Getting to Stansted very early in the morning

I have a 6:50 flight in August leaving from stansted. I'm not exactly sure where I'll be staying yet but in general, how would you want to get to Stansted from Southwest or Central London that early in the morning (considering the ryanair checkin for my flight will open at 4:50 and close at 6:10).

There will be 2 adults, 1 infant, 1 toddler and 3 bags or so plus car seats and stroller. (god that's alot)

Thanks in advance for any advice.

https://www.stanstedexpress.com/index.asp?SID={FB3CFB33-65D9-403D-BE18-E48AA3653DD7}

Stansted Express.
Im sure the first train is very early in the morning -- like 4 or 4.30?

Since you're travelling with little ones in the early hours, perhaps booking a cab to take you to Stansted might be better for you.   It guarantees you'd get to the airport on time as opposed to train delays and cancellations with Stansted Express.  Cab fare is usually £50-60 from Central London.  I know it is steep as it would be  a little more £ over what a Stansted Express ticket (x 2) might cost you but, it would be less of a hassle than carting children and luggage from your home to train station to airport. 

I live in Southeast London and would always stay in a hotel closest to the airports when catching an early flight.  Same cost (hotel + cab).

Hope that helps.

A licensed minicab is cheaper, probably half the cost of a black cab.

Not a very popular idea I'm sure, but you can take the very latest train/Stansted Express to the airport the night before. Usually it gets in around 11pm. We have had to do that before and find a spot to try to take a nap for a few hours. Works great because we aren't rushing early in the morning, but not the most pleasant to 'sleep' at.

Not a very popular idea I'm sure, but you can take the very latest train/Stansted Express to the airport the night before. Usually it gets in around 11pm. We have had to do that before and find a spot to try to take a nap for a few hours. Works great because we aren't rushing early in the morning, but not the most pleasant to 'sleep' at.

Wouldn't recommend that with 2 small kids! 

I usually get the coach to Stanstead.  You can National Express or Terravision, and they run all night.  There will be ample room for your luggage and other stuff, and the kids will be able to sleep.  At that time in the morning the journey is usually a breeze, and is in my opinion much easier that mucking about with trains.  You get dropped right outside the terminal too.

Not sure where you are coming from, but you can just get a cab to Victoria Coach Station and jump right on.  It's probably a good idea to get the tickets in advance if you can.


Vicky

I am also having to get to stanstead early this month for a bright and early Ryanair flight.  We are booking with Easy Bus, its £5 for a single and leaves from outside of Victoria station.  We'll be getting a cab to Victoria.

Love those butt-crack-of-dawn flights!

Wouldn't recommend that with 2 small kids!  Wink

Haha, definitely not!

Hiya

As an option - to save all the hassles and stress of waking up that early (which should be a crime!) and then the stress of getting to an airport, try an overnight stay at a local nearby hotel?

I was reading about this place

http://www.stansted.radissonsas.com/

it's 'probably' expensive - but might be worth it for a easier time!

Plus I wanna go becuase I want to see the flying barmaids!! 

Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!

I would book a car/minivan service to drive you that morning or stay in an airport hotel the night before.

Do you HAVE to take the carseats?  We did on one trip and vowed to never do it again.  My husband nearly turned around and ditched the whole vacation.  If you're on Ryanair, you'll be packing as light as possible anyway. 

Hiya

As an option - to save all the hassles and stress of waking up that early (which should be a crime!) and then the stress of getting to an airport, try an overnight stay at a local nearby hotel?

I was reading about this place

http://www.stansted.radissonsas.com/

it's 'probably' expensive - but might be worth it for a easier time!

Plus I wanna go becuase I want to see the flying barmaids!! 

Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!

163 for a famiy suite (4 people)... unfortunately that negates the cheapness of the ryan air flight. LOL. Maybe we didn't think that through. There is a best western 3 miles from the airport that I can do for half that. We might do that.

I would book a car/minivan service to drive you that morning or stay in an airport hotel the night before.

Do you HAVE to take the carseats?  We did on one trip and vowed to never do it again.  My husband nearly turned around and ditched the whole vacation.  If you're on Ryanair, you'll be packing as light as possible anyway. 

I'm sure we could get carseats from the rental car place (yet to be booked) but I always feel like those are icky! I think if my 2 year old son has his own seat on the plane, which you have to do at this age, he needs a carseat right? (or am i wrong on that)

I totally understand your thinking that they'd be nasty.  I was leery the first few times and always nervous that they wouldn't actually have the carseats when we showed up to get the car.  But we have rented carseats probably 10 times in different cities and they've always been really nice. 

And no, while he does need his own seat on the plane, he doesn't need a carseat.  We have a two year old boy also and he's flown all over Europe without one.  Another case where we took the carseat onboard once and vowed to never do it again, but I know it might work well for other kids!

I totally understand your thinking that they'd be nasty.  I was leery the first few times and always nervous that they wouldn't actually have the carseats when we showed up to get the car.  But we have rented carseats probably 10 times in different cities and they've always been really nice. 

And no, while he does need his own seat on the plane, he doesn't need a carseat.  We have a two year old boy also and he's flown all over Europe without one.  Another case where we took the carseat onboard once and vowed to never do it again, but I know it might work well for other kids!

i'm just not sure i feel comfortable not putting him in one. Its much safer to have him in a carseat at his age. Its rare, but not impossible to hit turbulence that could injure him due to not being in a carseat and if that were to happen I don't think I would be able to forgive myself for compromising safety for convenience sake. Then again I didn't buy a seat for my 4.5 month old daughter so maybe I'm a hypocrite? LOL. I guess I need to talk to my husband. Thanks for the idea though! We'll def take it up regarding our daughter. We'll have to decide about our son though.