International Travel:Departure TaxNone.
Main AirportsHeathrow (LHR) (tel: 0870 000 0123; website:
www.heathrowairport.com) is located 24km (15 miles) west of central London. The airport has three passenger terminals grouped together in the airport’s central area. The fourth terminal is a short distance from the main complex. A fifth terminal is under construction and is due to open in 2008.
To/from the airport: The airport is linked to the Greater
London area by the underground railway network (tel: (020) 7222 1234; website:
www.tfl.gov.uk) (journey time to West End - 45 minutes).
Heathrow Express (tel: 0845 600 1515; website:
www.heathrowexpress.com) runs between London and Heathrow (journey time – 15 to 20 minutes). The
Heathrow Connect (tel: 0845 678 6975; website:
www.heathrowconnect.com) is a stopping train between London Paddington and Heathrow (journey time – 25 minutes).
National Express (tel: 0870 580 8080; website:
www.nationalexpress.com) runs from Heathrow to London (journey time – 1 hour).
Transport for London (tel: (020) 7222 1234; website:
www.tfl.gov.uk) operates numerous local bus services from Heathrow Central bus station. Taxis are available outside each airport terminal.
Gatwick (LGW) (tel: 0870 000 2468: website:
www.gatwickairport.com) is located 45km (28 miles) south of central London.
To/from the airport: Gatwick Express (tel: 0845 850 1530; website:
www.gatwickexpress.co.uk) operates between the airport and London Victoria Station (journey time – 30 minutes). There are also cheaper stopping trains from Victoria and London Bridge Station. There are trains between Gatwick and many other cities nationwide. For further information, contact
National Rail Enquiries (tel: 0845 748 4950).
National Express (tel: 0870 580 8080; website:
www.nationalexpress.com) runs coaches to London (journey time – 1 hour 25 minutes). There are coach services to many parts of the UK. Taxis are
available outside the terminal (journey time to central London – 1 hour).
London City Airport (LCY) (tel: (020) 7646 0088; website:
www.londoncityairport.com) is located 10km (6 miles) east of the City of London.
To/from the airport: Docklands Light Railway services run. The nearest Underground connection is at Canning Town (Jubilee Line). Silvertown Station, on the Silverlink Metro line, is 328m (300 yards) from the airport terminal; trains run to various stations in north and west London. More details are available from
Transport for London (tel: (020) 7222 1234; website:
www.tfl.gov.uk). A shuttle bus operates from the terminal to Canary Wharf and Liverpool Street Station. Local buses stop at the terminal. There is a taxi rank outside the terminal.
Stansted (STN) (tel: 0870 000 0303; website:
www.stanstedairport.com) is located 48km (30 miles) northeast of central London.
To/from the airport: The
Stansted Express (tel: 0845 600 7245; website:
www.stanstedexpress.co.uk) runs from London Liverpool Street to Stansted (journey time – 45 minutes). Further information is available from
National Rail Enquiries (tel: 0845 748 4950).
National Express connects Stansted with London(journey time – 1 hour 30 minutes). Local buses run to surrounding towns. Taxis are available; to central London takes one hour 30 minutes.
Luton (LTN) (tel: (01582) 405 100; website:
www.london-luton.co.uk) is located 51km (32 miles) northeast of London.
To/from the airport: Trains run to London and other cities (
National Rail Enquiries tel: 0845 748 4950).
National Express (tel: 0870 580 8080) runs to various parts of the UK.
Greenline 757 (website:
www.greenline.co.uk) runs to Luton and on to central London.
easyBus (website:
www.easybus.co.uk) runs an express minibus to central London. Local buses run from the airport to Luton bus and rail stations. Taxis can be hired outside the terminal building.
Birmingham (BHX) (tel: 0870 733 5511: website:
www.bhx.co.uk) is located 13km (8 miles) southeast of the city center.
To/from the airport: It is connected to the rail network and has a service to London Euston (journey time – 1 hour 20 minutes). Further information is available from
National Rail Enquiries (tel: 0845 748 4950). Local bus services operate.
National Express (tel: 0870 580 8080; website:
www.nationalexpress.com) offers coach services to central Birmingham and other destinations. Taxis are available outside the terminals (journey time – 25 minutes).
Manchester (MAN) (tel: (0161) 489 3000; website:
www.manchesterairport.co.uk) is located 17km (10 miles) southwest of the city center.
