Is a 13-hour layover in the middle of the night enough time to go see Buckingham Palace?











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My plane lands at Heathrow at 8:30 pm on December 10 and leaves Gatwick the next morning, December 11, at 9:15 am. Do I have the time to see Buckingham Palace?










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  • My daughter and I did Time Square, quickly, on the subway, on a short JFK layover, loved it everything was value added. Enjoy the streets of London as they should be seen on a cold winter night.
    – Freshfruitcups
    yesterday






  • 1




    Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
    – Willeke
    yesterday










  • @Willeke Is it possible to restore the clarification about seeing vs touring? I imagine the OP knows, but future visitors could potentially be confused (I was initially confused by the title). Alternatively, could someone with enough reputation post an answer with the information?
    – 1006a
    14 hours ago






  • 1




    Sorry @1006a, I can not find which comment you mean, almost all are still there, if in a chat room which you can find by following the link. If not there anymore, you can post the comment as you remember it. If you want to post an answer, you can ping me and I can take off protection for you.
    – Willeke
    13 hours ago












  • @user79730 It began as a request for clarification, but just the bare question felt kind of rude to me. I was trying to follow the "be nice" policy...which I still find very confusing and unevenly applied across different SEs.
    – 1006a
    7 hours ago















up vote
45
down vote

favorite
4












My plane lands at Heathrow at 8:30 pm on December 10 and leaves Gatwick the next morning, December 11, at 9:15 am. Do I have the time to see Buckingham Palace?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Charmaine is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.




















  • My daughter and I did Time Square, quickly, on the subway, on a short JFK layover, loved it everything was value added. Enjoy the streets of London as they should be seen on a cold winter night.
    – Freshfruitcups
    yesterday






  • 1




    Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
    – Willeke
    yesterday










  • @Willeke Is it possible to restore the clarification about seeing vs touring? I imagine the OP knows, but future visitors could potentially be confused (I was initially confused by the title). Alternatively, could someone with enough reputation post an answer with the information?
    – 1006a
    14 hours ago






  • 1




    Sorry @1006a, I can not find which comment you mean, almost all are still there, if in a chat room which you can find by following the link. If not there anymore, you can post the comment as you remember it. If you want to post an answer, you can ping me and I can take off protection for you.
    – Willeke
    13 hours ago












  • @user79730 It began as a request for clarification, but just the bare question felt kind of rude to me. I was trying to follow the "be nice" policy...which I still find very confusing and unevenly applied across different SEs.
    – 1006a
    7 hours ago













up vote
45
down vote

favorite
4









up vote
45
down vote

favorite
4






4





My plane lands at Heathrow at 8:30 pm on December 10 and leaves Gatwick the next morning, December 11, at 9:15 am. Do I have the time to see Buckingham Palace?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Charmaine is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











My plane lands at Heathrow at 8:30 pm on December 10 and leaves Gatwick the next morning, December 11, at 9:15 am. Do I have the time to see Buckingham Palace?







uk layovers london sightseeing






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edited Nov 27 at 12:40









Martin Schröder

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121111






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asked Nov 26 at 21:19









Charmaine

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Charmaine is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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Charmaine is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












  • My daughter and I did Time Square, quickly, on the subway, on a short JFK layover, loved it everything was value added. Enjoy the streets of London as they should be seen on a cold winter night.
    – Freshfruitcups
    yesterday






  • 1




    Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
    – Willeke
    yesterday










  • @Willeke Is it possible to restore the clarification about seeing vs touring? I imagine the OP knows, but future visitors could potentially be confused (I was initially confused by the title). Alternatively, could someone with enough reputation post an answer with the information?
    – 1006a
    14 hours ago






  • 1




    Sorry @1006a, I can not find which comment you mean, almost all are still there, if in a chat room which you can find by following the link. If not there anymore, you can post the comment as you remember it. If you want to post an answer, you can ping me and I can take off protection for you.
    – Willeke
    13 hours ago












  • @user79730 It began as a request for clarification, but just the bare question felt kind of rude to me. I was trying to follow the "be nice" policy...which I still find very confusing and unevenly applied across different SEs.
    – 1006a
    7 hours ago


















  • My daughter and I did Time Square, quickly, on the subway, on a short JFK layover, loved it everything was value added. Enjoy the streets of London as they should be seen on a cold winter night.
    – Freshfruitcups
    yesterday






  • 1




    Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
    – Willeke
    yesterday










  • @Willeke Is it possible to restore the clarification about seeing vs touring? I imagine the OP knows, but future visitors could potentially be confused (I was initially confused by the title). Alternatively, could someone with enough reputation post an answer with the information?
    – 1006a
    14 hours ago






  • 1




    Sorry @1006a, I can not find which comment you mean, almost all are still there, if in a chat room which you can find by following the link. If not there anymore, you can post the comment as you remember it. If you want to post an answer, you can ping me and I can take off protection for you.
    – Willeke
    13 hours ago












  • @user79730 It began as a request for clarification, but just the bare question felt kind of rude to me. I was trying to follow the "be nice" policy...which I still find very confusing and unevenly applied across different SEs.
    – 1006a
    7 hours ago
















My daughter and I did Time Square, quickly, on the subway, on a short JFK layover, loved it everything was value added. Enjoy the streets of London as they should be seen on a cold winter night.
– Freshfruitcups
yesterday




My daughter and I did Time Square, quickly, on the subway, on a short JFK layover, loved it everything was value added. Enjoy the streets of London as they should be seen on a cold winter night.
– Freshfruitcups
yesterday




1




1




Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
– Willeke
yesterday




Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
– Willeke
yesterday












@Willeke Is it possible to restore the clarification about seeing vs touring? I imagine the OP knows, but future visitors could potentially be confused (I was initially confused by the title). Alternatively, could someone with enough reputation post an answer with the information?
– 1006a
14 hours ago




@Willeke Is it possible to restore the clarification about seeing vs touring? I imagine the OP knows, but future visitors could potentially be confused (I was initially confused by the title). Alternatively, could someone with enough reputation post an answer with the information?
– 1006a
14 hours ago




1




1




Sorry @1006a, I can not find which comment you mean, almost all are still there, if in a chat room which you can find by following the link. If not there anymore, you can post the comment as you remember it. If you want to post an answer, you can ping me and I can take off protection for you.
– Willeke
13 hours ago






Sorry @1006a, I can not find which comment you mean, almost all are still there, if in a chat room which you can find by following the link. If not there anymore, you can post the comment as you remember it. If you want to post an answer, you can ping me and I can take off protection for you.
– Willeke
13 hours ago














@user79730 It began as a request for clarification, but just the bare question felt kind of rude to me. I was trying to follow the "be nice" policy...which I still find very confusing and unevenly applied across different SEs.
– 1006a
7 hours ago




@user79730 It began as a request for clarification, but just the bare question felt kind of rude to me. I was trying to follow the "be nice" policy...which I still find very confusing and unevenly applied across different SEs.
– 1006a
7 hours ago










6 Answers
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up vote
65
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accepted










As you've got to make the journey between airports anyway, I say make the most of it. Sleep on the plane if you can and see the city at night. I'd pack in one backpack (hand luggage strapped on top) and do it on foot, but taxi/bus/night tube (Friday and Saturday) are other options.



