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Hi all,
Picking someone up from Stansted tomorrow evening. She should be landing at 6.50pm, from Germany. I'll be driving down from Derby.
- How bad is traffic likely to be? Google says 2hr20, coming down M1 and A14, through Leicester and Cambridge. Don't want to be late, or sitting around for ages.
- How long should I expect it to take for her to get through to arrivals from landing? Not been to Stansted in ages, how busy does it get? At Edinburgh it's pretty quick - 15-20 minutes.
- Any recommendations for decent pub (for grub) in the area? Bishop Stortford?
Ta, Duane.
The A14 isn't the most jam resistant road in the country, you might get lucky but you might also meet traffic at that time of day.
The M11's nice though.
Stansted can take a while to get through, it's pretty big and some (blue and orange) airlines stop miles from the terminal. Passport control can sometimes involve a 15 minute wait too. Baggage can take another 15 minutes.
I'd suggest that you stay at your pub and get her to call you when she's at passport control. then arrange to meet her in the express drop off bit (near the short stay car park.) Otherwise it's gonna cost a few £ for you to pick her up. Even the express drop off was £2 last time I was there.
Hope that helps.
A14 can get a bit claggy around Cambridge, but it should be OK by then.
How is the route over to the A1 (instead of the M1) up that way? The A14 between the M1 and Spittals Interchange at Huntingdon can be a bit rubbish. I'd probably head over to the A1 & come straight down there, then pick up the A14. I don't know what the routes are like up there though to get across to the A1 so might not be so good?
Can be anything up to 45 mins from arriving to coming through arrivals in my experience at Stansted. Sometimes the queues at passport control are massive and then when you get through there you still sometimes wait for your luggage to start popping out.
There's some stupid pick-up charging area now too. I think it's £2 just to pick-up/set down (might be £1) and you can only stay there for a short time. Have a look on the Stansted website.
Not sure about pubs in the direct area, but it would probably be best to find one in the near vicinity then await a phone call saying "I'm through and I've got my luggage", then scoot round & pick up.
Plenty of choice for eating in Bishops stortford. No specific pub recommendations we normally go for pizza if we've just picked up from the airport. Normally about 15 mins after arrival time to get to outside, there's no free parking for pick ups and short stay charged in 15 min increments.
I would allow 3 hours from Derby that time of night, often slow past Cambridge. Takes us 2 hours 10 from m1 junction 27 but at a quieter time of day.
Picking someone up from Stansted tomorrow evening. [b][i][u]She [/u][/i][/b]should be landing......
BOOTYCALL! 😉
Cheers - sorry, should have said, will just have carry on so should cut times a bit.
Have got the Stansted phone app, so think I will try park up somewhere, and then once the plane has been landed for 10-15mins drive into short stay, which is £2.80 for 25 mins and hopefully she'll come through within that!
Cutting across to A1 will involve going near/around Nottingham, and as I'll be leaving Derby around 4.30, not sure that will be best.
Unless the both of you are really lucky, one of you will be 'hanging around'.
I'd aim to get there at 1830 (therefore giving you 30 mins leeway), although she may not get out until nearly 2000.
And since you've to pay, whatever. Just aim for the drop-off/express parking (there use to be spaces near to the disabled parking). And go in and have a drink.