went on strike. I'll never forget how hard the doorman had to work to get us a taxi that chared us almost $200 U.S. He kept his meter running and slowed down so he missed every light. On top of that, he took us to the wrong terminat at Gatwick. I am probably the world's worst flier and to get to the airport less than an hour before takeoff was awful for me. The rest of my family doesn't have the same problem. They would be happy getting to the airport at the minimum time.

Joan

http://www.london-airport-shuttle.co.uk/dover-port-transfer.html

 

That is the link to the one that says it costs £185 for the two of you.

 

The other was a small taxi company, and have no website but they their telephone number is 01304201915 they will charge £130.

 

This is horrible to say, but don't be surprised if the price at the smaller one suddenly escalates when they hear your accent:mad: Everyone is out to rip of the tourist!

 

Hope that helps, and really would be happy to help if you need me to. For me, it's just one call away.

 

Kindest regards.

 

Beverley x

Thanks Beverly - I have contacted that company along with two others that my TA was able to come up with. I am waiting for their reply as far as cost and hopefully reliablility goes. It is much better to email - my accent is from New York and that can work both ways...some folks think we are really tough :p - yep -that's us.....tough and rude New Yorkers!!

Thaks everyone who responded. You saved me a ton of $$$ - maybe enough for a deposit on our next cruise!

Ronnie

Thanks Beverly - I have contacted that company along with two others that my TA was able to come up with. I am waiting for their reply as far as cost and hopefully reliablility goes. It is much better to email - my accent is from New York and that can work both ways...some folks think we are really tough :p - yep -that's us.....tough and rude New Yorkers!!

Thaks everyone who responded. You saved me a ton of $$$ - maybe enough for a deposit on our next cruise!

Ronnie

Welcome Ronnie.

I hope you enjoy your trip!

Beverley:D

Hi

 

I think you will find any taxi really expensive from Dover - Heathrow. I would guess at circa £200.

 

I live not far from Dover, so know exactly what the journey time is like. If you are travelling across any of the rush hour times, I think avoiding a taxi at all cost would be wise because the M25 motorway is horrendous and totally unpredictable.

 

I will get you an exact price and post here for a taxi, but honestly I think you should look at doing it by train as it is pretty simple and will cost you a lot less.

 

Dover - London (high speed train) then change and get a tube (underground) straight to Heathrow.

 

I'll get a price and re-post.

 

Best wishes.

 

Beverley x

Beverley: thank you so much for the valuable information that you have provided to countless CC members. I'm trying to gather information regarding taking the train from Heathrow to Dover (via London I imagine) prior to our cruise, and then the same in reverse upon disembarkation. If you have information (or anyone else out there...John Bull perhaps?), I'd really appreciate it. Specifically, I'd like an idea of where to board the train at Heathrow after exiting customs, what's the best station to transfer from in London (is there one that is more user-friendly for those hauling luggage?), how many trains a day back and forth between London and Dover, and the approximate one-way price? I survived the Naples train station in Italy last summer, so I'm confident that anything the British have will be a piece of cake!!!

Gr'aunt aka Debra

Beverley: thank you so much for the valuable information that you have provided to countless CC members. I'm trying to gather information regarding taking the train from Heathrow to Dover (via London I imagine) prior to our cruise' date=' and then the same in reverse upon disembarkation. If you have information (or anyone else out there...John Bull perhaps?), I'd really appreciate it. Specifically, I'd like an idea of where to board the train at Heathrow after exiting customs, what's the best station to transfer from in London (is there one that is more user-friendly for those hauling luggage?), how many trains a day back and forth between London and Dover, and the approximate one-way price? I survived the Naples train station in Italy last summer, so I'm confident that anything the British have will be a piece of cake!!!

 

Gr'aunt aka Debra[/quote']

 

There's no direct public transport transport between Dover & Heathrow, both coach & train involve a change in central London, with luggage both involve a short taxi ride from the cruise terminal in Dover ( Nat Express website wont quote coaches from cruise terminal, altho its listed)

 

Coach http://www.nationalexpress.com/coach/index.cfm?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=ppc will be cheapest - much of the journey will be frustratingly slow, but you simply change coaches at Victoria coach station.

 

Train will be quicker & more comfortable, but its Dover to Charing Cross station then a 2-mile taxi hop to Paddington station for trains to Heathrow. Ticketing & pricing is over-complicated, hopefully a Londoner such as HandfordR or Globaliser will chip in with the details.

 

Best general info about transfers is on the website of The London Toolkit (you'll have to google it, CC blanks links to their website), from their home page click on "Airports & Transfers" then on Heathrow & Dover for details.

