Picture the scene:

My plane lands at 7.30pm ish, I escape the airport at about 8.15pm. I need to get back to Sheffield.....

National Express - I'm looking at a 4am arrival the next day.
Train - With my luggage, I'd have to negotiate the underground and make two changes and it would be the early hours. Coupled with jet lag this would make the end of the holiday very tiring, also I'm worried about safety - two young(ish) women travelling by train at night - what if there are delays - we'd be stranded....

Stay in a hotel - London hotels with an evening meal would be very very very expensive.

There aren't any flights to Sheffield.

I dread to think what a taxi would cost....

Any ideas?

Travel Lodge is a good option - 1 room for all of you in London is £35.00

go to www.travelodge.com

charter a boat and sail out of the Thames into the north Sea..I'm sure you can then get back into sheffield via the canals from Hull or something

Originally posted by wibbles
charter a boat and sail out of the Thames into the north Sea..I'm sure you can then get back into sheffield via the canals from Hull or something

That's not a helpful suggestion...:(

I hope mine was !

It is if you like sailing and adventure on the high seas
couldn't you get a connecting flight to manchester then its a lot easier to get back from

Originally posted by Classic Rock
My plane lands at 7.30pm ish, I escape the airport at about 8.15pm. I need to get back to Sheffield.....

Train - With my luggage, I'd have to negotiate the underground and make two changes and it would be the early hours.

If you are arriving at Gatwick or Heathrow it's easy to get to St Pancras by train. From Heathrow jump on the Piccadilly Line - it goes directly to Kings Cross (next door to St Pancras) - about 40 mins. If you're landing at Gatwick then The Thameslink takes you to Kings Cross Thameslink - 30 mins. Easy!

All you need do then is pray that the Midland Mainline trains are running on time!

Your best (and cheapest) option I'd say!

I wouldn't use a train out of london after 6.30!

You would be better thumbing a lift than running the gauntlet of vomit covered drunks that inhabit Midland Mainline trains in the evening.

I would stay over until the next day - it's unlikely that you will manage to get to St Pancras for a train at that time anyway - last train 2225, arriving in Sheffield 0105.

There's a train from Heathrow at 8.21 to London then a tube to St Pancras for the 9.25 to Sheffield getting in at 23.47. Or, you could get a taxi between stations. The next one is at 9.21 ditto and gets in at 1.51 am.

Check it out on thetrainline.co.uk

Good luck.:thumbsup:

If there's enough wind, and you flap your arms fast enough, you wouldn't need a plane to fly home ;)

Daft idea I know but hey, it COULD happen one day.

Originally posted by Tony
I wouldn't use a train out of london after 6.30!

You would be better thumbing a lift than running the gauntlet of vomit covered drunks that inhabit Midland Mainline trains in the evening.

I would stay over until the next day - it's unlikely that you will manage to get to St Pancras for a train at that time anyway - last train 2225, arriving in Sheffield 0105.

None of the above are true. Firstly it doesn't take 2 hours to get from Heathrow to St Pancras on the Piccadilly Line. I said 40 mins earlier which may be a bit optimistic, but no more than an hour. Likewise from Gatwick.

As for vomit-covered Midland Mainline trains in the evenings... a slight exaggeration I think...

You could hire a car and drive up!
Or, you could stay in some of the little B&B's around the airport. Some only cost £25 and are quite nice. One of them lays on shed loads of breakfast too. All incl. There is a place called The Lodge which is really cheap. The Ibis Hotel on Bath Road is £39 per night. The Travel Inn is £45. They have got great websites. Why not go on to yell.com and get the name of some guest houses you could call. Or I could collect you. I work there!!! Hee hee.

Originally posted by E-Man Groovin
None of the above are true. Firstly it doesn't take 2 hours to get from Heathrow to St Pancras on the Piccadilly Line. I said 40 mins earlier which may be a bit optimistic, but no more than an hour. Likewise from Gatwick.

As for vomit-covered Midland Mainline trains in the evenings... a slight exaggeration I think...

Well that is my experience in the last couple of years. I have vowed never to use a train to London again. the drunks are beyond a joke and the staff just hide in the kitchen for the duration so they don't have to do anything about it.

