Heathrow to Tilbury

One morning toward the end of next August, my wife and I will arrive
at Heathrow airport. We will need to get from there to the London port
of Tilbury, where we will board a ship for a cruise. Can someone tell
us what our choices are, approximately how much they cost, and what
you recommend.

And then at the end of the cruise, we will need to get from Tilbury to
downtown London (where we will spend a few days before returning
home). Same questions for that ride.

Thanks very much.


--
Ken Blake

On 29/11/10 19:16, Ken Blake wrote:
One morning toward the end of next August, my wife and I will arrive
at Heathrow airport. We will need to get from there to the London port
of Tilbury, where we will board a ship for a cruise. Can someone tell
us what our choices are, approximately how much they cost, and what
you recommend.

And then at the end of the cruise, we will need to get from Tilbury to
downtown London (where we will spend a few days before returning
home). Same questions for that ride.

It's three trains (Two changes) and will take a couple of hours and more
by public transport, but I'd be very surprised if your cruise company
didn't provide a courtesy bus from the airport.

You can't be the only people making this trip...

--
William Black

Free men have open minds
If you want loyalty, buy a dog...

http://www.princess-pocahontas.com/

Ken Blake:
One morning toward the end of next August, my wife and I will arrive
at Heathrow airport. We will need to get from there to the London port
of Tilbury, where we will board a ship for a cruise. Can someone tell
us what our choices are, approximately how much they cost, and what
you recommend.

This is a partial answer.


If you do a Google search on the three words Heathrow, Tilbury, and Taxi,
you will find a bunch of companies offering direct car service between
the two locations. I looked at one of the web sites

http://www.britishcruisetransfers.co.uk/

and their prices start at 69 pounds for a "Standard family size
saloon car" (i.e. sedan) that "can accommodate 4 passengers, 2 medium
bags and 2 Hand luggage". For an "Standard family size estate car"
(i.e. station wagon) that "can accommodate 4 passengers, 4 medium bags
and 4 Hand luggage." they want 74 pounds, and it goes up from there.
Note that the British idea of what is a "standard size" car is rather
smaller than in North America.

No doubt other companies will offer similar rates.


If you prefer to do it by rail, you have to change trains twice, and
there are two possible routes. The faster option is:

Heathrow Express train to Paddington station
London Underground ("tube") Hammersmith & City Line to West Ham
C2C train to Tilbury Town station.

The Heathrow Express runs every 15 minutes. The travel time to Paddington
is 21 minutes from Terminal 5, about the same from Terminal 4 but you have
to change trains within the airport, and 15 minutes from Terminals 1-3.

When you arrive at Paddington, the Hammersmith & City Line station is
beside the main station toward the left-hand side of the train. With
other tracks in the way, the route within the station may be a bit awkward.
When in the station, you must then go to the eastbound platform and watch
the changing signs to board a train that is going to BARKING or PLAISTOW.
These trains run about every 10 minutes and it takes about 45 minutes.

When you get off at West Ham, you must go downstairs and upstairs to change
to the C2C platform. I don't know where you buy the C2C ticket. Your train
stopping at Tilbury Town will probably be going to SOUTHEND-ON-SEA or
SHOEBURYNESS. These trains run every 30 minutes at most times, and
the ride takes about 30 minutes.

Cash fare per person is 18 pounds on the Heathrow Express (a bit less if
you pay in advance online, 5 pounds more if you pay on the train), then
4 pounds on the tube, and the C2C web site wouldn't tell me a fare but
I'd expect about 10 pounds. Logically the Heathrow Express ticket office
ought to be able to sell you a ticket for the whole route, but I expect
they can't, in which case you'll have to buy separate tickets for each
train. In any case you see that for 2 people the cost this way is
comparable to the transfer companies.


The second rail route is:

London Underground ("tube") Piccadilly Line to Hammersmith or Barons
Court station
London Underground ("tube") District Line to West Ham
C2C train to Tilbury Town station.

