International travel to the UK - coming to Melksham
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2011-05-03 12:13:50 - Graham Ellis
Melksham is about 100 miles to the west of London - a town with a population of around 24,000. It is set in a lovely part of the country for touring, and there are many businesses based here, including the UK headquarters of a number of international companies. This page has been prepared by the team at Well House Manor. If you're an international visitor to the UK, we would be delighted if you choose to stay with us. We're a quiet hotel specialising in welcoming business guests who are new to the UK - so we're available for advise, early and late checkins and departures, onward travel arrangements, payment by international credit cards, unlimited internet and Skype access. And we even have a range of power adaptors, and local contacts through whom we can arrange tours of the area.
• If you're arriving into London,final destination Melksham, what options are available for you?
via London (Heathrow) airport
Heathrow Airport is about 20 miles to the west of London (same side as Melksham). Your options:
1. There's a direct coach (National Express) at 18:45 from the central bus station to Melksham
2. The "Heathrow Express" train will take you London (Paddington) station
Train to Chippenham then taxi (or connecting bus or train - see below)
3. The RailAir link coach will take you to Reading Station
Train to Chippenham then taxi (or connecting bus or train - see below)
4. National Express Coach to Chippenham
then taxi (taxi stand at National Express sop)
via London (Gatwick) airport
Gatwick Airport is about 35 miles south of Central London. Your best choice:
Train to Reading ... connect to
Train to Chippenham then taxi (or connecting bus or train - see below)
via London (Stansted) airport
Stanstead Airport is 45 miles north of Central London. Your best choice:
Train to Liverpool Street
Underground to Paddington
Train to Chippenham then taxi (or connecting bus or train - see below)
via London (City) airport
London City Airport is 12 miles to the east of London (opposite side to Melksham). Your best choice:
Docklands Light Railway and Underground to Paddington
Train to Chippenham then taxi (or connecting bus or train - see below)
via London (Luton) airport
Luton airport is about 35 miles north of Central London. Your best choice:
Shuttle bus to Luton Airport Parkway Station
Train to London (St Pancras)
Underground to Paddington
Train to Chippenham then taxi (or connecting bus or train - see below)
via Eurostar - St Pancras Interational station in London
St Pancras station is in Central London. Your best choice:
Underground to Paddington
Train to Chippenham then taxi (or connecting bus or train - see below)
Trains run from Chippenham Station to Melksham at 06:29 and 19:01 (Monday to Friday), 15:38 and 21:44 (Saturdays) and 18:22 or 18:35 on Sundays.
Buses run from Chippenham Station to Melksham on Monday to Saturday at 15:17, 16:37, 17:35, 18:42, 19:24, 20:22 and 22:10.
These times are current as of 3rd May 2011, and are unlikely to been greatly changed for the rest of the year.
• You may find it easier to fly into BRISTOL airport rather than London. That's about 30 miles (one hour by car or taxi) to Melksham.
In all cases, you could also:
a) Arrange for a taxi / collection service to meet you at the airport. It's best to ask your hosts in Melksham to arrange that for you ahead of time, as taxis direct from the airport can be much more expensive and will not necessarily know where to take you. If you're staying at Well House Manor or on a Well House Consultants course, we'll be happy to make the booking for you, with payment to the driver on the day
b) Hire a car at the airport. Please bear in mind that in the UK we drive on the left, and that you'll be in heavy traffic from any of the London gateways listed above. You will not need a car if you're attending a course, and you shouldn't need a car if you're visiting another local business in the Melksham area - there are plenty of taxis available for you.
• if you are driving to the UK overland and arriving by ferry or through the Channel Tunnel, we have a page of driving time estimates [here].
• if you want to know what the weather will be like, see [here].
• There's a slide show - pictures of Melksham [here]