The last tube train from Heathrow is at 23:35 (T4) or 23:42 (T5), a few minutes later for T123. So you should have plenty of time to clear immigration, retrieve your luggage and get the tube. There's also the TFL line train but that goes to Paddington station which is 3 km from Buckingham Palace). You can check for planned/emergency issues online at Transport for London's website.



If you get the tube, you can go to Hyde Park Corner, less than 1 km away from the Palace.



In the morning I used to quite often get an early train out of London Bridge to Gatwick. Currently that looks to be 05:35, getting in at 06:04. That should be plenty early enough for most flights but you'd need to check.



Assuming you're happy to walk through the night you can see a lot of London Here's a quick 10 km route suggestion I threw together. It takes in Buckingham Palace, Parliament Square (but not Big Ben/Elizabeth Tower which is being repaired), the Embankment, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, the Strand (you could night-bus this bit), St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge.



Night buses from Trafalgar square will get you to many places but they're not very frequent. I've deliberately omitted airport buses in the interest of maximising your time in London. The tube and regional trains aren't all that expensive, and are much quicker; they're also less much affected by traffic, though there are rare delays in the middle of the night.






share|improve this answer



















  • 3




    In case you can't tell, I'm rather taken with the idea!
    – Chris H
    Nov 27 at 10:46






  • 4




    Also you might want to use this to check before you leave for any short-notice closures tfl.gov.uk/tube-dlr-overground/status/…
    – Cyberspark
    Nov 27 at 16:44






  • 1




    I appreciate everyone else is erring on the side of caution in their estimates for time to leave as Gatwick, but to give a data point in the other direction: I usually arrive at Gatwick about 60mins before my flight (within EU), and that’s usually tight, but I’ve not missed one yet.
    – PLL
    2 days ago






  • 1




    Night buses are something of an experience all of their own, particularly on weekends. Since this will be a Monday night/Tuesday morning you probably won't see so many of the 'colourful characters' you might on weekends. That said, being December, there might well be a few revellers around.
    – Ralph Bolton
    yesterday






  • 1




    Minor note - if seeing Big Ben is a priority, it's currently covered in scaffolding and not exactly photogenic. The rest of the Palace of Westminster is certainly nice, but...
    – eftpotrm
    13 hours ago


















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53
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Yes, it's doable. Although going through central London isn't the fastest route from Heathrow to Gatwick, you have lots of time so it's not an unreasonable route to take.



You could obviously do it all by taxi, but it's also possible (and much cheaper) on public transport. You can get the underground from Heathrow to Green Park, which will take about 50 min, and then you're only a few minutes walk across the park to the palace. You can then walk to Victoria station, and get a train to Gatwick. The last train to Gatwick is at 00:08 (though trains from other stations and coaches run through the night, and the ones from Victoria start pretty early in the morning).






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  • 8




    At night, I'd get the tube to Hyde Park Corner, and walk to Buckngham Palace, Parliament Square, along the Embankment, Trafalgar square, Covent Garden, (along the Strand, or tube to Tower Hill) Tower of London, Tower Bridge London Bridge station for the train to Gatwick. All walking that's about 6 miles (10 km) so perfectly doable if you pack in a rucksack, and selected for night views
    – Chris H
    Nov 27 at 9:59






  • 4




    To make things easier - "start pretty early in the morning" is 04:35 (arriving at Gatwick at 05:27). So there's plenty time for OP to explore London at night if they choose. (Also recommend seeing the christmas lights around Carnaby street this time of year - if doing a night visit)
    – Bilkokuya
    Nov 27 at 10:37








  • 1




    You can get coaches to Gatwick from Victoria Bus Station throughout the night. Evidently some people don't consider buses a viable form of transport but maybe the OP does. nationalexpress.com/nxportal2/pdf/timetables/A3.pdf
    – Stuart F
    Nov 27 at 14:41








  • 2




    @StuartF I can understand people not wanting to take a bus from central London during the day -- heavy traffic can cause serious delays (being stuck for an hour wouldn't be super-surprising). Bit in the middle of the night, the bus should be fine and is an excellent suggestion.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 27 at 16:49


















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32
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Very easily doable. But if you're going all that way in on the tube and aren't too tired, walk around - central London is quite small and easily walkable. You could see Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Picadilly Circus - all quite photogenic and iconic, even at night!






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  • 9




    I live in London and play Ingress in central London regularly. I walk around in the dark all the time. It's safe, and it's exciting, and once you get to the river the views are amazing. Not as stunning as flying over it on the approach to Heathrow, but still very impressive. Especially Vauxhall and towards Canary Warf. A city like London does not sleep. There are night buses. They are great at night. Sit at the top front and enjoy the show.
    – simbabque
    Nov 27 at 10:18


















up vote
4
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Yes, with Caveats. Budget for contingency - 2 hours on landing, maybe 3 for T5. I'm not kidding about T5 at this time of year. A morning arrival might have been better, it will be dark.



So everything else is down to visibility, you will miss peak hours. Suggest you get a driver both ways, or tube and cab. Buses do not pass the Palace. You are taking your chances with visibility as well. Plan to be back at the Airport at 06:00, again, for contingency.



Risks: Snow, Tube Outage, Rain, Freezing Rain, Sleet, Traffic, Holiday events (Winter Wonderland is close by).






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  • 2




    The Tube is very reliable. Snow, freezing rain and sleet are not significant risks in central London. Visibility will probably be fine. Any snow flurry in central London tends to make the national news -- I remember once hearing a national weather forecast that said there was "A bit of snow in London Town" and completely neglected to mention that, in northern England, tens of people had been trapped in their cars overnight on the motorway by heavy snowfall.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 27 at 10:03












  • And [citation needed] for what seems to be a claim that planes at Heathrow are routinely 2-3 hours late.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 27 at 10:04






  • 2




    @ChrisH Ah, you're probably right. Clarification would be good, though so would some evidence: 2-3hrs is an unusually long time for immigration.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 27 at 10:10






  • 4




    @DavidRicherby it's a while since I came into Heathrow but the non-EU queues could get very long at peak times, like when all the overnight transatlantic flights come in (so I doubt the suggestion in this answer that a morning arrival would be better)
    – Chris H
    Nov 27 at 10:15






  • 4




    Snow? In December? In London? Don't make me laugh.
    – Robert Furber
    Nov 27 at 13:18


















up vote
3
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Per other responses, the short answer is "yes you do" but you're only going to see the outside of it.



A brief stroll back up the mall will land you at Nelson's Column, and you're near enough some night-life such as Leicester Square, or the theatres on the embankment, as well as within wandering distance (or a short tube ride) of the illuminations in Carnaby Street (Bohemian Rhapsody this year!) and there's doubtless a few others to see too.