It's quicker, easier and cheaper to drive, but that's not much help to CR... assuming she doesn't want to do a one way car rental. (actually that's worth a shot)

You are assuming that CR's plane actually lands on time too, and that she gets through the ridiculous new customs controls in good time. I just think that it's cutting it a bit fine to catch such a late/last train - assuming its not been cancelled of course. Central London isn't much fun when you have missed the last train and haven't booked a hotel.

Just my tuppence.

Lots of really helpful suggestions here. I agree about the train thing though. I've looked at the times and I'd be cutting it fine, plus I'd have to get two tubes after about 8pm at night (shudder - all my luggage and nutters to contend with). I think after a ten hour flight I'd not want the hassle.

Also after ten hours I don't fancy hiring a car and driving back!

Travel Lodge does sound tempting (although I want to get home really). Ideally getting picked up and taken back would be superb but Heathrow is a long way away from Sheffield.

Any more thoughts?

Originally posted by Classic Rock
Ideally getting picked up and taken back would be superb but Heathrow is a long way away from Sheffield.

Any more thoughts?

Have you investigated getting a taxi?
I only have experience of getting taxis to Manchester or East Midlands but maybe its worth considering especially as you will share the cost with your mate and may well work out the cheapest option when you add up your collective train fares and hotel bills.
Plus you get the convienience of going door-to-door.

Nomme

London to Sheffield by taxi? Ouch!?

Dread to think what that would be! I've gone to Manchester Airport by taxi before and that has been £35.

WTF?! £35 to Manchester?! I've gone to Manchester and back for less than that on the TRAIN!

Must've been really late when you booked, I know for a fact that Taxis hike their prices considerably at night after the pubs and clubs chuck out, cos they know they got a captive audience.

Originally posted by Classic Rock
London to Sheffield by taxi? Ouch!?

Dread to think what that would be! I've gone to Manchester Airport by taxi before and that has been £35.

Yes you dread to think BUT have you actually found out? Maybe they do deals if you use them both ways? Even if it costs say 150 how does that compare with 2 train tickets from London + 2 nights stop over?

Someone was just takling about getting a train to London - 98 quid for a ticket and they couldn't book a seat!

Here's a web site I found. Why not email them for a quote?

http://www.airport-transfers-yorkshire.co.uk/airport.htm

Nomme

I just got a quote - £225 for this taxi. That's for the taxi and one way only!

How about a taxi from Heathrow to St Pancras?

Originally posted by max
How about a taxi from Heathrow to St Pancras?

Probably also expensive.....it's over half an hour on the tube from St Pancras to Heathrow so a taxi (at London evening rates on a Friday night) will be a lot, plus the train fare and hassle.

I'm feeling more inclined towards just collapsing in a Travel Lodge for the evening.

I can get a National express coach ticket for a fiver to take me back to Sheffield through my travel agent! Just found out!

Would make more sense to do that, don't you think?

GNER operate a train from Kings Cross to Doncaster at 23:30, arriving Doncaster 01:21. you could then get a taxi back to Sheffield (or get picked up).
www.gner.co.uk

As someone else said, last train to Sheffield is from St Pancras at 22:25, although as you say, no scope for delays at the airport.
www.midlandmainline.com

Heathrow to Kings Cross/St Pancras by tube is direct, although taking luggage on the underground is a hassle. There is also an Airlink bus that runs direct from Heathrow to Kings Cross.
www.transportforlondon.gov.uk

A faster (but more expensive) option might be the Heathrow Express train from Heathrow to Paddington then taxi across to Kings Cross.
www.heathrowexpress.com

National Express airport coach leaves Heathrow at 23:00 through to Sheffield Interchange, arriving at 03:20.
www.nationalexpress.com

Otherwise a more relaxed way of doing it might as suggested be to get accommodation overnight and travel back next day. If nothing affordable at airport you may want to consider Reading - there is a frequent express coach link between Heathrow and Reading which takes about 40 minutes, then next day there are regular Virgin Trains direct from Reading to Sheffield.
www.virgintrains.co.uk

i hope you enjoy your holiday after all this!!! :)

Just checked out the Travel Lodges - they seem to be based on motorways and are £59.95 per night for the room - that's a twin.

The airport hotels are double that and per person! It's another world in London, isn't it?

I'd love to get home that night, but really don't want to arrive at 3am or have the hassle of the trains and their changes and connections having looked into it. I used a different website to look up train times to the one quoted in the recent post and it spewed up different times! Highly confusing. At that time of the evening I just do not trust the railways. I would only have to miss one connection or the train would be delayed for me to be stranded on the platform for hours until the next. After a ten hour flight, I would go mad if that happened.

