BS: Heathrow advice baggage/rental car/lunch

Subject: RE: BS: Heathrow advice baggage/rental car/lunch
From: Fortunato
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 01:04 PM

thanks LTS. will do.

Subject: RE: BS: Heathrow advice baggage/rental car/lunch
From: Wesley S
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 09:13 AM

Thanks - The Mrs and I are headed to London for a week towards the end of May. This is useful information for us too.

Subject: RE: BS: Heathrow advice baggage/rental car/lunch
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 06:59 AM

Quite often the car parks are on time limits which start from when the car rental is allocated on the computer. Once this has been activated you get something like 20 minutes to find your car and leave the car park before you get charged for parking. This means you can't just book the car, load it up and leave it where it is to go and get food. I would also advise you to wait for Micca before you get the car, because otherwise you'll have to go back through the tunnel again. Think of the tunnel as the 'point of no return' and you're pretty much there!


Which ever way you come east, it's going to be a bit busy. If you're happy driving on the other side, I would suggest you aim for the M4 and come along the North Circular (A406)to the East Ham junction (A117). Keep an ear out for traffic reports - BBC Radio 2 88-91FM is pretty regular with those, or ask at the car rental desk.

If you are not confident just yet about driving on the correct side of the road, then aim for the M25, going north/east, probably signposted towards the M1. Micca should be able to help you there but he's not a driver so his directions aren't always helpful! Keep on the M25, you should be aiming for the M11 junction - it's about 35 miles. From the M11 Junction, aim for Central London or City Airport. From there Micca can guide you and it's the A13 you'll be looking for. If all else fails, keep aiming for City airport.   Sooner or later you will come to a bit of road that Micca will recognise

See you soon.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Heathrow advice baggage/rental car/lunch
From: Fortunato
Date: 03 Feb 08 - 08:21 PM

thanks, Giok, that settles the question of getting the car first.

Subject: RE: BS: Heathrow advice baggage/rental car/lunch
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 03 Feb 08 - 05:46 PM

You go by hire company bus to their car lots at Heathrow, and they are all a fair distance away on the perimeter road. You need to eat before you go there, as once you are out through the tunnel there is no point trying to get back and find parking.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Heathrow advice baggage/rental car/lunch
From: Fortunato
Date: 03 Feb 08 - 05:31 PM

Phil,

thanks, that helps.
chance

Subject: RE: BS: Heathrow advice baggage/rental car/lunch
From: Newport Boy
Date: 03 Feb 08 - 05:07 PM

Since nobody else has replied, and it's getting towards bedtime here, I'll offer my limited help.

I'm an occasional user of T3, and am usually getting through the exit as quickly as possible, so I don't have detailed knowledge. But here's what I can remember:

From landing to exit, 45 minutes is a very good time, and near an hour is more usual. This assumes no stop as you walk through customs after collecting baggage. If you're carrying a load of instruments, they may decide to check you out.

The "waiting area" is very restricted. The main Car Rental firms have desks close by, and you should be able to deal with the formalities, although these desks are sometimes closed outside the main times. Depending on where the car is parked, you may be able to leave it there after completing the paperwork, and collect when you leave - otherwise you'd have to bring it to the short-term car park.

Lunch facilites are limited, and I think you'd have to go up to the departures area to find anything worthwhile. This may no longer be the case - they seem to remodel T3 fairly frequently.

There's no great distance between the exit, car desk, cafe and car park. It's whether you can find the right sequence. I think I'd see if you can sort the car without having to move it, then get some lunch.

Best of luck
Phil

Subject: BS: Heathrow advice baggage/rental car/lunch
From: Fortunato
Date: 03 Feb 08 - 01:28 PM

UK 'catters,
    Susette and I have a two hour wait for our guide (Micca) and I'm wondering if there might be a way to save time.
    After exiting customs and claiming guitar and suitcases, along with banjo, autoharp, carry on bags, etc., we need to get lunch and a National Rental Car. We'll be in Terminal 3 at Heathrow. Might there be a way to grab the car rental and lunch before meeting Micca in the waiting area and save some time?

chance