I don't know the opening times but over the river you've got the London Eye which could provide a decent photo op too. Just a shame Big Ben is scaffolded up for repairs for the forseeable.






share|improve this answer




























    up vote
    0
    down vote













    It takes 45 minutes to get out of the airport and another hour to get from Heathrow to BP. You'll arrive at BP at 10.15pm. Not much to see at there at that time, so I think you'd do better to head over to Waterloo Bridge and then wander up in to Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Picaddilly Circus, and Soho. The cheapest way to get to Gatwick is by coach from Victoria Coach Station. It's a miserable trip, early in the morning, but it sure is cheap.






    share|improve this answer























    • Surprisingly, SoHo in the middle of the night weekdays can be pretty quiet and relatively uninteresting. Different story at the weekends and if you get there not too late.
      – jcaron
      Nov 27 at 18:18






    • 1




      @jcaron: SoHo is in New York.
      – TonyK
      Nov 27 at 23:47










    • @TonyK, sorry, Soho, not SoHo. Should know better, I lived there for years!
      – jcaron
      Nov 27 at 23:58










    • ...but never found the awesome 'Monday night bar' ;-)
      – Strawberry
      Nov 28 at 0:00










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    6 Answers
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    6 Answers
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    up vote
    65
    down vote



    accepted










    As you've got to make the journey between airports anyway, I say make the most of it. Sleep on the plane if you can and see the city at night. I'd pack in one backpack (hand luggage strapped on top) and do it on foot, but taxi/bus/night tube (Friday and Saturday) are other options.



    The last tube train from Heathrow is at 23:35 (T4) or 23:42 (T5), a few minutes later for T123. So you should have plenty of time to clear immigration, retrieve your luggage and get the tube. There's also the TFL line train but that goes to Paddington station which is 3 km from Buckingham Palace). You can check for planned/emergency issues online at Transport for London's website.



    If you get the tube, you can go to Hyde Park Corner, less than 1 km away from the Palace.



    In the morning I used to quite often get an early train out of London Bridge to Gatwick. Currently that looks to be 05:35, getting in at 06:04. That should be plenty early enough for most flights but you'd need to check.



    Assuming you're happy to walk through the night you can see a lot of London Here's a quick 10 km route suggestion I threw together. It takes in Buckingham Palace, Parliament Square (but not Big Ben/Elizabeth Tower which is being repaired), the Embankment, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, the Strand (you could night-bus this bit), St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge.



    Night buses from Trafalgar square will get you to many places but they're not very frequent. I've deliberately omitted airport buses in the interest of maximising your time in London. The tube and regional trains aren't all that expensive, and are much quicker; they're also less much affected by traffic, though there are rare delays in the middle of the night.






    share|improve this answer



















    • 3




      In case you can't tell, I'm rather taken with the idea!
      – Chris H
      Nov 27 at 10:46






    • 4




      Also you might want to use this to check before you leave for any short-notice closures tfl.gov.uk/tube-dlr-overground/status/…
      – Cyberspark
      Nov 27 at 16:44






    • 1




      I appreciate everyone else is erring on the side of caution in their estimates for time to leave as Gatwick, but to give a data point in the other direction: I usually arrive at Gatwick about 60mins before my flight (within EU), and that’s usually tight, but I’ve not missed one yet.
      – PLL
      2 days ago






    • 1




      Night buses are something of an experience all of their own, particularly on weekends. Since this will be a Monday night/Tuesday morning you probably won't see so many of the 'colourful characters' you might on weekends. That said, being December, there might well be a few revellers around.
      – Ralph Bolton
      yesterday






    • 1




      Minor note - if seeing Big Ben is a priority, it's currently covered in scaffolding and not exactly photogenic. The rest of the Palace of Westminster is certainly nice, but...
      – eftpotrm
      13 hours ago















    up vote
    65
    down vote



    accepted










    As you've got to make the journey between airports anyway, I say make the most of it. Sleep on the plane if you can and see the city at night. I'd pack in one backpack (hand luggage strapped on top) and do it on foot, but taxi/bus/night tube (Friday and Saturday) are other options.



    The last tube train from Heathrow is at 23:35 (T4) or 23:42 (T5), a few minutes later for T123. So you should have plenty of time to clear immigration, retrieve your luggage and get the tube. There's also the TFL line train but that goes to Paddington station which is 3 km from Buckingham Palace). You can check for planned/emergency issues online at Transport for London's website.



    If you get the tube, you can go to Hyde Park Corner, less than 1 km away from the Palace.



    In the morning I used to quite often get an early train out of London Bridge to Gatwick. Currently that looks to be 05:35, getting in at 06:04. That should be plenty early enough for most flights but you'd need to check.



    Assuming you're happy to walk through the night you can see a lot of London Here's a quick 10 km route suggestion I threw together. It takes in Buckingham Palace, Parliament Square (but not Big Ben/Elizabeth Tower which is being repaired), the Embankment, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, the Strand (you could night-bus this bit), St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge.



    Night buses from Trafalgar square will get you to many places but they're not very frequent. I've deliberately omitted airport buses in the interest of maximising your time in London. The tube and regional trains aren't all that expensive, and are much quicker; they're also less much affected by traffic, though there are rare delays in the middle of the night.






    share|improve this answer



















    • 3




      In case you can't tell, I'm rather taken with the idea!
      – Chris H
      Nov 27 at 10:46






    • 4




      Also you might want to use this to check before you leave for any short-notice closures tfl.gov.uk/tube-dlr-overground/status/…
      – Cyberspark
      Nov 27 at 16:44






    • 1




      I appreciate everyone else is erring on the side of caution in their estimates for time to leave as Gatwick, but to give a data point in the other direction: I usually arrive at Gatwick about 60mins before my flight (within EU), and that’s usually tight, but I’ve not missed one yet.
      – PLL
      2 days ago






    • 1




      Night buses are something of an experience all of their own, particularly on weekends. Since this will be a Monday night/Tuesday morning you probably won't see so many of the 'colourful characters' you might on weekends. That said, being December, there might well be a few revellers around.
      – Ralph Bolton
      yesterday






    • 1




      Minor note - if seeing Big Ben is a priority, it's currently covered in scaffolding and not exactly photogenic. The rest of the Palace of Westminster is certainly nice, but...
      – eftpotrm
      13 hours ago













    up vote
    65
    down vote



    accepted







    up vote
    65
    down vote



    accepted






    As you've got to make the journey between airports anyway, I say make the most of it. Sleep on the plane if you can and see the city at night. I'd pack in one backpack (hand luggage strapped on top) and do it on foot, but taxi/bus/night tube (Friday and Saturday) are other options.



    The last tube train from Heathrow is at 23:35 (T4) or 23:42 (T5), a few minutes later for T123. So you should have plenty of time to clear immigration, retrieve your luggage and get the tube. There's also the TFL line train but that goes to Paddington station which is 3 km from Buckingham Palace). You can check for planned/emergency issues online at Transport for London's website.



    If you get the tube, you can go to Hyde Park Corner, less than 1 km away from the Palace.



    In the morning I used to quite often get an early train out of London Bridge to Gatwick. Currently that looks to be 05:35, getting in at 06:04. That should be plenty early enough for most flights but you'd need to check.



    Assuming you're happy to walk through the night you can see a lot of London Here's a quick 10 km route suggestion I threw together. It takes in Buckingham Palace, Parliament Square (but not Big Ben/Elizabeth Tower which is being repaired), the Embankment, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, the Strand (you could night-bus this bit), St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge.