To/from the airport: Manchester Airport train station links to Manchester city center (journey time – 20 minutes). Trains to all parts of the country leave from Manchester Airport station (tel: 0845 748 4950; website:
www.nationalrail.co.uk).
National Express (tel: 0870 580 8080; website:
www.nationalexpress.com) runs services to most parts of the UK. A local bus runs frequently to the city center, contact
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (tel: (0161) 228 7811; website:
www.gmpte.com). There are taxis available (journey time to city center – 25 minutes).
Newcastle (NCL) (tel: 0870 122 1488; website:
www.newcastleairport.com) is located 10km (6 miles) northwest of the city center.
To/from the airport: The
Tyne and Wear Metro (website:
www.tyneandwearmetro.co.uk) connects the Newcastle area with the airport. The nearest railway station is Newcastle Central, 11km (7 miles) from the airport, linked by the Metro. For further information, contact
National Rail Enquiries (tel: 0845 748 4950).
National Express operates coach services to the airport from several cities. Local bus services run (journey time – 20 minutes). Taxis are available (journey time to city center – 15 to 20 minutes).
Facilities: The airports listed above are all of a high international standard and include car hire, banks/bureaux de change, duty-free shops, restaurants and bars.
Getting There by WaterThere are many ports offering ferry connections between England and mainland Europe, Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Wight, the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man. See
Getting There in the main
United Kingdom section for more details.
Getting There by RailThe rail network serves all main cities in the UK mainland. All routes radiate from London. For all rail information, call
National Rail Enquiries (tel: 0845 748 4950; website:
www.nationalrail.co.uk). Rail services are operated by numerous private companies.
Terminus stations in London serve the following regions:
Southern England and South London:
Charing Cross, London Bridge, Victoria and
Waterloo.
East Anglia, Essex, North-East and East London:
Liverpool Street.
South Midlands, West of England, South Wales and West London:
Paddington.
East and West Midlands, North Wales, North-West England, West Coast of Scotland and North-West London:
Euston,
Marylebone and
St Pancras.
East and North-East England, East Coast of Scotland and North London:
King’s Cross.
There are also many smaller lines that operate less frequently. There are services to the Republic of Ireland via Fishguard and Holyhead, and to Northern Ireland.
Getting There by RoadEngland is served by a good network of motorways and trunk roads that connect all the main cities and towns.
The main motorways are:
M1: London, Luton, Leicester, Sheffield, Leeds.
M2/A2: London to Dover.
M3: London to Winchester.
M4: London, Reading, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff, Swansea.
M5: Birmingham, Gloucester, Bristol, Exeter.
M6: Coventry, Birmingham, Stoke, Warrington (connecting with the M62 for Liverpool and Manchester), Preston (connecting with the M55 for Blackpool), Morecambe, Carlisle.
M11: London to Cambridge.
M20/A20: London to Folkestone.
M25: London orbital.
M40: London to Birmingham.
M62: Liverpool, Warrington, Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, Hull. The main trunk roads are:
A1/A1(M) (motorway in parts)
: London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Darlington, Newcastle, Edinburgh.
A3: London, Guildford, Portsmouth.
A5: London, St Albans, Nuneaton, Birmingham area, Shrewsbury, across inland north Wales to Holyhead.
A6: London, Bedford, Leicester, Manchester.
A11: London to Norwich.
A12: London, Ipswich, Great Yarmouth.
A23: London to Brighton.
A30: London, Basingstoke, Yeovil, Exeter, Penzance.
A40: London, Oxford (M40), Gloucester, Cheltenham, across inland south Wales to Fishguard.
Many
coach companies offer express and stopping services throughout England and the rest of the UK. The main operator,
National Express (tel: 0870 580 8080; website:
www.nationalexpress.com), provides nationwide coach information.
Getting Around Towns and CitiesAll towns and cities have
bus services. In addition, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and the cities in South Yorkshire and Newcastle have suburban rail services. Newcastle also has a
metro. All cities have
taxi services.
London (
Transport for London website:
www.tfl.gov.uk) has a comprehensive metro service known as the ‘
Underground’ or, colloquially, as the ‘tube’ and the
Docklands Light Railway (DLR). There is also an extensive network of overground rail services. There is an excellent network of buses.
Taxis can be hailed in the street or ordered by phone. Leisure and commuter
boat services on the River Thames are run by a variety of private companies. There are
tram routes in south London.
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