I (male, 71)am near Poitiers, need to return to the UK to collect a car. Around Wednesday 29th July, to somewhere / anywhere south/south west of London. Just me, little luggage, more than happy to contribute to expenses. Can you help?!
You might try Blablacar. A friend used it.
Thanks … prefer a lift if possible though.
BlaBlaCar is a lift. It’s car sharing essentially.
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Train is 44 euros from Paris midweek
If you need to be really cheap you could try flixbus possibly from a point near you - there are a few 10% offers about But it’s gruelling and likely more expensive than looking tor a cheap train fare either through fare from Sncf (protected if train to Paris is late) or combine separate train to Paris and Eurostar with a long gap in between if separate tickets.
Eurostar will add a small cost if it’s one way but on 44 euros if you can find it it doesn’t add much.
Or find a cheap rail fare to a port and go as a foot passenger. likely to cost more this time of year than Eurostar though .
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Many thanks for replies. I did look at the train option, but €304 minimum, and that crept to €326 within minutes! Poitiers airport beckoned … Heathrow or Gatwick would be fine. Naturally, they only fly to Stansted, pretty useless!
As has already been suggested, have a look at Blablacar 
!
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sometime 2 weeks ahead is needed. There’s always the slow train option to check out via a port I suppose.
I used the reverse route after dropping off a van after moving here.
Poitiers to Calais by train is around 100 Euros. There’s a free shuttle service from the station to the port.
P&O is offering foot passenger fares from 32 Euros upward on 29th.
It’s a short walk to Dover Priory station from the port and trains will get you into London.
Train from Stanstead into London would usualy cost more than the air fare; though perhaps not at this time of year.
And the really unhelpful answer : I took my car over to SW London two weeks ago. You would have been welcome to come with.
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The Greater Anglia Stansted <> Liverpool Street cost me £14 one way off peak with my Old Git Railcard and £24 at peak time when you OGR isn’t valid.
I strongly recommend the Trainline app for booking UK trains in advance and you can save all your e-tickets to the wallet function on a smartphone.
you could look if there’s anything going into Bristol on low cost airlines
Think the OP wants to get to SW London, not Bristol
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Yes, Bristol a bit far! In any event, I’ll probably rule out flying. I need to bring some special grease with me, car hasn’t been used for 6 years and needs immediate service. Can only buy this grease in huge drums (have one here) so not viable to buy in the UK. Apart from luggage restictions “fluids” could see my grease container refused. I’ll also be bringing a small toolkit, … all to go in my rucksack … but they too might be problematic. Grease GUN might alarm!
Stansted too far and expensive/difficult for my eventual destination (ideally Chobham or Banstead, but anywhere within a big radius could work), and even Nantes doesn’t work out well for Heathrow/Gatwick, let alone the difficulty of getting to Nantes from here. I thought flying would be the obvious way, but too many difficulties!
The point is I’ve often looked at Bristol as there are good connections to London. And the OP did say SW
I used to live in Banstead
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I used to work close, in Redhill.
Go to Paris and get overnight BlaBlaBus to London Victoria. Slow, but cheap.
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Thanks, certainly a possibility, but still hoping for a lift, would have thought more than a few will be travelling to the UK at this time of year. Looking at 29th July at earliest and a date a few days later could suit just as well.
Rome2rio.com is a useful site to look for options or routings from anywhere to anywhere. I’ve just checked it and it’s come up with the options we have. I’d also look at Easyjet and Wizz directly. Even BA on the right day could work out relatively cheap.
If you’re determined not to fly then it’s suffer slowly on bla bla bus or flixbus either from Paris or possibly a through routing from nearer home, or personally if I could work out transport from the UK port Iike the feeling of control and ability to stretch my legs train+ferry would give me.
Don’t forget DFDS from Dieppe to Newbaven as trains to near Banstead probably work due proximity to Brighton or National Express will have options.
PS bla bla bus I’d avoid if poss as under a different name owned by SNCF, I think, they were always by far the worst rated (Ouibus was their latest previous name I think)