    Night buses from Trafalgar square will get you to many places but they're not very frequent. I've deliberately omitted airport buses in the interest of maximising your time in London. The tube and regional trains aren't all that expensive, and are much quicker; they're also less much affected by traffic, though there are rare delays in the middle of the night.






    share|improve this answer














    As you've got to make the journey between airports anyway, I say make the most of it. Sleep on the plane if you can and see the city at night. I'd pack in one backpack (hand luggage strapped on top) and do it on foot, but taxi/bus/night tube (Friday and Saturday) are other options.



    The last tube train from Heathrow is at 23:35 (T4) or 23:42 (T5), a few minutes later for T123. So you should have plenty of time to clear immigration, retrieve your luggage and get the tube. There's also the TFL line train but that goes to Paddington station which is 3 km from Buckingham Palace). You can check for planned/emergency issues online at Transport for London's website.



    If you get the tube, you can go to Hyde Park Corner, less than 1 km away from the Palace.



    In the morning I used to quite often get an early train out of London Bridge to Gatwick. Currently that looks to be 05:35, getting in at 06:04. That should be plenty early enough for most flights but you'd need to check.



    Assuming you're happy to walk through the night you can see a lot of London Here's a quick 10 km route suggestion I threw together. It takes in Buckingham Palace, Parliament Square (but not Big Ben/Elizabeth Tower which is being repaired), the Embankment, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, the Strand (you could night-bus this bit), St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge.



    Night buses from Trafalgar square will get you to many places but they're not very frequent. I've deliberately omitted airport buses in the interest of maximising your time in London. The tube and regional trains aren't all that expensive, and are much quicker; they're also less much affected by traffic, though there are rare delays in the middle of the night.







    share|improve this answer














    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer








    edited 13 hours ago

























    answered Nov 27 at 10:45









    Chris H

    2,8151024




    2,8151024








    • 3




      In case you can't tell, I'm rather taken with the idea!
      – Chris H
      Nov 27 at 10:46






    • 4




      Also you might want to use this to check before you leave for any short-notice closures tfl.gov.uk/tube-dlr-overground/status/…
      – Cyberspark
      Nov 27 at 16:44






    • 1




      I appreciate everyone else is erring on the side of caution in their estimates for time to leave as Gatwick, but to give a data point in the other direction: I usually arrive at Gatwick about 60mins before my flight (within EU), and that’s usually tight, but I’ve not missed one yet.
      – PLL
      2 days ago






    • 1




      Night buses are something of an experience all of their own, particularly on weekends. Since this will be a Monday night/Tuesday morning you probably won't see so many of the 'colourful characters' you might on weekends. That said, being December, there might well be a few revellers around.
      – Ralph Bolton
      yesterday






    • 1




      Minor note - if seeing Big Ben is a priority, it's currently covered in scaffolding and not exactly photogenic. The rest of the Palace of Westminster is certainly nice, but...
      – eftpotrm
      13 hours ago














    • 3




      In case you can't tell, I'm rather taken with the idea!
      – Chris H
      Nov 27 at 10:46






    • 4




      Also you might want to use this to check before you leave for any short-notice closures tfl.gov.uk/tube-dlr-overground/status/…
      – Cyberspark
      Nov 27 at 16:44






    • 1




      I appreciate everyone else is erring on the side of caution in their estimates for time to leave as Gatwick, but to give a data point in the other direction: I usually arrive at Gatwick about 60mins before my flight (within EU), and that’s usually tight, but I’ve not missed one yet.
      – PLL
      2 days ago






    • 1




      Night buses are something of an experience all of their own, particularly on weekends. Since this will be a Monday night/Tuesday morning you probably won't see so many of the 'colourful characters' you might on weekends. That said, being December, there might well be a few revellers around.
      – Ralph Bolton
      yesterday






    • 1




      Minor note - if seeing Big Ben is a priority, it's currently covered in scaffolding and not exactly photogenic. The rest of the Palace of Westminster is certainly nice, but...
      – eftpotrm
      13 hours ago








    3




    3




    In case you can't tell, I'm rather taken with the idea!
    – Chris H
    Nov 27 at 10:46




    In case you can't tell, I'm rather taken with the idea!
    – Chris H
    Nov 27 at 10:46




    4




    4




    Also you might want to use this to check before you leave for any short-notice closures tfl.gov.uk/tube-dlr-overground/status/…
    – Cyberspark
    Nov 27 at 16:44




    Also you might want to use this to check before you leave for any short-notice closures tfl.gov.uk/tube-dlr-overground/status/…
    – Cyberspark
    Nov 27 at 16:44




    1




    1




    I appreciate everyone else is erring on the side of caution in their estimates for time to leave as Gatwick, but to give a data point in the other direction: I usually arrive at Gatwick about 60mins before my flight (within EU), and that’s usually tight, but I’ve not missed one yet.
    – PLL
    2 days ago




    I appreciate everyone else is erring on the side of caution in their estimates for time to leave as Gatwick, but to give a data point in the other direction: I usually arrive at Gatwick about 60mins before my flight (within EU), and that’s usually tight, but I’ve not missed one yet.
    – PLL
    2 days ago




    1




    1




    Night buses are something of an experience all of their own, particularly on weekends. Since this will be a Monday night/Tuesday morning you probably won't see so many of the 'colourful characters' you might on weekends. That said, being December, there might well be a few revellers around.
    – Ralph Bolton
    yesterday




    Night buses are something of an experience all of their own, particularly on weekends. Since this will be a Monday night/Tuesday morning you probably won't see so many of the 'colourful characters' you might on weekends. That said, being December, there might well be a few revellers around.
    – Ralph Bolton
    yesterday




    1




    1




    Minor note - if seeing Big Ben is a priority, it's currently covered in scaffolding and not exactly photogenic. The rest of the Palace of Westminster is certainly nice, but...
    – eftpotrm
    13 hours ago




    Minor note - if seeing Big Ben is a priority, it's currently covered in scaffolding and not exactly photogenic. The rest of the Palace of Westminster is certainly nice, but...
    – eftpotrm
    13 hours ago












    up vote
    53
    down vote













    Yes, it's doable. Although going through central London isn't the fastest route from Heathrow to Gatwick, you have lots of time so it's not an unreasonable route to take.



    You could obviously do it all by taxi, but it's also possible (and much cheaper) on public transport. You can get the underground from Heathrow to Green Park, which will take about 50 min, and then you're only a few minutes walk across the park to the palace. You can then walk to Victoria station, and get a train to Gatwick. The last train to Gatwick is at 00:08 (though trains from other stations and coaches run through the night, and the ones from Victoria start pretty early in the morning).






    share|improve this answer



















    • 8




      At night, I'd get the tube to Hyde Park Corner, and walk to Buckngham Palace, Parliament Square, along the Embankment, Trafalgar square, Covent Garden, (along the Strand, or tube to Tower Hill) Tower of London, Tower Bridge London Bridge station for the train to Gatwick. All walking that's about 6 miles (10 km) so perfectly doable if you pack in a rucksack, and selected for night views
      – Chris H
      Nov 27 at 9:59






    • 4




      To make things easier - "start pretty early in the morning" is 04:35 (arriving at Gatwick at 05:27). So there's plenty time for OP to explore London at night if they choose. (Also recommend seeing the christmas lights around Carnaby street this time of year - if doing a night visit)
      – Bilkokuya
      Nov 27 at 10:37








    • 1




      You can get coaches to Gatwick from Victoria Bus Station throughout the night. Evidently some people don't consider buses a viable form of transport but maybe the OP does. nationalexpress.com/nxportal2/pdf/timetables/A3.pdf
      – Stuart F
      Nov 27 at 14:41








    • 2




      @StuartF I can understand people not wanting to take a bus from central London during the day -- heavy traffic can cause serious delays (being stuck for an hour wouldn't be super-surprising). Bit in the middle of the night, the bus should be fine and is an excellent suggestion.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 16:49















    up vote
    53
    down vote













    Yes, it's doable. Although going through central London isn't the fastest route from Heathrow to Gatwick, you have lots of time so it's not an unreasonable route to take.