 

But the private transfer companies they link to are over-priced - for this you're best to use a Dover firm. www.dovertaxis.com used to be sensibly priced. Or google "Dover taxi" & take it from there, all the local firms will be well-used to Heathrow runs - don't be tempted to google "Dover Heathrow taxi" as the listings will be dominated by expensive Heathrow firms. Few Dover firms have websites, most have e-mail

 

JB

Personally, I wouldn't do Charing Cross-Dover. I'd take the highspeed from St Pancras, it would cut the time down significantly and only costs £4 more. I use the highspeed every week or so that I work in London.

Heathrow-London can be done by either the tube(Piccadilly Line straight from Heathrow to St Pancras or by Heathrow Express to Paddington, then getting the tube to St Pancras.

I know the tube is slower, but I would say much easier (and cheaper) and would definately be my recommended route.

JB,Thanks for the timely reply!

So, do I understand this right? The national express coach is what we yanks call a bus, correct? I don't think DH and I would be interested in that at all. We'd rather take the train.

I believe Globaliser helped me out last summer with questions regarding changing terminals in Heathrow, so hopefully I'll be lucky enough to get some advice regarding train service out of Heathrow. It sounds like I have to take a taxi between stations (Charing Cross and Paddington); there's no tube between them? And the train to and from Dover/London is out of Charing Cross? But to get back and forth between London and Heathrow I need to use Paddington?

Globaliser, if you're out there, any advice you can give regarding train service into London and then transferring to Dover would be appreciated. The best way to buy tickets (once we get there? in advance?), and prices would be great too. Thanks!!!

Gr'aunt

Personally, I wouldn't do Charing Cross-Dover. I'd take the highspeed from St Pancras, it would cut the time down significantly and only costs £4 more. I use the highspeed every week or so that I work in London.

 

Heathrow-London can be done by either the tube(Piccadilly Line straight from Heathrow to St Pancras or by Heathrow Express to Paddington, then getting the tube to St Pancras.

 

I know the tube is slower, but I would say much easier (and cheaper) and would definately be my recommended route.

You must have been writing the above when I was responding to JB, because your response hadn't posted yet when I began! So, let me try this again:o After we go through Customs at Heathrow, we find the tram that takes us to where we can get on the tube/Piccadilly Line to St Pancras, and then at St Pancras we can transfer to the high speed train to Dover?

I haven't been in England since 2004 (just passing through Heathrow last year en route to Italy), so I vaguely remember buying tickets at an automated machine for the tube. Is that the case for the train to Dover as well? Is there a particular website that can tell me approximately how many trains a day serve Dover, and what we might expect to pay? And can I use a credit card for both the tube and train, or do I need to buy some UK currency in the airport?

Sorry for all the questions, but we'd rather take the train (and soak up the experience...we don't travel this way in California). Besides, the ships transfer is only good for certain days, and we'll be coming in earlier and staying later than the cruise dates.

Gr'aunt

JB' date='Thanks for the timely reply!

 

So, do I understand this right? The national express coach is what we yanks call a bus, correct? I don't think DH and I would be interested in that at all. We'd rather take the train.

 

I believe Globaliser helped me out last summer with questions regarding changing terminals in Heathrow, so hopefully I'll be lucky enough to get some advice regarding [u']train[/u] service out of Heathrow. It sounds like I have to take a taxi between stations (Charing Cross and Paddington); there's no tube between them? And the train to and from Dover/London is out of Charing Cross? But to get back and forth between London and Heathrow I need to use Paddington?

 

Globaliser, if you're out there, any advice you can give regarding train service into London and then transferring to Dover would be appreciated. The best way to buy tickets (once we get there? in advance?), and prices would be great too. Thanks!!!

 

Gr'aunt

Yes, the Nat Express is a long-distance bus.

Luggage is the bugbear for using the tube, which is why I suggested a taxi between stations.

But there's a lot of train/tube options & I'll happily defer to Bs12 and to our regular Londoners such as Globaliser, who all know London better than I.

JB

I've had very good luck with National Express coaches. For me they are much easier to deal with than a train where I have to load my own luggage. The driver loads your bags under the coach and you climb up with his help if you need it.

If my Oceania cruise docks at Dover by 6am, and I take the fastest way to Healthrow (taxi?) what is the earliest return flight I should book? Thanks.

When we need to get from Dover to Heathrow we simply rent a car (one-way). By shopping around we can usually get a pretty decent price. Lately we have found that Enterprise has some pretty decent on-way prices and we have also used Hertz.