All tube trains leaving Heathrow go to Hammersmith and Barons Court.
In this case the change of trains at either station is easy -- you just
cross to the other side of the same platform. (From Piccadilly Line
eastbound to District Line eastbound.) Again, you need to watch the
changing signs -- this time you want a train for UPMINSTER or BARKING.

At West Ham you must go downstairs and upstairs as above. The tube
fare through from Heathrow to West Ham is only 4.50 pounds, so this
route is substantially cheaper than the other one, but slower.
Both tube trains will be every 10 minutes or better, with the first
ride being about 40 minutes (more or less depending on your airport
terminal) and the second one about 30 minutes.


And then at the end of the cruise, we will need to get from Tilbury to
downtown London (where we will spend a few days before returning
home). Same questions for that ride.

They say "central London", not downtown.

From Tilbury Town station you can get a C2C train to Fenchurch Street
in central London. For most specific destinations it would probably
be easier to get off at West Ham and change to the Underground.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto "Yet Another Wonderful Novelty -- YAWN!"
-- Liam Quin

My text in this article is in the public domain.

On Nov 29, 11:58*am, William Black wrote:
On 29/11/10 19:16, Ken Blake wrote:

One morning toward the end of next August, my wife and I will arrive
at Heathrow airport. We will need to get from there to the London port
of Tilbury, where we will board a ship for a cruise. Can someone tell
us what our choices are, approximately how much they cost, and what
you recommend.

And then at the end of the cruise, we will need to get from Tilbury to
downtown London (where we will spend a few days before returning
home). Same questions for that ride.

It's three trains (Two changes) and will take a couple of hours and more
by public transport, but I'd be very surprised if your cruise company
didn't provide a courtesy bus from the airport.

You can't be the only people making this trip...

--
William Black

Free men have open minds
If you want loyalty, *buy a dog...

I'd be extremely surprised if the cruise company provide ay kind of
"courtesy" bus or transportation of any kind.

On Nov 29, 11:16*am, Ken Blake wrote:
One morning toward the end of next August, my wife and I will arrive
at Heathrow airport. We will need to get from there to the London port
of Tilbury, where we will board a ship for a cruise. Can someone tell
us what our choices are, approximately how much they cost, and what
you recommend.

And then at the end of the cruise, we will need to get from Tilbury to
downtown London (where we will spend a few days before returning
home). Same questions for that ride.

Thanks very much.

--
Ken Blake


Google "london minicab" and you'll see door to door shuttles. They'll
pick you up from wherever and take you to where you want to go. We
used these to take us to and from hotels and airports in London. You
can book on the web.

On Mon, 29 Nov 2010 19:58:47 +0000, William Black
wrote:

On 29/11/10 19:16, Ken Blake wrote:
One morning toward the end of next August, my wife and I will arrive
at Heathrow airport. We will need to get from there to the London port
of Tilbury, where we will board a ship for a cruise. Can someone tell
us what our choices are, approximately how much they cost, and what
you recommend.

And then at the end of the cruise, we will need to get from Tilbury to
downtown London (where we will spend a few days before returning
home). Same questions for that ride.

It's three trains (Two changes) and will take a couple of hours and more
by public transport,


Ugh!


but I'd be very surprised if your cruise company
didn't provide a courtesy bus from the airport.

You can't be the only people making this trip...


They provide a transfer service, but it's not free. It would cost $138
USD for me and my wife. So I was looking for a cheaper alternative, if
it's at least reasonably convenient,

But thanks.


--
Ken Blake

On Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:07:28 -0600, (Mark Brader) wrote:

Ken Blake:
One morning toward the end of next August, my wife and I will arrive
at Heathrow airport. We will need to get from there to the London port
of Tilbury, where we will board a ship for a cruise. Can someone tell
us what our choices are, approximately how much they cost, and what
you recommend.

This is a partial answer.


If you do a Google search on the three words Heathrow, Tilbury, and Taxi,
you will find a bunch of companies offering direct car service between
the two locations. I looked at one of the web sites

http://www.britishcruisetransfers.co.uk/

and their prices start at 69 pounds for a "Standard family size
saloon car" (i.e. sedan) that "can accommodate 4 passengers, 2 medium
bags and 2 Hand luggage".