    You could obviously do it all by taxi, but it's also possible (and much cheaper) on public transport. You can get the underground from Heathrow to Green Park, which will take about 50 min, and then you're only a few minutes walk across the park to the palace. You can then walk to Victoria station, and get a train to Gatwick. The last train to Gatwick is at 00:08 (though trains from other stations and coaches run through the night, and the ones from Victoria start pretty early in the morning).






    share|improve this answer



















    • 8




      At night, I'd get the tube to Hyde Park Corner, and walk to Buckngham Palace, Parliament Square, along the Embankment, Trafalgar square, Covent Garden, (along the Strand, or tube to Tower Hill) Tower of London, Tower Bridge London Bridge station for the train to Gatwick. All walking that's about 6 miles (10 km) so perfectly doable if you pack in a rucksack, and selected for night views
      – Chris H
      Nov 27 at 9:59






    • 4




      To make things easier - "start pretty early in the morning" is 04:35 (arriving at Gatwick at 05:27). So there's plenty time for OP to explore London at night if they choose. (Also recommend seeing the christmas lights around Carnaby street this time of year - if doing a night visit)
      – Bilkokuya
      Nov 27 at 10:37








    • 1




      You can get coaches to Gatwick from Victoria Bus Station throughout the night. Evidently some people don't consider buses a viable form of transport but maybe the OP does. nationalexpress.com/nxportal2/pdf/timetables/A3.pdf
      – Stuart F
      Nov 27 at 14:41








    • 2




      @StuartF I can understand people not wanting to take a bus from central London during the day -- heavy traffic can cause serious delays (being stuck for an hour wouldn't be super-surprising). Bit in the middle of the night, the bus should be fine and is an excellent suggestion.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 16:49













    up vote
    53
    down vote










    up vote
    53
    down vote









    Yes, it's doable. Although going through central London isn't the fastest route from Heathrow to Gatwick, you have lots of time so it's not an unreasonable route to take.



    You could obviously do it all by taxi, but it's also possible (and much cheaper) on public transport. You can get the underground from Heathrow to Green Park, which will take about 50 min, and then you're only a few minutes walk across the park to the palace. You can then walk to Victoria station, and get a train to Gatwick. The last train to Gatwick is at 00:08 (though trains from other stations and coaches run through the night, and the ones from Victoria start pretty early in the morning).






    share|improve this answer














    Yes, it's doable. Although going through central London isn't the fastest route from Heathrow to Gatwick, you have lots of time so it's not an unreasonable route to take.



    You could obviously do it all by taxi, but it's also possible (and much cheaper) on public transport. You can get the underground from Heathrow to Green Park, which will take about 50 min, and then you're only a few minutes walk across the park to the palace. You can then walk to Victoria station, and get a train to Gatwick. The last train to Gatwick is at 00:08 (though trains from other stations and coaches run through the night, and the ones from Victoria start pretty early in the morning).







    share|improve this answer














    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer








    edited Nov 27 at 10:15









    simbabque

    3,52842444




    3,52842444










    answered Nov 26 at 22:51









    djr

    2,80121121




    2,80121121








    • 8




      At night, I'd get the tube to Hyde Park Corner, and walk to Buckngham Palace, Parliament Square, along the Embankment, Trafalgar square, Covent Garden, (along the Strand, or tube to Tower Hill) Tower of London, Tower Bridge London Bridge station for the train to Gatwick. All walking that's about 6 miles (10 km) so perfectly doable if you pack in a rucksack, and selected for night views
      – Chris H
      Nov 27 at 9:59






    • 4




      To make things easier - "start pretty early in the morning" is 04:35 (arriving at Gatwick at 05:27). So there's plenty time for OP to explore London at night if they choose. (Also recommend seeing the christmas lights around Carnaby street this time of year - if doing a night visit)
      – Bilkokuya
      Nov 27 at 10:37








    • 1




      You can get coaches to Gatwick from Victoria Bus Station throughout the night. Evidently some people don't consider buses a viable form of transport but maybe the OP does. nationalexpress.com/nxportal2/pdf/timetables/A3.pdf
      – Stuart F
      Nov 27 at 14:41








    • 2




      @StuartF I can understand people not wanting to take a bus from central London during the day -- heavy traffic can cause serious delays (being stuck for an hour wouldn't be super-surprising). Bit in the middle of the night, the bus should be fine and is an excellent suggestion.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 16:49














    • 8




      At night, I'd get the tube to Hyde Park Corner, and walk to Buckngham Palace, Parliament Square, along the Embankment, Trafalgar square, Covent Garden, (along the Strand, or tube to Tower Hill) Tower of London, Tower Bridge London Bridge station for the train to Gatwick. All walking that's about 6 miles (10 km) so perfectly doable if you pack in a rucksack, and selected for night views
      – Chris H
      Nov 27 at 9:59






    • 4




      To make things easier - "start pretty early in the morning" is 04:35 (arriving at Gatwick at 05:27). So there's plenty time for OP to explore London at night if they choose. (Also recommend seeing the christmas lights around Carnaby street this time of year - if doing a night visit)
      – Bilkokuya
      Nov 27 at 10:37








    • 1




      You can get coaches to Gatwick from Victoria Bus Station throughout the night. Evidently some people don't consider buses a viable form of transport but maybe the OP does. nationalexpress.com/nxportal2/pdf/timetables/A3.pdf
      – Stuart F
      Nov 27 at 14:41








    • 2




      @StuartF I can understand people not wanting to take a bus from central London during the day -- heavy traffic can cause serious delays (being stuck for an hour wouldn't be super-surprising). Bit in the middle of the night, the bus should be fine and is an excellent suggestion.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 16:49








    8




    8




    At night, I'd get the tube to Hyde Park Corner, and walk to Buckngham Palace, Parliament Square, along the Embankment, Trafalgar square, Covent Garden, (along the Strand, or tube to Tower Hill) Tower of London, Tower Bridge London Bridge station for the train to Gatwick. All walking that's about 6 miles (10 km) so perfectly doable if you pack in a rucksack, and selected for night views
    – Chris H
    Nov 27 at 9:59




    At night, I'd get the tube to Hyde Park Corner, and walk to Buckngham Palace, Parliament Square, along the Embankment, Trafalgar square, Covent Garden, (along the Strand, or tube to Tower Hill) Tower of London, Tower Bridge London Bridge station for the train to Gatwick. All walking that's about 6 miles (10 km) so perfectly doable if you pack in a rucksack, and selected for night views
    – Chris H
    Nov 27 at 9:59




