Tilbury to London...

[NavyCruiser]

Just finished chat with Viking rep, who confirmed that since we're staying in London for few days after our cruise debarkation in Tilbury, even though we're using Viking Air Plus, we can't use Viking's transfers back to airport or to London town.  

Not too familiar with Tilbury cruise port, so what's the best mode of transport (& cost) back to London for the 4 of us with One luggage each?

Uber XL?

Pre-arranged car service?

Black cab taxi?

Ubers & taxis readily avail at cruise port?

Train?

London hotel is only One block (2 minutes walk) from Underground station, so is it easy/convenient to walk with luggage from cruise port to Tilbury train station to London Embankment station?

Thanks,

[Heidi13]

Train - trains to Fenchurch Street Station in London leave from Tilbury Town Station, which is about 1 mile from the cruise terminal. Taxis are available at the terminal once you leave the baggage shed.

 

Personally, I would not recommend walking the mile to the train station, as it is an industrial/port area with lots of trucks. Not all the route has pedestrian pavement, so you will be walking on the road with the trucks.

 

Also, using the train, you would get of the regular train and have to head to the tube.

 

Car Service - We find this the most efficient and cost effective. I called Addison Lee once we had cell service on the approach to Tilbury and had a car meet us once we picked up our baggage. The cost is cheaper than the Black Cabs and for a couple, was about the same as paying train fares and cabs to/from station.

 

Uber - probably available, but not something we use, as they have just started operating at home.

[JJean]

We docked in January in Tilbury and it happened the tube was on strike.  There were

no taxi's available and no one at the port knew anything.  We were going to try to

walk to the station and there were really no directions and it would have been a long

way.  Another couple happened to get off that we saw and were told there was a

bus stop right out front and it comes about every 1/2 hour.  It came soon and it was

just about 2 pounds and did stop at the train station.  We didn't have to wait long for the train and it went right to Fenchurch.  

[NavyCruiser]

Thanks for the suggs above.

So walk to bus, to Tilbury train station, train to London Fenchurch station, change to another train to Embankment station, walk to hotel.  All with luggage.  Would be OK, but we're traveling with 2 other elderly + luggage, so maybe using Addison Lee car service for the 4 of us + luggage would be better idea.  

Thanks,

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Personally, I would not recommend walking the mile to the train station, as it is an industrial/port area with lots of trucks. Not all the route has pedestrian pavement, so you will be walking on the road with the trucks.

 

Also, using the train, you would get of the regular train and have to head to the tube.

 

 

Andy, we used the train in January, 2020. We walked to the station (but we had only carry-on luggage). Viking docked at the ferry terminal.  The traffic was not heavy at all and we were on the sidewalk for most of the walk. It took us a long 20 minutes (my fault). We weren't the only ones who had chosen to walk to the station. It cost under $30 for two of us.

 

 

 

[Heidi13]

5 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

 

Andy, we used the train in January, 2020. We walked to the station (but we had only carry-on luggage). Viking docked at the ferry terminal.  The traffic was not heavy at all and we were on the sidewalk for most of the walk. It took us a long 20 minutes (my fault). We weren't the only ones who had chosen to walk to the station. It cost under $30 for two of us.

 

 

 

 

Most of the cruise ships use the river berth adjacent to the Gravesend ferry. I have never actually gone through the locks into Tilbury Docks.

 

For a comparison, our Executive Car hire to a Tower Hill Hotel was about 50 quid, door to door. Since we were in UK for 5 months, we had 2 cases each + carry-on, so I estimated it probably cost an extra tenner over the train and taxis.

 

 

[Barrhead2015]

There are lots of strikes going on with the railway and underground union. I think with 4 people and luggages, it would be best to arrange a car transfer. 

[Jammy Bun]

5 hours ago, Barrhead2015 said:

There are lots of strikes going on with the railway and underground union. I think with 4 people and luggages, it would be best to arrange a car transfer. 

 

I was just about to write the same!!!  Don't rely on the trains in England at the moment.  

 

We docked in Tilbury last January after a 3 week Viking cruise.  We live in the north of England, but arranged for a local (to us) taxi firm to meet us and bring us home.  He was waiting right outside the baggage hall doors, it was SO easy.  

 

I would recommend Addison Lee too.  We've used them for a transfer from Greenwich into the city, and also on occasions when we visit family in central London.  They've always been prompt and reliable, and have given us fixed prices most of the time. (though we haven't used them since the pandemic started)

 

Have a great cruise. 

JB

[Mountain Traveler]

We usually travel with another couple, so we always book a car service. 

 

I can give a strong endorsement of Adam Sparkes of licensedblacktaxi.com.  I have used him for four transports - London Heathrow to London City Center (twice) and also from the City Center to either Southampton or Tilbury.  Due to the timing of the flights/ship departure or arrival times and hotel check-in times, we always included a stop along the way - Windsor Castle is a great stop going from Heathrow to London; Stonehenge is a good stop between London and Southampton.  

 

Our most recent cruise departed from Tilbury (pre-COVID Feb/Mar 2020) and Adam picked us up in London at 10:00 am, drove to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich (home of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and the Prime Meridian), waited for us to visit the observatory and then took us to Tilbury for our 1:00 boarding.  I'm sure a reverse route would work well.

 

The cost at that time was £165 for the 4 of us.

 

We have also used Adam for 

 

 

 

 

 

[NavyCruiser]

Thanks for all your comments.

Just booked with Addison Lee...