Hank

When we need to get from Dover to Heathrow we simply rent a car (one-way). By shopping around we can usually get a pretty decent price. Lately we have found that Enterprise has some pretty decent on-way prices and we have also used Hertz.

 

Hank

We also have rented a car for Dover to Gatwick as there are 5 of us and this was the most economical mode of transportation for us. My husband gets a good price through Avis and with his Avis card he doesn't have to pay the one way fee.

diane

If my Oceania cruise docks at Dover by 6am, and I take the fastest way to Healthrow (taxi?) what is the earliest return flight I should book? Thanks.

Fastest way is by taxi. You might be able to get priority disembarkation about 7am (haul your own baggage) but you shouldn't bank being off til 7.30. Journey time normally 1.75hrs (100 miles) but allow 2.5 hrs minimum - its not a good time of day to be on the London orbital road.

Long-haul check-in closes 3hrs before your flight

A flight at 1.00pm is pushing your luck. 1.30 should be just about ok. 2pm onwards is ideal

Pre-booking a private-hire taxi (see elsewhere on this thread) will be way way way cheaper than hailing one from the rank.

JB

You must have been writing the above when I was responding to JB' date=' because your response hadn't posted yet when I began! So, let me try this again:o After we go through Customs at Heathrow, we find the tram that takes us to where we can get on the tube/Piccadilly Line to St Pancras, and then at St Pancras we can transfer to the high speed train to Dover?

 

I haven't been in England since 2004 (just passing through Heathrow last year en route to Italy), so I vaguely remember buying tickets at an automated machine for the tube. Is that the case for the train to Dover as well? Is there a particular website that can tell me approximately how many trains a day serve Dover, and what we might expect to pay? And can I use a credit card for both the tube and train, or do I need to buy some UK currency in the airport?

 

Sorry for all the questions, but we'd rather take the train (and soak up the experience...we don't travel this way in California). Besides, the ships transfer is only good for certain days, and we'll be coming in earlier and staying later than the cruise dates.

 

Gr'aunt[/quote']

 

Hi

 

Yes, you got it. You come through customs and then make your way to the tube where you pick up the Piccadilly Line (navy blue on the underground map). You get off it at the station marked Kings Cross/St Pancras and then walk about 5 mins, all indoors to the St Pancras domestic high speed service.

 

The tubes run all day at 5 or 10 minute intervals. The high speed train from St Pancras runs approximately every 30 mins throughout the day and is pretty fast :-)

 

You'll be fine to pay with all the tickets by credit card. You won't need cash.

 

If you want to check exact train timings, you can check www.nationalrail.co.uk and put in the day etc. and it will give you all the timings.

 

I hope this helps.

 

I am at this moment stranded in your gorgeous California with a cancelled flight tomorrow, and no indication of how many days it will take to be able to get a flight home. Bad luck eh... stranded in San Diego lol :D

Do we need a PIN number to use a credit card to buy those tickets?

Stuck in San Diego............ enjoy your delay!

Thanks Beverly - I have contacted that company along with two others that my TA was able to come up with. I am waiting for their reply as far as cost and hopefully reliablility goes. It is much better to email - my accent is from New York and that can work both ways...some folks think we are really tough :p - yep -that's us.....tough and rude New Yorkers!!

Thaks everyone who responded. You saved me a ton of $$$ - maybe enough for a deposit on our next cruise!

Ronnie

Ronnie,

Could you share the names and websites of the other companies. It seems as if every company I check on is more expensive than the last one. Thanks.

Joan

Personally, I wouldn't do Charing Cross-Dover. I'd take the highspeed from St Pancras, it would cut the time down significantly and only costs £4 more. I use the highspeed every week or so that I work in London.

 

Heathrow-London can be done by either the tube(Piccadilly Line straight from Heathrow to St Pancras or by Heathrow Express to Paddington, then getting the tube to St Pancras.

 

I know the tube is slower, but I would say much easier (and cheaper) and would definately be my recommended route.

That would be how I would do it too. I love the tube, yes it is slower, but with an Oyster card it is so cheap. I hate to think of someone taking this trip without taking the time to visit London either before or after the cruise. There is so much to see and experience there. I really think the fun of a cruise from England is the oppurtunity of spending a few days at least seeing parts of it. A cruise is great, but a trip to England far more so. If you visit England, the train and the tube are your best modes of convenient comfortable travel. JMHO.

jc

Has anyone used Jeff at airport connect? His prices are fair and he doesn't charge extra for waiting at the airport. After having a driver not show up on our last trip, I'm really interested in reliability. Thanks.

Joan