    4




    4




    To make things easier - "start pretty early in the morning" is 04:35 (arriving at Gatwick at 05:27). So there's plenty time for OP to explore London at night if they choose. (Also recommend seeing the christmas lights around Carnaby street this time of year - if doing a night visit)
    – Bilkokuya
    Nov 27 at 10:37






    To make things easier - "start pretty early in the morning" is 04:35 (arriving at Gatwick at 05:27). So there's plenty time for OP to explore London at night if they choose. (Also recommend seeing the christmas lights around Carnaby street this time of year - if doing a night visit)
    – Bilkokuya
    Nov 27 at 10:37






    1




    1




    You can get coaches to Gatwick from Victoria Bus Station throughout the night. Evidently some people don't consider buses a viable form of transport but maybe the OP does. nationalexpress.com/nxportal2/pdf/timetables/A3.pdf
    – Stuart F
    Nov 27 at 14:41






    You can get coaches to Gatwick from Victoria Bus Station throughout the night. Evidently some people don't consider buses a viable form of transport but maybe the OP does. nationalexpress.com/nxportal2/pdf/timetables/A3.pdf
    – Stuart F
    Nov 27 at 14:41






    2




    2




    @StuartF I can understand people not wanting to take a bus from central London during the day -- heavy traffic can cause serious delays (being stuck for an hour wouldn't be super-surprising). Bit in the middle of the night, the bus should be fine and is an excellent suggestion.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 27 at 16:49




    @StuartF I can understand people not wanting to take a bus from central London during the day -- heavy traffic can cause serious delays (being stuck for an hour wouldn't be super-surprising). Bit in the middle of the night, the bus should be fine and is an excellent suggestion.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 27 at 16:49










    up vote
    32
    down vote













    Very easily doable. But if you're going all that way in on the tube and aren't too tired, walk around - central London is quite small and easily walkable. You could see Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Picadilly Circus - all quite photogenic and iconic, even at night!






    share|improve this answer

















    • 9




      I live in London and play Ingress in central London regularly. I walk around in the dark all the time. It's safe, and it's exciting, and once you get to the river the views are amazing. Not as stunning as flying over it on the approach to Heathrow, but still very impressive. Especially Vauxhall and towards Canary Warf. A city like London does not sleep. There are night buses. They are great at night. Sit at the top front and enjoy the show.
      – simbabque
      Nov 27 at 10:18















    up vote
    32
    down vote













    Very easily doable. But if you're going all that way in on the tube and aren't too tired, walk around - central London is quite small and easily walkable. You could see Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Picadilly Circus - all quite photogenic and iconic, even at night!






    share|improve this answer

















    • 9




      I live in London and play Ingress in central London regularly. I walk around in the dark all the time. It's safe, and it's exciting, and once you get to the river the views are amazing. Not as stunning as flying over it on the approach to Heathrow, but still very impressive. Especially Vauxhall and towards Canary Warf. A city like London does not sleep. There are night buses. They are great at night. Sit at the top front and enjoy the show.
      – simbabque
      Nov 27 at 10:18













    up vote
    32
    down vote










    up vote
    32
    down vote









    Very easily doable. But if you're going all that way in on the tube and aren't too tired, walk around - central London is quite small and easily walkable. You could see Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Picadilly Circus - all quite photogenic and iconic, even at night!






    share|improve this answer












    Very easily doable. But if you're going all that way in on the tube and aren't too tired, walk around - central London is quite small and easily walkable. You could see Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Picadilly Circus - all quite photogenic and iconic, even at night!







    share|improve this answer












    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer










    answered Nov 26 at 22:56









    Mark Mayo

    128k755581273




    128k755581273








    • 9




      I live in London and play Ingress in central London regularly. I walk around in the dark all the time. It's safe, and it's exciting, and once you get to the river the views are amazing. Not as stunning as flying over it on the approach to Heathrow, but still very impressive. Especially Vauxhall and towards Canary Warf. A city like London does not sleep. There are night buses. They are great at night. Sit at the top front and enjoy the show.
      – simbabque
      Nov 27 at 10:18














    • 9




      I live in London and play Ingress in central London regularly. I walk around in the dark all the time. It's safe, and it's exciting, and once you get to the river the views are amazing. Not as stunning as flying over it on the approach to Heathrow, but still very impressive. Especially Vauxhall and towards Canary Warf. A city like London does not sleep. There are night buses. They are great at night. Sit at the top front and enjoy the show.
      – simbabque
      Nov 27 at 10:18








    9




    9




    I live in London and play Ingress in central London regularly. I walk around in the dark all the time. It's safe, and it's exciting, and once you get to the river the views are amazing. Not as stunning as flying over it on the approach to Heathrow, but still very impressive. Especially Vauxhall and towards Canary Warf. A city like London does not sleep. There are night buses. They are great at night. Sit at the top front and enjoy the show.
    – simbabque
    Nov 27 at 10:18




    I live in London and play Ingress in central London regularly. I walk around in the dark all the time. It's safe, and it's exciting, and once you get to the river the views are amazing. Not as stunning as flying over it on the approach to Heathrow, but still very impressive. Especially Vauxhall and towards Canary Warf. A city like London does not sleep. There are night buses. They are great at night. Sit at the top front and enjoy the show.
    – simbabque
    Nov 27 at 10:18










    up vote
    4
    down vote













    Yes, with Caveats. Budget for contingency - 2 hours on landing, maybe 3 for T5. I'm not kidding about T5 at this time of year. A morning arrival might have been better, it will be dark.



    So everything else is down to visibility, you will miss peak hours. Suggest you get a driver both ways, or tube and cab. Buses do not pass the Palace. You are taking your chances with visibility as well. Plan to be back at the Airport at 06:00, again, for contingency.



    Risks: Snow, Tube Outage, Rain, Freezing Rain, Sleet, Traffic, Holiday events (Winter Wonderland is close by).






    share|improve this answer

















    • 2




      The Tube is very reliable. Snow, freezing rain and sleet are not significant risks in central London. Visibility will probably be fine. Any snow flurry in central London tends to make the national news -- I remember once hearing a national weather forecast that said there was "A bit of snow in London Town" and completely neglected to mention that, in northern England, tens of people had been trapped in their cars overnight on the motorway by heavy snowfall.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 10:03












    • And [citation needed] for what seems to be a claim that planes at Heathrow are routinely 2-3 hours late.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 10:04






    • 2




      @ChrisH Ah, you're probably right. Clarification would be good, though so would some evidence: 2-3hrs is an unusually long time for immigration.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 10:10






    • 4




      @DavidRicherby it's a while since I came into Heathrow but the non-EU queues could get very long at peak times, like when all the overnight transatlantic flights come in (so I doubt the suggestion in this answer that a morning arrival would be better)
      – Chris H
      Nov 27 at 10:15






    • 4




      Snow? In December? In London? Don't make me laugh.
      – Robert Furber
      Nov 27 at 13:18















    up vote
    4
    down vote













    Yes, with Caveats. Budget for contingency - 2 hours on landing, maybe 3 for T5. I'm not kidding about T5 at this time of year. A morning arrival might have been better, it will be dark.



