Taxi or Tube? =)

Hello all,

 

So, I'm working out the logistics of getting around London for when we arrive and leave. We will be taking the Heathrow Express train to Paddington station and winding up at Park Plaza Hotel near the Waterloo station. Leaving London we are taking the Eurostar train to Paris out of the St. Pancras station. Suggestions on whether to taxi or tube along these routes? I'm all for public transportation, but I can't drag heavy luggage up and down stairs. I need an escalator or lift. On the flip side, I don't want to pay an arm and leg for a taxi. There will be 3 people in all traveling. Suggestions? Thanks!

You have chosen a hotel which is a fair distance from St Pancras - why not go a bit nearer such as Bloomsbury as an example ? A taxi from that area wouldn't cost a huge amount more than 3 people on the tube and no dragging cases .

Hi, Heather,

 

Nothing wrong with Park Plaza Waterloo or Westminster Bridge (in fact both are well-recommended and good locations for sight-seeing in London).

And nothing wrong with Heathrow Express - if you buy tickets a couple of months out.

 

But the hotel is some distance from both Paddington and St Pancras, and presumably both journeys will be with luggage. Do you have a reason (loyalty points or whatever) for Park Plaza?

 

And - especially for three - the cost of walk-up tickets for the Heathrow Express alone is more expensive than a pre-booked private transfer from Heathrow to anywhere in central London.

 

Can you tell us whether you have yet booked the hotel or the Heathrow Express, when you'll be travelling, and how long you plan to be in London between flying in and Eurostar out?

 

JB :)

There are maps available that shows which tube stations have lifts: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/step-free-tube-guide.pdf and http://content.tfl.gov.uk/avoiding-stairs-tube-guide.pdf

However, every now and then the lifts are out of service. Here's a calendar of planned outages: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/station-closures.pdf

Hotel is bought and paid for as are the tickets for Heathrow express. It was difficult finding one hotel room to accommodate two adults and one very tall 13-year-old. Trip is in June of this year.

I would definitely go for taxi

tube with luggage is not fun even if says lifts are available and certainly to be avoided rush hour

I would definitely go for taxi

tube with luggage is not fun even if says lifts are available and certainly to be avoided rush hour

 

Estimate on taxi cost?

Hotel is bought and paid for as are the tickets for Heathrow express. It was difficult finding one hotel room to accommodate two adults and one very tall 13-year-old. Trip is in June of this year.

 

Finding a summer hotel for 3 people is not easy for sure! We ended up getting lucky and found a military hotel with family rooms. So I get it!! I will say having ridden the tube there last summer, it can get really packed at certain times. But I did see people doing it with luggage. I wouldn't have enjoyed it though, personally. Although the taxi costs are high, sometimes it's worth it for the comfort. ;)

Estimate on taxi cost?

 

its 2.5 miles but can take about 20 mins with London traffic

 

I'd estimate about £15

From the hotel to Eurostar I would ask the hotel to call a mini cab, which is a pre booked taxi and cheaper than a black cab. You can order it the day before.

 

For mini cab prices you can get quotes from their websites. Look at a company like Addison Lee and put in the details. They are one of the main operators within London.

 

 

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OK, you've bought your Heathrow Express tickets in good time, which makes them good value.

It's by far the quickest way into central London, and luggage -friendly.

But from its terminus at Paddington station it's about 3.5 miles to your hotel near Waterloo.

Fabn40+ reckons about £15 by taxi. I was thinking' more like £18 to £20, but we're in the same ball-park.

Or there's a direct tube train (Bakerloo line, direction of Elephant & Castle) but you need a regular user to advise how easy with luggage. And you won't want to be using luggage on the tube before about 10am or 4.30 to 6.30pm.

 

Your Waterloo hotel is very convenient for the sights - easily walkable to Big Ben etc, London Eye and river cruises & ho-ho buses..

 

Hotel to St Pancras is about 2.5 miles. There's no direct tube but you can take the northern line to Euston & change there or jump a taxi for the half-mile or less to St Pancras (tell the driver it's St Pancras International or "for Eurostar"). Again, you could do with expert advice.

But I'd be inclined to do the same as London Towner - get your hotel to book a private-hire taxi (colloquial name "mini-cab" but they come in all sizes).

 

JB :)

Sounds like taxi is the best. And thanks for the info about mini cabs.. I would never have known to ask about them!

One other thing, I assume we tip for taxi? =)

One other thing, I assume we tip for taxi? =)

 

usually just round fare up to nearest round number

however if they hear an American accent they may anticipate more:)

One other thing, I assume we tip for taxi? =)

Standard tip is 10 per cent, but some tip less or nothing.

One other thing, I assume we tip for taxi? =)

Just round up to nearest £, or add an extra £ if it's say £10.75 or up.

 

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One other thing, I assume we tip for taxi? =)

Standard tip is 10 per cent, but some tip less or nothing.

Black cab tip expectations are very low these days. Most cabbies are delighted if they get 10%. Part of the reason is that the fare structure has been revised so that you can pay by credit card for free, and many passengers just tap a contactless card and go without tipping anything at all.

Do all the cabs take credit cards. Is a cab the best way to get to the cruiseport from Southampton Airport? And anyone know how much for 2 people. And last, when you say Black Cab - is that the official cab similar to Yellow cab in NYC.

 

Sorry for all the questions.

Do all the cabs take credit cards. Is a cab the best way to get to the cruiseport from Southampton Airport? And anyone know how much for 2 people. And last, when you say Black Cab - is that the official cab similar to Yellow cab in NYC.

This thread is about London, not Southampton. So what's in it doesn't apply to the question of going from Southampton airport to Southampton docks. Fortunately, we have a resident Southampton expert who will have the answers about that.

 

In London, "black cabs" are indeed the official licensed taxis like the yellow cabs in New York. They are metered and can be hailed on the street, whereas private hire cars or minicabs are supposed to charge you only a pre-agreed fare for a pre-agreed trip. All black cabs now take credit cards, with no surcharge.

Thanks. Planning this trip has made me realize how little I know about England.

All black cabs now take credit cards, with no surcharge.

 

All black cabs are required by law to take credit cards, but for some strange reason the machines are often broken so the driver asks to be paid in cash.

 

Even more strangely the machine will usually magically repair itself if you are firm in explaining to the driver that you have no cash.

 

There seems to be no reason for this phenomenon...

All black cabs are required by law to take credit cards, but for some strange reason the machines are often broken so the driver asks to be paid in cash.

 

Even more strangely the machine will usually magically repair itself if you are firm in explaining to the driver that you have no cash.

 

There seems to be no reason for this phenomenon...

 

Their credit card machines must be made by the same company as the ones in the US, because the same thing happens here!! :)

Maybe it's because they don't want to pay the CC charges.

 

 

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Do all the cabs take credit cards. Is a cab the best way to get to the cruiseport from Southampton Airport? And anyone know how much for 2 people. And last, when you say Black Cab - is that the official cab similar to Yellow cab in NYC.

 

Sorry for all the questions.

 

For cruiseport to Southampton a cab is easiest.

There will be cabs lined-up at the cruise terminal, expect to pay about £21/£23. These are cabs licenced to pick up anywhere ("hackney carriages", to give them their correct title) same as London's black-cabs (and NYC's Yellow Cab?). Except they're white.

But it's cheaper (and avoids the occasional long wait if the taxi rank is over-subscribed) to pre-book a private-hire taxi - www.westquaycars.com for instance will cost you something like £17/£18.

All rates are per vehicle, not per person.

 

JB :)

thanks so much.