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London advice 18 years 1 month ago #14388

  • Clare
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Hi fellow paddlars,

My boyfriend and I are embarking on an European tour and I'm going to arrive in London with two fully laden kayaks and a couple of bags. We have to get accross town to a friends house. We plan to buy a van, but that will take a few days....

Does anyone have any experience of taking kayaks on the subway (ones a creeker), trains and airport buses? How much is a taxi? Any tips or ideas would be much appreciated!

Cheers
Clare
claremclennan.blogpot.com

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Re:London advice 18 years 1 month ago #14389

Having spent about 2 weeks in London I know a little but not much. I know taxis are damn expensive. Don't bother with a bus. I don't think you'd get very far with the inter city buses, they have no space and the driver will probably tell you to get lost. Take the tube and good luck, I have no idea if that will work, I'd try. There are baby car things and people with huge bags so whats a small kayak. AVOID rush hour! People are bloody rude in London and in a HUGE hurry. No offence to anyone from the UK, but London is bad. :grin: Just do your own thing and ignore them. Expect zero help from anyone except maybe the dudes working at the underground. Good luck, smile and have fun. :roflol:

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Re:London advice 18 years 1 month ago #14390

I've lived in London for 14 years - and much of what Adrian says is (unfortunatley) true. HOWEVER don't try the tube (underground) with your boats. It won't work and you won't be allowed. There's too many escalators, turnstiles and stuff. Get your friend to book a cab and specify a 'people carrier' or even a mini bus. Some mini cab firms will even provide roof bars. Depending on which airport you're arriving at , and where you're going, it may cost up to 70 pounds but you'll get yourselves, your boats and gear door to door.
Your friend may need to spend 20 minutes calling around to find a firm that will do it, but it will be worth it.

Good luck!

Mally

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Re:London advice 18 years 1 month ago #14391

Mally wrote:

I've lived in London for 14 years - and much of what Adrian says is (unfortunatley) true. HOWEVER don't try the tube (underground) with your boats. It won't work and you won't be allowed. There's too many escalators, turnstiles and stuff. Get your friend to book a cab and specify a 'people carrier' or even a mini bus. Some mini cab firms will even provide roof bars. Depending on which airport you're arriving at , and where you're going, it may cost up to 70 pounds but you'll get yourselves, your boats and gear door to door.
Your friend may need to spend 20 minutes calling around to find a firm that will do it, but it will be worth it.

Good luck!

Mally


Ok, interesting that they wouldn't allow you on the tube. Pity. :)

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Re:London advice 18 years 1 month ago #14399

  • Urge
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My best advice would be to avoid London! Very horrible rude place, Im not surprised they wont take kayaks on the tube! esp after the bomb insident. Get a taxi as Mally suggest it wioll be simplier and wont give you a headache or stuck in the massive City dragging boats around! Good Luck Hope you enjoy your visit

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Re:London advice 18 years 1 month ago #14459

Hi, Unfortunatly everyone on here is right, forget tubes, trains and busses you will have no luck at all. Not everyone in london is an A'h*** but the vast majority are. It is a world of pain that is just not worth even trying.

However luckily for you I live in london and am pretty nice ;-) let me know when you arrive what airport (presume Heahtrow) and where you need to get to I might be able to help depending on work etc.. but happy to pick you up and drop you off somewhere have plenty of room for kayaks gear and weary travellers.

Also still have my van for sale after some time waster on fleabay. VW transporter kitted out with roof bars for kayaks. But that is another story..

Anyway let me know if I am around happy to help a fellow paddler.

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Re:London advice 18 years 1 month ago #14465

yh i have taken my playboat across london many times on the tube and i have had no problems but a creeker might be a little more tricky especially if someone wants to give you a hard time.

taxi's are expensive because it is london

why dont you get your friend to hire a van from somewhere like enterprise or similar?

paul

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Re:London advice 18 years 1 week ago #15036

  • Clare
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Hi guys,

Thanks for all your suggestions.

We ended up flying into Stansted with Ryanair (heaps of climbing gear packed into our kayaks!) and then we hired a van from Sixt for the day. We organised it all over the internet and it £36 so that was cheap! I recommend this as a good approach if you're flying to London with kayaks.

Cheers
Clare
claremclennan.blogspot.com

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Re:London advice 18 years 1 week ago #15040

glad it worked out for you!:D

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