    So everything else is down to visibility, you will miss peak hours. Suggest you get a driver both ways, or tube and cab. Buses do not pass the Palace. You are taking your chances with visibility as well. Plan to be back at the Airport at 06:00, again, for contingency.



    Risks: Snow, Tube Outage, Rain, Freezing Rain, Sleet, Traffic, Holiday events (Winter Wonderland is close by).






    share|improve this answer

















    • 2




      The Tube is very reliable. Snow, freezing rain and sleet are not significant risks in central London. Visibility will probably be fine. Any snow flurry in central London tends to make the national news -- I remember once hearing a national weather forecast that said there was "A bit of snow in London Town" and completely neglected to mention that, in northern England, tens of people had been trapped in their cars overnight on the motorway by heavy snowfall.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 10:03












    • And [citation needed] for what seems to be a claim that planes at Heathrow are routinely 2-3 hours late.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 10:04






    • 2




      @ChrisH Ah, you're probably right. Clarification would be good, though so would some evidence: 2-3hrs is an unusually long time for immigration.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 10:10






    • 4




      @DavidRicherby it's a while since I came into Heathrow but the non-EU queues could get very long at peak times, like when all the overnight transatlantic flights come in (so I doubt the suggestion in this answer that a morning arrival would be better)
      – Chris H
      Nov 27 at 10:15






    • 4




      Snow? In December? In London? Don't make me laugh.
      – Robert Furber
      Nov 27 at 13:18













    up vote
    4
    down vote










    up vote
    4
    down vote









    Yes, with Caveats. Budget for contingency - 2 hours on landing, maybe 3 for T5. I'm not kidding about T5 at this time of year. A morning arrival might have been better, it will be dark.



    So everything else is down to visibility, you will miss peak hours. Suggest you get a driver both ways, or tube and cab. Buses do not pass the Palace. You are taking your chances with visibility as well. Plan to be back at the Airport at 06:00, again, for contingency.



    Risks: Snow, Tube Outage, Rain, Freezing Rain, Sleet, Traffic, Holiday events (Winter Wonderland is close by).






    share|improve this answer












    Yes, with Caveats. Budget for contingency - 2 hours on landing, maybe 3 for T5. I'm not kidding about T5 at this time of year. A morning arrival might have been better, it will be dark.



    So everything else is down to visibility, you will miss peak hours. Suggest you get a driver both ways, or tube and cab. Buses do not pass the Palace. You are taking your chances with visibility as well. Plan to be back at the Airport at 06:00, again, for contingency.



    Risks: Snow, Tube Outage, Rain, Freezing Rain, Sleet, Traffic, Holiday events (Winter Wonderland is close by).







    share|improve this answer












    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer










    answered Nov 27 at 4:22









    mckenzm

    21514




    21514








    • 2




      The Tube is very reliable. Snow, freezing rain and sleet are not significant risks in central London. Visibility will probably be fine. Any snow flurry in central London tends to make the national news -- I remember once hearing a national weather forecast that said there was "A bit of snow in London Town" and completely neglected to mention that, in northern England, tens of people had been trapped in their cars overnight on the motorway by heavy snowfall.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 10:03












    • And [citation needed] for what seems to be a claim that planes at Heathrow are routinely 2-3 hours late.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 10:04






    • 2




      @ChrisH Ah, you're probably right. Clarification would be good, though so would some evidence: 2-3hrs is an unusually long time for immigration.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 10:10






    • 4




      @DavidRicherby it's a while since I came into Heathrow but the non-EU queues could get very long at peak times, like when all the overnight transatlantic flights come in (so I doubt the suggestion in this answer that a morning arrival would be better)
      – Chris H
      Nov 27 at 10:15






    • 4




      Snow? In December? In London? Don't make me laugh.
      – Robert Furber
      Nov 27 at 13:18














    • 2




      The Tube is very reliable. Snow, freezing rain and sleet are not significant risks in central London. Visibility will probably be fine. Any snow flurry in central London tends to make the national news -- I remember once hearing a national weather forecast that said there was "A bit of snow in London Town" and completely neglected to mention that, in northern England, tens of people had been trapped in their cars overnight on the motorway by heavy snowfall.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 10:03












    • And [citation needed] for what seems to be a claim that planes at Heathrow are routinely 2-3 hours late.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 10:04






    • 2




      @ChrisH Ah, you're probably right. Clarification would be good, though so would some evidence: 2-3hrs is an unusually long time for immigration.
      – David Richerby
      Nov 27 at 10:10






    • 4




      @DavidRicherby it's a while since I came into Heathrow but the non-EU queues could get very long at peak times, like when all the overnight transatlantic flights come in (so I doubt the suggestion in this answer that a morning arrival would be better)
      – Chris H
      Nov 27 at 10:15






    • 4




      Snow? In December? In London? Don't make me laugh.
      – Robert Furber
      Nov 27 at 13:18








    2




    2




    The Tube is very reliable. Snow, freezing rain and sleet are not significant risks in central London. Visibility will probably be fine. Any snow flurry in central London tends to make the national news -- I remember once hearing a national weather forecast that said there was "A bit of snow in London Town" and completely neglected to mention that, in northern England, tens of people had been trapped in their cars overnight on the motorway by heavy snowfall.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 27 at 10:03






    The Tube is very reliable. Snow, freezing rain and sleet are not significant risks in central London. Visibility will probably be fine. Any snow flurry in central London tends to make the national news -- I remember once hearing a national weather forecast that said there was "A bit of snow in London Town" and completely neglected to mention that, in northern England, tens of people had been trapped in their cars overnight on the motorway by heavy snowfall.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 27 at 10:03














    And [citation needed] for what seems to be a claim that planes at Heathrow are routinely 2-3 hours late.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 27 at 10:04




    And [citation needed] for what seems to be a claim that planes at Heathrow are routinely 2-3 hours late.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 27 at 10:04




    2




    2




    @ChrisH Ah, you're probably right. Clarification would be good, though so would some evidence: 2-3hrs is an unusually long time for immigration.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 27 at 10:10




    @ChrisH Ah, you're probably right. Clarification would be good, though so would some evidence: 2-3hrs is an unusually long time for immigration.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 27 at 10:10




    4




    4




    @DavidRicherby it's a while since I came into Heathrow but the non-EU queues could get very long at peak times, like when all the overnight transatlantic flights come in (so I doubt the suggestion in this answer that a morning arrival would be better)
    – Chris H
    Nov 27 at 10:15




    @DavidRicherby it's a while since I came into Heathrow but the non-EU queues could get very long at peak times, like when all the overnight transatlantic flights come in (so I doubt the suggestion in this answer that a morning arrival would be better)
    – Chris H
    Nov 27 at 10:15




    4




    4




    Snow? In December? In London? Don't make me laugh.
    – Robert Furber
    Nov 27 at 13:18




    Snow? In December? In London? Don't make me laugh.
    – Robert Furber
    Nov 27 at 13:18










    up vote
    3
    down vote













    Per other responses, the short answer is "yes you do" but you're only going to see the outside of it.



    A brief stroll back up the mall will land you at Nelson's Column, and you're near enough some night-life such as Leicester Square, or the theatres on the embankment, as well as within wandering distance (or a short tube ride) of the illuminations in Carnaby Street (Bohemian Rhapsody this year!) and there's doubtless a few others to see too.



