A friend and i are taking a month long trip in europe and have a layover in london for 9 hours. He has never been to london before but i have a few years ago. so ill probably be taking the piccadilly line to around hyde park and walk to westminster and then head back after 4-5 hours of actual sightseeing. The main question i have is with the somewhat extensive travel i have done in my life i have not checked in luggage since i have been an adult. Travelling with friends and girlfriends and seeing them lose their luggage has turned me off of that completely. So getting to the actual question. 1. him and i could just go ahead and check in our things in houston and bring a small carry on for when we walk around/ on plane. (I prefer not to do that as stated) 2. perhaps i could check in my bag once arriving in london to be put on the plane to amsterdam. but what would be the process of that?? after departing the plane where would i go at that point to check in my bag? 3. Pay 15 pounds each to hold our luggage. which i read is at the arrivals area in terminal 5. If doing that what would be quickest and most efficient way to pick the bags back up and make my connecting flight? i may just be paranoid about checking a bag. i am conflicted about what to do. thanks for any help. it's very appreciated.
The airport can hold your luggage for a fee. It is within the terminal so its the easiest option for you. That is what I would do.
Option 2 is impossible because the check-in counter for your Amsterdam flight won't be open until 2 hours prior to departure. You could trek over to Terminal 5 luggage storage, but time is of the essence when you only have a 9-hour layover. Getting to/from the terminal, waiting in line (x2), etc. may kill an hour of your total time. I'd recommend checking your bag in Houston and carrying a very light day backpack with you. If you're really worried about having your luggage delayed to your final destination, buy the $20 American Express baggage delay protection. It's the same amount you would have ended up spending on a locker at Heathrow, and in the event your bag does get delayed, you'll get a fat paycheck from AmEx.
If you are that scared of the luggage getting lost, 3 might be the best ,but it will take some time out. s land balla is right, you can't check straight after leaving the plan, the check in time is only 3 hours before boarding (for Terminal 5 anyway). is money a big concern? If not, you can take the Heathrow Express (£35 return) and cut down on travel time to and from significantly. If it's Hyde Park you want, Paddington isn't too far from it, and you should be able to walk from Paddington to Hyde Park, through that and on to Buckingham + Westminster.
Why can't you check your luggage all the way through? I know in some instances, layovers greater than 5 hours or so are considered 'stop overs'. We had a 6 hour layover at LAX that Delta considered a stop over, however, they were able to check our bags all the way through to Hawaii and we did not have to recheck them. The only difference was that we could not check them at curbside service, it had to be done inside. Call the airline. I suspect they can do the same.
Definitely pay the little extra for the express train from Heathrow to Paddington station and then jump on the Underground. My wife and I just got back from a trip to London and Amsterdam and we loved using the underground--cheap and easy. Walking from Hyde park to Westminster is a haul, jump on the Central Line(if you are at Hyde park) then switch to the Jubilee Line and you come up right at Parliament/Westminster. I like the area around Paddington, Lancaster Gate and Knotting Hill--some decent food/pubs close to the station. I think others have the right idea about your baggage, just check and take a backpack. For Amsterdam, do yourself a favor and get out of the old city central fwhere the redlight district and most of the coffee shops are(although, they are definitely a highlight if you toke like we do) and cruise the Jordaan neighborhood. We went AirB&B in a flat in the Jordaan and LOVED it, great place to get lost and one of my favorite areas in the city. Every intersection has another cafe or delicatessen and you get to just hang out with the natives and away from rowdy Brit's getting smashed around Dam Square. That said, the center is amazing and worth poking around every side street. I'm jealous....
a month in Europe with just carry-on? I'm impressed. My wife takes a full suitcase for a weekend trip.
I went to South Asia (Nepal, India, and Pakistan) for 3 months a couple years ago, during the winter at that, and only took a backpack. Packing light is the way to go.
thanks for the replies the information helped. otherwise i havent been feeling well today. back to bed i go
Check it all the way through to your final destination. Lost luggage on international flights is a rarity. Don't sweat it.
