Travelling through London

Depends how much time you are spending in Central London?

But you're right the connection does take hours with 2 hours and 3 hours by bus quoted for Heathrow and Gatwick respectively - without an allowance for traffic jams.

johnBCCanada said:

I think I will be then shuttling to Stansted to take a flight with Ryanair to Satander. Any suggestions beyond leaving several hours to make the connection?

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Yes: contact the Franciscan friars (OFM) in Stratford friary, London and ask to stay overnight in Stratford. The bus to Stansted goes from the bus station in Stratford early in the morning to catch the Stansted-Santiago flight, and the bus stop is three minutes walk from the friary.

If this is useful and you want the contact details I'll post them publicly for any who want to use them. The Franciscans should make themselves available: they have the empty rooms and they should be happy to offer them. I've used this facility as an insider: it should be offered to others too.... :lol:

Gareth

johnBCCanada said:

Yes that would be helpful. Would this be stratight forard to get to from Heathrow or Gatwick?

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1. Heathrow to Stratford: Piccadilly Line (dark blue) underground, change at Holborn to the Central Line (red) eastbound and get off at Stratford.

2. Gatwick to Stratford: take the train to London Victoria, then Victoria Line (light blue) to Oxford Circus; then change to Central Line (red) and get off at Stratford.

When you come out of Stratford station follow the pedestrian path around the one-way traffic system to your left. The Franciscan friary is five minutes walk (just ask people) or phone for help:

Parish Telephone: 020 8534 1964
OFM Stratford friary web address: http://www.friar.org/locations/stratford.html
Franciscan Friary, 160 The Grove, Stratford, London, E15 1NS, England.
The friary email is: stratford@friar.org
The Guardian of the friary is Br Francis Conway, email: rfrancisconway@hotmail.com.
The brother responsible for guests is Br Anthony Cho: iamhing@gmail.com

Tell them you are a pilgrim seeking overnight accommodation on the way to Santiago de Compostela and you have been told there are spare rooms in the friary. There are always spare rooms! Let's make hospitaleros out of these people... Remind them of the spirit of St Francis their founder!

They are used to receiving visitors, but don't say this has been published here... :wink: They'll help you with the bus times. Buses go at half-hour intervals all through the night. The Santiago plane goes early, so you need a bus quite early in the morning. They will show you how to leave the Friary early in the morning, secure the gate, and post the keys through the door.

The bus station where the bus goes to Stanstead is right next to the train station where you arrived.

Hope this helps.

Gareth

another possibility if you fly into LGW is to use Clickair from there to Bilbao