For Cheap hotels I always use www.laterooms.com never fails me

Personally I think you should be fine on the trains as most of the drunks are likely still to be out drinking/asleep - cost is another thing altogether.

Why not get a cheap hotel £40ish ?
Hire a car and drive back refreshed next morning £30/40 ?
Drive Back £25 quid max petrol

Max cost £55 a head - assuming you can drive of course.......

Thanks, I had a look on laterooms.com, brilliant website, found a room for £50, told Karen (my mate that I'm going with) and she's decided that she wants to get straight home after landing. Once the wheels touch the tarmac the holiday is over, just get home....

She reckons that we should be able to find someone, somewhere who wouldn't charge silly taxi prices to come down and pick us up. Petrol plus a time so about £80- 90. So I'm now trying to source a kind soul. That would be cheaper than the train and taxis and less tedious than sitting on the late night coach.

Originally posted by Classic Rock
Just checked out the Travel Lodges - they seem to be based on motorways and are £59.95 per night for the room - that's a twin.



That bizzare - i booked for next weekend in the one in battersea - £35 !

That was the price quoted on their website when I filled in the form.

Train St Pancras to Sheffield is £20 booked in advance at www.midlandmainline.com

Originally posted by Classic Rock
I just got a quote - £225 for this taxi. That's for the taxi and one way only!
Push the boat out a bit more and for £385 (plus VAT) you can get your own personal helicopter (http://www.adventure001.com/a1_vip_helicopters_london.htm)! :thumbsup:

Originally posted by Zamo
Push the boat out a bit more and for £385 (plus VAT) you can get your own personal helicopter (http://www.adventure001.com/a1_vip_helicopters_london.htm)! :thumbsup:

Now this guy got style! :-)

Originally posted by Andy C
Train St Pancras to Sheffield is £20 booked in advance at www.midlandmainline.com

When I searched on that website it came to £62.60 based on the day and time I'd be travelling. That's from Heathrow to Sheffield, with a tube journey to link stations.

Try booking Heathrow to London and London to Sheffield seperate and the price should fall significantly.

Anyway CR, after a million suggestions, what are you gonna do ?

Still weighing up the odds. My mate wants to get straight home so the hotel option is out of the window.....

Helicopters are a bit pricey.

Just had a letter from the travel company to say that my holiday is to be delayed a week as it's an unusual holiday that not many book onto so I'm having to hang on a bit longer now. Ooooefff!

well, a train from heathrow to st.pancras would take about an hour on the picadilly line, if you land at 7.30, i think you said, you could be at st.pancras by 10.00 including passport checks and everything. Then getting a train to sheffield would take 3 hours max = 1am.. i'd reccomend a hotel.. cheapest ones i know are st.christophers' hostels in london bridge or camden, about £15 a night :)

I'd do the hotel too. Come on CR, twist her arm.... you just know that the planes / trains will be late and you will end up stood on the empty platform in the dark wondering what to do.

I have to say the hotel option does sound much better. After a long flight you feel tired and rubbish and the last thing you then want is a further long distance journey whether by train, coach or car. You will also get mega stressed if the flight is delayed or there is delays collecting luggage wondering if you'll make it in time for the last train/coach whatever.

Much nicer for a short taxi to the hotel and crash out, get up in the morning, have breakfast, leave relaxed and you can enjoy the journey up to Sheffield.

(Just as well you hadn't already booked train ticket/hotel room though if they've changed the dates).

Originally posted by Classic Rock
... it's an unusual holiday that not many book onto so I'm having to hang on a bit longer now.
Unusual holiday - tell us more.

Originally posted by robh
Unusual holiday - tell us more.

Touring around Thailand. :thumbsup:

OK, final suggestion, from me at any rate. Hire a car at Heathrow and drop it off in Sheffield the next day. Cost £64 from here:

5th Gear Rental (http://www.car-rental-hire.co.uk/car-hire-europe.htm)

Now, that's not a bad idea and a very good price BUT what if I have a bad flight and feel knackered or if I get some sort of Asian flu bug and just want to DIE on the way home. I won't want to drive for 3 hours, will I?

The person I'm going with cannot drive, so it would be down to me to do it. Not a problem if I'm fit and healthy and wide awake, but I'm always the cynic. What if.....