    I don't know the opening times but over the river you've got the London Eye which could provide a decent photo op too. Just a shame Big Ben is scaffolded up for repairs for the forseeable.






    share|improve this answer

























      up vote
      3
      down vote













      Per other responses, the short answer is "yes you do" but you're only going to see the outside of it.



      A brief stroll back up the mall will land you at Nelson's Column, and you're near enough some night-life such as Leicester Square, or the theatres on the embankment, as well as within wandering distance (or a short tube ride) of the illuminations in Carnaby Street (Bohemian Rhapsody this year!) and there's doubtless a few others to see too.



      I don't know the opening times but over the river you've got the London Eye which could provide a decent photo op too. Just a shame Big Ben is scaffolded up for repairs for the forseeable.






      share|improve this answer























        up vote
        3
        down vote










        up vote
        3
        down vote









        Per other responses, the short answer is "yes you do" but you're only going to see the outside of it.



        A brief stroll back up the mall will land you at Nelson's Column, and you're near enough some night-life such as Leicester Square, or the theatres on the embankment, as well as within wandering distance (or a short tube ride) of the illuminations in Carnaby Street (Bohemian Rhapsody this year!) and there's doubtless a few others to see too.



        I don't know the opening times but over the river you've got the London Eye which could provide a decent photo op too. Just a shame Big Ben is scaffolded up for repairs for the forseeable.






        share|improve this answer












        Per other responses, the short answer is "yes you do" but you're only going to see the outside of it.



        A brief stroll back up the mall will land you at Nelson's Column, and you're near enough some night-life such as Leicester Square, or the theatres on the embankment, as well as within wandering distance (or a short tube ride) of the illuminations in Carnaby Street (Bohemian Rhapsody this year!) and there's doubtless a few others to see too.



        I don't know the opening times but over the river you've got the London Eye which could provide a decent photo op too. Just a shame Big Ben is scaffolded up for repairs for the forseeable.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered Nov 27 at 12:41









        John U

        21915




        21915






















            up vote
            0
            down vote













            It takes 45 minutes to get out of the airport and another hour to get from Heathrow to BP. You'll arrive at BP at 10.15pm. Not much to see at there at that time, so I think you'd do better to head over to Waterloo Bridge and then wander up in to Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Picaddilly Circus, and Soho. The cheapest way to get to Gatwick is by coach from Victoria Coach Station. It's a miserable trip, early in the morning, but it sure is cheap.






            share|improve this answer























            • Surprisingly, SoHo in the middle of the night weekdays can be pretty quiet and relatively uninteresting. Different story at the weekends and if you get there not too late.
              – jcaron
              Nov 27 at 18:18






            • 1




              @jcaron: SoHo is in New York.
              – TonyK
              Nov 27 at 23:47










            • @TonyK, sorry, Soho, not SoHo. Should know better, I lived there for years!
              – jcaron
              Nov 27 at 23:58










            • ...but never found the awesome 'Monday night bar' ;-)
              – Strawberry
              Nov 28 at 0:00















            up vote
            0
            down vote













            It takes 45 minutes to get out of the airport and another hour to get from Heathrow to BP. You'll arrive at BP at 10.15pm. Not much to see at there at that time, so I think you'd do better to head over to Waterloo Bridge and then wander up in to Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Picaddilly Circus, and Soho. The cheapest way to get to Gatwick is by coach from Victoria Coach Station. It's a miserable trip, early in the morning, but it sure is cheap.






            share|improve this answer























            • Surprisingly, SoHo in the middle of the night weekdays can be pretty quiet and relatively uninteresting. Different story at the weekends and if you get there not too late.
              – jcaron
              Nov 27 at 18:18






            • 1




              @jcaron: SoHo is in New York.
              – TonyK
              Nov 27 at 23:47










            • @TonyK, sorry, Soho, not SoHo. Should know better, I lived there for years!
              – jcaron
              Nov 27 at 23:58










            • ...but never found the awesome 'Monday night bar' ;-)
              – Strawberry
              Nov 28 at 0:00













            up vote
            0
            down vote










            up vote
            0
            down vote









            It takes 45 minutes to get out of the airport and another hour to get from Heathrow to BP. You'll arrive at BP at 10.15pm. Not much to see at there at that time, so I think you'd do better to head over to Waterloo Bridge and then wander up in to Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Picaddilly Circus, and Soho. The cheapest way to get to Gatwick is by coach from Victoria Coach Station. It's a miserable trip, early in the morning, but it sure is cheap.






            share|improve this answer














            It takes 45 minutes to get out of the airport and another hour to get from Heathrow to BP. You'll arrive at BP at 10.15pm. Not much to see at there at that time, so I think you'd do better to head over to Waterloo Bridge and then wander up in to Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Picaddilly Circus, and Soho. The cheapest way to get to Gatwick is by coach from Victoria Coach Station. It's a miserable trip, early in the morning, but it sure is cheap.







            share|improve this answer














            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer








            edited Nov 27 at 11:28

























            answered Nov 27 at 11:09









            Strawberry

            70737




            70737












            • Surprisingly, SoHo in the middle of the night weekdays can be pretty quiet and relatively uninteresting. Different story at the weekends and if you get there not too late.
              – jcaron
              Nov 27 at 18:18






            • 1




              @jcaron: SoHo is in New York.
              – TonyK
              Nov 27 at 23:47










            • @TonyK, sorry, Soho, not SoHo. Should know better, I lived there for years!
              – jcaron
              Nov 27 at 23:58










            • ...but never found the awesome 'Monday night bar' ;-)
              – Strawberry
              Nov 28 at 0:00


















            • Surprisingly, SoHo in the middle of the night weekdays can be pretty quiet and relatively uninteresting. Different story at the weekends and if you get there not too late.
              – jcaron
              Nov 27 at 18:18






            • 1




              @jcaron: SoHo is in New York.
              – TonyK
              Nov 27 at 23:47










            • @TonyK, sorry, Soho, not SoHo. Should know better, I lived there for years!
              – jcaron
              Nov 27 at 23:58










            • ...but never found the awesome 'Monday night bar' ;-)
              – Strawberry
              Nov 28 at 0:00
















            Surprisingly, SoHo in the middle of the night weekdays can be pretty quiet and relatively uninteresting. Different story at the weekends and if you get there not too late.
            – jcaron
            Nov 27 at 18:18




            Surprisingly, SoHo in the middle of the night weekdays can be pretty quiet and relatively uninteresting. Different story at the weekends and if you get there not too late.
            – jcaron
            Nov 27 at 18:18




            1




            1




            @jcaron: SoHo is in New York.
            – TonyK
            Nov 27 at 23:47




            @jcaron: SoHo is in New York.
            – TonyK
            Nov 27 at 23:47












            @TonyK, sorry, Soho, not SoHo. Should know better, I lived there for years!
            – jcaron
            Nov 27 at 23:58




            @TonyK, sorry, Soho, not SoHo. Should know better, I lived there for years!
            – jcaron
            Nov 27 at 23:58












            ...but never found the awesome 'Monday night bar' ;-)
            – Strawberry
            Nov 28 at 0:00




            ...but never found the awesome 'Monday night bar' ;-)
            – Strawberry
            Nov 28 at 0:00





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