Thanks very much. 69 pounds is better than the $138 the cruise company
wants. I'll look into this.



For an "Standard family size estate car"
(i.e. station wagon) that "can accommodate 4 passengers, 4 medium bags
and 4 Hand luggage." they want 74 pounds, and it goes up from there.
Note that the British idea of what is a "standard size" car is rather
smaller than in North America.

No doubt other companies will offer similar rates.


If you prefer to do it by rail, you have to change trains twice, and
there are two possible routes. The faster option is:

Heathrow Express train to Paddington station
London Underground ("tube") Hammersmith & City Line to West Ham
C2C train to Tilbury Town station.

The Heathrow Express runs every 15 minutes. The travel time to Paddington
is 21 minutes from Terminal 5, about the same from Terminal 4 but you have
to change trains within the airport, and 15 minutes from Terminals 1-3.

When you arrive at Paddington, the Hammersmith & City Line station is
beside the main station toward the left-hand side of the train. With
other tracks in the way, the route within the station may be a bit awkward.
When in the station, you must then go to the eastbound platform and watch
the changing signs to board a train that is going to BARKING or PLAISTOW.
These trains run about every 10 minutes and it takes about 45 minutes.

When you get off at West Ham, you must go downstairs and upstairs to change
to the C2C platform. I don't know where you buy the C2C ticket. Your train
stopping at Tilbury Town will probably be going to SOUTHEND-ON-SEA or
SHOEBURYNESS. These trains run every 30 minutes at most times, and
the ride takes about 30 minutes.

Cash fare per person is 18 pounds on the Heathrow Express (a bit less if
you pay in advance online, 5 pounds more if you pay on the train), then
4 pounds on the tube, and the C2C web site wouldn't tell me a fare but
I'd expect about 10 pounds. Logically the Heathrow Express ticket office
ought to be able to sell you a ticket for the whole route, but I expect
they can't, in which case you'll have to buy separate tickets for each
train. In any case you see that for 2 people the cost this way is
comparable to the transfer companies.


The second rail route is:

London Underground ("tube") Piccadilly Line to Hammersmith or Barons
Court station
London Underground ("tube") District Line to West Ham
C2C train to Tilbury Town station.

All tube trains leaving Heathrow go to Hammersmith and Barons Court.
In this case the change of trains at either station is easy -- you just
cross to the other side of the same platform. (From Piccadilly Line
eastbound to District Line eastbound.) Again, you need to watch the
changing signs -- this time you want a train for UPMINSTER or BARKING.

At West Ham you must go downstairs and upstairs as above. The tube
fare through from Heathrow to West Ham is only 4.50 pounds, so this
route is substantially cheaper than the other one, but slower.
Both tube trains will be every 10 minutes or better, with the first
ride being about 40 minutes (more or less depending on your airport
terminal) and the second one about 30 minutes.


And then at the end of the cruise, we will need to get from Tilbury to
downtown London (where we will spend a few days before returning
home). Same questions for that ride.

They say "central London", not downtown.

From Tilbury Town station you can get a C2C train to Fenchurch Street
in central London. For most specific destinations it would probably
be easier to get off at West Ham and change to the Underground.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto "Yet Another Wonderful Novelty -- YAWN!"
-- Liam Quin

My text in this article is in the public domain.

--
Ken Blake

On Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:21:26 -0800 (PST), PeterL
wrote:

On Nov 29, 11:16*am, Ken Blake wrote:
One morning toward the end of next August, my wife and I will arrive
at Heathrow airport. We will need to get from there to the London port
of Tilbury, where we will board a ship for a cruise. Can someone tell
us what our choices are, approximately how much they cost, and what
you recommend.

And then at the end of the cruise, we will need to get from Tilbury to
downtown London (where we will spend a few days before returning
home). Same questions for that ride.

Thanks very much.

--
Ken Blake


Google "london minicab" and you'll see door to door shuttles. They'll
pick you up from wherever and take you to where you want to go. We
used these to take us to and from hotels and airports in London. You
can book on the web.


Thanks very much. I'll look into this, too.


--
Ken Blake