Just an extra thought (edit) - add an extra £40 to this for the petrol. With baggage the car will feel like there are 3-4 people in it. That takes the cost to over £100.

Originally posted by Classic Rock
Now, that's not a bad idea and a very good price BUT what if I have a bad flight and feel knackered or if I get some sort of Asian flu bug and just want to DIE on the way home. I won't want to drive for 3 hours, will I?

The person I'm going with cannot drive, so it would be down to me to do it. Not a problem if I'm fit and healthy and wide awake, but I'm always the cynic. What if.....

Just an extra thought (edit) - add an extra £40 to this for the petrol. With baggage the car will feel like there are 3-4 people in it. That takes the cost to over £100.

£40?? What were you intending to hire?

Also, check your travel insurance for cancellation insurance in case you develop dvt or some such on the flight home.

I don't think you're being cynical really, more like paranoid!

I also get the impression you want someone to feel sorry for you and offer to drive down and pick you up.;)

I did the Stansted airport return run in my 4x4 and it cost £60 in fuel, that was four people plus baggage, so OK, £40 fuel is probably excessive, but Heathrow is further.....

I'm not paranoid. Last time I went to Asia I picked up a stomach bug and was really ill on the flight back and, white as a sheet, struggled on the coach back to Sheffield. If I'm like that again, which I hope I'm not, I'll not want to do the driving!

I'm still weighing up options about what to do to get back. If anyone wants to make us an offer to come and pick us up that could be another avenue to explore.

It's looking like coach or train at the moment.....Karen keeps changing her mind!

Originally posted by Classic Rock
Still weighing up the odds. My mate wants to get straight home so the hotel option is out of the window.....

Helicopters are a bit pricey.

Just had a letter from the travel company to say that my holiday is to be delayed a week as it's an unusual holiday that not many book onto so I'm having to hang on a bit longer now. Ooooefff!

Remember that suggestion I posted about not needing a plane to fly home in certain weather conditions? That's free... :lol:

Never mind... I'm feeling a bit silly today for some unknown reason.

Originally posted by E-Man Groovin
None of the above are true. Firstly it doesn't take 2 hours to get from Heathrow to St Pancras on the Piccadilly Line. I said 40 mins earlier which may be a bit optimistic, but no more than an hour. Likewise from Gatwick.

As for vomit-covered Midland Mainline trains in the evenings... a slight exaggeration I think...

You can get from heatrow to st pancras in about 30 mins max. Heathrow express 15mins every 15 minutes (cost £13 single, £25 Return) then a taxi from paddington about 5-10 mins about a cost of £10. So max on that part is£30 each if theirs two of you.

Then you could get a train from STP no problem, if there is a diversion or cancellation the train company must ensure you get to your final destination in this case Sheffield Station. The you would have to make your own way home, some station managers may get you a taxi home if you have no money or it is late. Any extra costs that you've had to occur ie taxi becuase the buses had stopped and they were running at the scudeled arrival time you can claim for from the train company concered.

Also ifyou book on a train and your plane is late, get a letter on headed note paper from the airline and midland mainline will put you on the next service, no problem, just take the letter to the information booth on the platforms.

Jubby

btw heres the website for heatrow express

http://www.heathrowexpress.com

Jubby

Originally posted by Classic Rock
Just checked out the Travel Lodges - they seem to be based on motorways and are £59.95 per night for the room - that's a twin.

The airport hotels are double that and per person! It's another world in London, isn't it?

I'd love to get home that night, but really don't want to arrive at 3am or have the hassle of the trains and their changes and connections having looked into it. I used a different website to look up train times to the one quoted in the recent post and it spewed up different times! Highly confusing. At that time of the evening I just do not trust the railways. I would only have to miss one connection or the train would be delayed for me to be stranded on the platform for hours until the next. After a ten hour flight, I would go mad if that happened.

Our hotel has cost £84 total for a twin room at heathrow airport, we have a very earlt flight out, this is for the Holiday Inn Heathrow the website is http://www.holidayinnlondon-heathrow.activehotels.com

Jubby

Whatever you do don't stay in the IBIS - it's abismal! More of a prison than a hotel. In fact prison probably better IMHO.

Taxi'll probably by 70 pounds or so - give firstchoice a call to find out for sure - they do airport runs.

Don't drive yourself as if you're jetlaged you may not be insured.