[NTarrant]

eejp1007, you might want to take the 1905 just incase there are delays, although they are not as bad as they have been. I travel regularly between the south coast and Gatwick and Victoria on a regular basis so know what it is like.

Don’t think I would take Rich’s advice about getting a cab to Victoria and the Gatwick Express. As Becky says the average time is 40 minutes and both the 1905 and 1920 have a booked time of 35 minutes. Gatwick Express has a booked time of 27minutes, you won’t get between Blackfriars and Victoria in eight minutes. The fare between Victoria and Gatwick single is £18.90 and that’s before your cab.

Rich, all I can say is you must have money to burn! Short stay at LGW, expensive, Gatwick Express, expensive, and a cab!

[RichHI1]

I just got sick of standing on Blackfriars and Gatwick stations listening to delay and cancellation announcements. If the pax in question is flying premier class to Hong Kong then I think the extra reliability ofr UKL9.00 is not that big a deal. The airfare round trip is between $4000 – 7500 depending on conditions. In comparison UKL18 to make sure you catch it?

I would also make the point, you and Becky use the Victoria service regularly not the Thameslink. If the poster wants to save a few pounds then take the Southern regular service from Victoria, although luggage is not as easy as on GE.

[BeckyBoop]

eejp1007, i agree with Ntarrant i would go for the 19:05 myself if it really came down to it as the very latest, that way if any of the inbound services back in to London are delayed you could just make it.

[NTarrant]

Rich, I don’t know if Becky will agree, but my observations are that FCC reliability is much improved over the last year.

Just because the poster is travelling in premier does not mean they have cash to burn. When I travelled on Concorde between NYC and LHR, I took the ordinary bus from outside my hotel to Grand Central and the aircoach to JFK!

[RichHI1]

NTarrant, if FCC has improved then that is good news. As I posted it is over a year since I gave up using FCC. I just would not recommend FCC from my personal expeirence but I did find the GE a quality product. If you have used it recently and found it good then that is fine. As I said above there has been a big reworking going on and an investment and if that is now paying dvidends then the Thameslink could be a good option. I am afraid after a long time of very poor service and complete lack of ownership from customer service I would take some convincing before I went FCC.
Sounds incredibly you would mess about with buses to catch Concorde. Personally if I just have hand bags I usee the E train unless it is very late or very early. (There is a stop otuside Sheraton NY and it normally beats the limo. However if I have a bag or two there is no choice but Dial 7 for me.)

[NTarrant]

Rich, it has ben a while since I have been to NYC but certainly last time there were no direct trains from JFK to Grand Central so it was the aircoach or cab. I hate cabs in all countries, usually dirty with a driver whos customer care is substandard.

There is nothing wrong in catching buses, usually far more comfortable than cabs and far cheaper. On our recent trip to Australia and New Zealand we took a cab twice in a four week trip, Shuttles and buses with two large cases, no problem. Mind you, you do get a few dropped jaws when people on the same bus see you go to the F check in!

[andystock]

best and cheapest way is to use the southern service from victoria (not gatwick express), the service that stops at clapham junction and east croydon. Problem with thameslink (fcc) is that it part way through a huge upgrade and the bottleneck at London Bridge.

[RichHI1]

NTarrant, the E train (MTA) runs from Jamaica with Air Train connection and is good for Mid town as it runs Express during the day until it hits Manhattan. The A train runs from Howard Beach (with Airtain connection) and is slower but quicker for downtown.

The LIRR train service runsfrom Jamaica to Penn Station with some non stops and a maximum of 3 stops. It costs more than the Subway and when you have connected in Manhattan often no quicker. THere is a new tunnel being bored which willl provide access from LiRR to Grand Central but that is some time off.

I do not use buses as I had an ear infection when I was younger and the vibration makes me literally vomit which is very incapacitating.

For me the big let down in most public transport is bag handling and I was very impressed with the Gatwick Express in tis respect, as I was with the HEathrow Express though with that I found the wait for cabs at Paddington can take as long as the train journey. I presume you would take the Piccadilly line?

Cabs in NY are a nuisance as you end up telling the cab driver how to get where you are going.

Happy travels

[RichHI1]

andystock that would fit with my experience.

[andystock]

All will Change when crossrail comes, a direct train with air con from Heathrow to the west end, city and docklands!

[NTarrant]

Rich, thanks for the notes for JFK, I have always been suprised that there was never an easy way from JFK to at least Grand Central or Penn Stations.

Both Gatwick and Heathrow Express are good. I do use the Heathrow Express if coming from central London, I have used the Piccadilly line but it does take a long time. When you compare Gatwick Express against Southern (although it is all Southern) the time difference is small, in comparison between Heathrow Express and the Piccadilly line. Usually I have to drive to LHR as it is train to Woking and then the coach which for early flights are not possible.

Yes Andy Crossrail and Thameslink when all finished will give great journey choices

[VintageKrug]

I don’t think the name will be changing, but here’s some time lapse of the new station’s construction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SlsKrwqrIDk#!

[LuganoPirate]

I used to use Blackfriars when, many moons ago, I worked at Conoco who were just south of the bridge (maybe still are?).

What an incredible change. I guess the small kebab shop by the entrance is long gone now? I shall make a point of visiting when in London next week.

[Author]

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