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• Part Two, by coach from London, 1 September 2008

• Part Three, when things go wrong, 2 September 2008

• Part Four: train connections to Brussels, 22 November 2008

Bon Journal

How to get from Utrecht to London and vice versa
(part one)

a comparison of travel options according to time, money, and hassle

When I was a time-challenged jet-setter, I never hesitated to travel by plane out of Heathrow Airport to Amsterdam on any number of airlines that gave me airmiles. British Midlands (BMI) was by far the cheapest compared to BA and KLM, out of Heathrow which was a mere 20 minute tube ride from Boston Manor station, which was a mere 10 minute walk from my London home.

As I grew more cost-conscious and money-challenged, I began considering other options. While Ryan Air offered unbeatable fares (some as low as 0.00 plus tax), it was a hassle taking the train to Eindhoven, getting the bus to the airport, and getting in the long queues at passport control. Once landed, it was expensive to get the Stansted Express (unless you're a student) and time-consuming to journey to the other end of London. Easyjet was cheap as long as you booked well in advance. Neither offered airmile collection or any incentive other than screaming babies and their guilt-ridden parents.

The concept of "slow travel" for the environmentally conscious came to vogue in recent years alongside increasing fuel costs. One website Seat61 compares and advises different ways to travel in Europe and abroad. I too started weighing the benefits of over-land transportation on cut-throat fares. According to Seat61 the slowest and cheapest method to get from London to the Netherlands is by train, ferry, and train. Next is by train through the tunnel.

At time of writing, the new "hi-speed" online booking (a joint venture of various national train lines and Eurostar) in the Netherlands was offering euro 99 return fares for a 6 hour (one way) journey from any station in the country to London. It sounded too good to be true. After many hours trying to book such a ticket -- and always getting stuck on an error page -- I ended up having to queue at the ticket desk and pay an extra 3 euro booking fee for it. That said, the journey itself was a refreshing change from the usual airport-to-airport travel. If you don't mind changing platforms, you will welcome the flexibility of catching any train to Brussels and the freedom of keeping your water bottle and your shoes intact at the Brussels/UK border control. Once upon a time, air passengers also had those civil liberties!

As long as you have a good book, a big mp3 collection, or anything else that can keep you entertained, "slow travel" is tolerable. I had the bonus of sitting in a cabin with two African familes, each with five kids who couldn't sit still. My 20-year old Sony radio walkman and a good novel saved me. Once at London St Pancras, the glittering new international train station, I quickly slid across the polished floors to the London Underground where I caught the Piccadilly Line straight to Northfields tube station.

Uncertainty and indecision caused me to wait until the very last minute to book my return ticket to Utrecht. By then, Ryan Air was as expensive as Easyjet, BMI, BA, KLM, and Eurostar. The convergence to an unaffordable fare was not a coincidence. The early bird catches the worm. Book early to avoid sky-high fares.

Luckily Eurolines, the continental coach service, was still offering "fun fares" at 17 pounds a shot. After waiting impatiently for someone to respond to my "RIDE WANTED" online ad on gumtree and another on ride4cents, I panicked and bought a single fun fare from Eurolines at 22 pounds including booking fee. I chose the one going through the channel tunnel (to avoid getting seasick) and going through Utrecht.

I'm sure if I had posted a ravishing photo of myself and offered free accommodation or other irresistible exchanges, I might have gotten a lift for free. Even without it, one frequent traveller between Amsterdam and London on ride4cents offered the trip for 15 pounds and a cup of coffee. I would definitely need to try the "share a ride" next time ---- not least to complete this survey!

Forthcoming: part two - other considerations, baggage allowance, risks, delays, etc ---
how about just London - Amsterdam?

21 August 2008

Related links:

Where to stay in London:
Victorian cottage near Piccadilly Line

Where to stay in Utrecht:
Monument House of classical musicians

Airlines:

British Midlands: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to London Heathrow (LHR)

British Airways: AMS to LHR or LGW (London Gatwick)

KLM: AMS to LHR or LGW

Easyjet: AMS to LHR, LGW, London Luton (LTN), or London Stansted (STN)

Ryan Air: Eindhoven (EIN) to STN

By train:

Eurostar: London St Pancras

By coach:

Eurolines: London Victoria

Sensitivity analysis:

Utrecht to London spreadsheet (Excel)

Anne Ku
writes about her travels, conversations, thoughts, events, music, and anything else that is interesting enough to fill a web page. She has written and produced two chamber operas, premiered in Utrecht, Netherlands. See her publication list for more.

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