Information needed on Transfer Company to Dover

[TT]

Flying in to Gatwick Airport, England and need a transfer to Dover, England. We were going to go back into London and tour around but the prices were very High. 1025.00 pounds for 10 people for a 4 hour tour and higher. Spoke to Malcom from Airport Cruise Transfers and he gave me some good advice. But has anyone ever used them? Please give me the good and bad about this company. The advice they gave me was great and made alot of sense but when someone tells me they don't like taking people I wonder what they are thinking.

 

Thanking all in advance for their advice.

 

TT

[SoonerDog]

You can get a train from Gatwick to Dover. It is about a 2 1/2 hour trip, including a change in Tombridge with about a 30 min layover.

 

As for as a London tour, it only takes 30 mins to get from Gatwick to central London (Victoria Station) on the Gatwick Express Train and the cost is 15 pounds (around $28) per person. Once at Victoria, it is an easy walk to Westminster Bridge, Big Ben, Westminster Abby, etc. You can catch a 'hop-on/hop-off' bus tour along the bridge right next to the London Eye. These tours are great for getting a feel for London in a short amount of time. You can get off, check out an area, then hop on the next bus to continue.

 

You really do not need a tour guide to see London. Much of the more famous sights are fairly close together.

 

Then you can take a direct train to Dover from London's Charing Cross Station; travel time about 2 hours.

 

Sorry, I don't know anything about the tour company you mentioned....

[TT]

SoonerDog Thanks for the info. The reason we wanted a tour is there are 10 of us and alot of luggage we are doing the TA on the Connie in September. With hubby on oxygen(he won't be taking it on this trip and one who just had a stoke a few weeks ago I felt a bus would be the way to go. You said also it only takes 1/2 hour to get from the airport to London. Mmmm I was told on a Friday it would take 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. This is from Gatwick? I had heard the other airport was closer to London and Gatwick was not so close. I will make sure I do some checking. Thanks again for the info and no problems about the company. You must have been there a few times you do have it down pat. Thanks again.

 

TT

[SoonerDog]

The Gatwick Express train runs every 15 mins or so from Gatwick's South Terminal and it only takes 30 mins to get to Victoria Station. I've taken it numerous times. Driving to London might take an hour or so depending on traffic, but it is only 30 miles.

 

Heathrow is closer to central London, but not really any more convenient. Gatwick is south near Croydon, while Heathrow is on the extreme west side of London. The express train from Heathrow goes to Paddington Station. Either way, you are looking at roughly 30 mins once on the train.

 

From Heathrow, you can take the Tube (subway), but that doesn't sound like a good plan for your group. It's too much climbing and such to try with luggage, especially with the condition of the two people you mentioned.

 

Sounds like the bus tour might be the best bet. Here is a site that offers private small coach tours. They quote 325 bps (just over $600) for a full-day tour for up to 16 people. The price is the total for the group. I have not used them personally, so cannot tell you much about the service.

 

http://www.astraltravels.co.uk/uk-london-tours/private-guided-tours/london-panoramic.htm

 

Also, there are several companies offering cruises on the Thames River. This is a really nice way to spend a few hours and not too expensive.

 

Good luck....

[Globaliser]

You said also it only takes 1/2 hour to get from the airport to London. Mmmm I was told on a Friday it would take 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. This is from Gatwick? I had heard the other airport was closer to London and Gatwick was not so close.

As SoonerDog says, the train from Gatwick to Victoria takes 30 minutes, but it sounds like this is not really an option for you.

 

By road, Gatwick to central London will probably take somewhere between 1 and 2½ hours, depending on the route taken, the time of day, and the state of the traffic. The fastest that I have ever got to Gatwick from home is about 50 minutes, and that was by driving like a maniac on fast roads over a route which happens to be about 2½ times the length of the shortest road distance. I'm just outside the city centre, and taking a direct route I would not expect to be able to do it in less than 1¼ hours.

[TT]

Thanks SoonerDog & Globalister. I did find a company info@airportcruisetransfers.com and they are picking up 10 of us from Gatwick then taking us to Canterbury for 1 1/2 hours then on to Dover to our B&B's for 375.00 pounds. I have received quotes as high as 1025.00 pounds for the same trip. Have you ever heard about this company?

 

Thanks again.........I hope I can come back and see London someday. I do hear it's wonderful.

 

Thanks again,

 

TT

[amcb]

Just wanted to give you a little bit of information about our experience with airportcruisetransfers.

 

We had used them 4 different times with great success until our cruise last year. I made reservations directly with Malcolm by email and paid in advance by credit card. When we arrived at the airport, there was no one waiting. I tried for over an hour to reach someone at the phone number Malcolm had given me with no answer. When someone finally did answer and I explained my situation, they said someone was one their way. After waiting for an additional hour and a half (so 2 and a half hours total) we still had no driver and I could not get an answer by phone. We ended up taking a taxi to our hotel at which point I sent an email to Malcolm expressing our disappointment with their service and cancelling our trip from the hotel to the port the next day. I will say that they provided a full refund to our credit card without any hassle.

 

So I guess I just wanted to give you our experience with them. As I said, most of it was fine, but that last experience left us with no confidence in their reliability and we will not be using them again.

 

Hope this information helps.

 

:-) amcb

[TT]

Yes it does help and I thank you. I have read good things about them but this is the first bad thing I read. Thank you. This happened to us last year for or Rome cruise. We ended up having a non English speaking tour but Thank god Hubby spoke Italian. They also stood alot of us up at the holding area after we got off the ship. All we read was great things about this company then this happened. Welcome to Europe. LOL I will ask for an extra number or cell number. How was your vehicle? We have 10 people plus our suitcases and think now were doing a 15 day TA crossing from London to NJ. Hopefully we will be comfortable.

 

Thanks again amcb.

 

TT