Some travellers are still not aware that there is a cheaper alternative to parking on airport when travelling abroad. All airports offer two types of car parking, namely short and long stay parking. Short stay parking is usually used by drivers dropping off or collecting passengers or by passengers returning the same day airport transfer heathrow to Gatwick.
Using the short stay car park for any longer than a day is considerably more expensive and can come as quite a shock with the short stay costing roughly twice the cost of long stay. When using the airport long stay a bus will normally take you to the required terminal.
Whether you are using an off airport car park or on airport car parking pre-booked is usually a lot more cheaper and pre-booking is always recommended. For many years the only option open to travellers was to park at the airport and this led to high parking costs. Off airport car parks due to this high pricing saw a commercial opportunity to establish car parks close to the airport and offer free transfers to the airport.
Off airport operators not only created an alternative parking option but also a more competitive pricing structure. Whilst some customers will always use the airport more cost conscious travellers tend to use off airport car parks and at times of high demand off airport car parks will fill up first with travellers left with no alternative but to use the airport.
This is the most expensive car parking option and the most convenience and is used mostly by business travellers where time is of the essence. Normally you are met at the terminal or a pre-arranged drop off point and your car is then driven to a secure car park. Upon your return your car will be waiting for you outside arrivals.
Luckily, there are quite a few options for getting around from Gatwick to Heathrow and to the city from the airports. There is a direct public bus connection provided by National Express which will take you from the North or South Terminal at Gatwick to Heathrow Central Bus Station.
London is such a large city and there is so much to see, so jumping on an open-top double-decker tour bus can be a great way to see the maximum sights in the minimum amount of time. There are also many more specific tours depending on your interest, such as art tours of the London galleries or history tours of London’s old architecture.
This is one of the most popular tourist destinations in London, so it is a must-see if you are on a short layover. It is easy to get to on the London Underground and if you time your visit right you might just get to see the famous changing of the guard ceremony.
These are two of London’s most popular attractions and they are only a few minutes away from each other making them very convenient to visit on a short layover. Get off the London Underground at Westminster station and explore these two monumental British landmarks.
If you are flying out of Heathrow, another option rather than going into downtown London is to spend your layover in Windsor instead. This is a lovely historical town only a few miles away from Heathrow Airport. It is famous for the Windsor Castle but there are also many other things to enjoy here such as the Legoland theme park and the Savill Gardens.