Fulham, close to both big airports

Heathrow or Gatwick from Fulham?

Heathrow is the quicker of the two, at about 28 minutes off-peak and 36 in the rush, via the Fulham Palace Road, the Hammersmith flyover and the M4. Gatwick is about 58 minutes off-peak and 75 in the rush, crossing Wandsworth Bridge or Putney Bridge and heading south on the A3 and the M25.

With half an hour between them, the flight usually decides. Fulham families often find Gatwick convenient for European holidays, and Heathrow for everything else.

Which bridge do chauffeurs use for Gatwick?

It depends on where you start and on the traffic. From Sands End and the east of Fulham, Wandsworth Bridge leads straight to the Wandsworth one-way system and the A3. From Parsons Green and Fulham Broadway, Putney Bridge is usually quicker. Both can queue on weekday mornings, and the chauffeur checks them before setting off.

Once across the river, the route south via Roehampton and the Kingston bypass to the M25 is usually clear outside the rush.

How do family departures work from a Fulham terrace?

Fulham’s terraced streets are narrow and parked on both sides, and with children, a pushchair and holiday luggage, loading can take a few minutes. The chauffeur will stop as close to your door as possible, often double-parking briefly with the hazard lights on while the bags go in, and help with the loading.

Tell us the children’s ages when you book, and we will fit the right car seats. For a family of four or five with a week’s luggage, the V-Class is the usual choice, and it avoids having to squeeze a pushchair into a saloon boot.

How do the school runs affect pickup times?

Fulham has a large number of schools, and on weekday mornings between about 08:00 and 09:00, and in the afternoon from about 15:00, the streets around them are slow. A pickup at those times may take a few minutes longer to reach your door. For a mid-morning flight, a pickup just before eight or after nine often gives a smoother start.

What is it like coming home after a family holiday?

Arrivals are where a booked car earns its keep. After a flight with young children, the last thing most parents want is a train, a change at Clapham Junction and a walk home with sleeping toddlers and suitcases. The chauffeur follows the flight, waits in arrivals with a name board, and has the car seats fitted and ready when you reach the car park.

From Heathrow, most Fulham addresses are about half an hour away outside the rush; from Gatwick, about an hour. Late-evening landings, common after holiday flights, are usually the quickest of all, because the M4 and the A3 are clear. The fixed price does not change if the flight is delayed.

Which roads slow down first on a weekday?

The Fulham Palace Road and the approaches to Putney Bridge are the first to fill in the morning, from about seven, followed by the Wandsworth Bridge Road. In the evening, New King’s Road and the roads towards the Hammersmith flyover are slowest. Chauffeurs who know the district use the quieter residential streets between them to reach the main routes, which is why a Fulham journey often starts on a side road rather than the obvious one.

Can you collect from the Hurlingham Club or the riverside?

Yes. For members and guests leaving from the Hurlingham Club, the chauffeur will wait at the club entrance on Ranelagh Gardens. For the riverside developments at Fulham Reach and Imperial Wharf, give us the building name and the entrance with a drop-off point, as many front onto the river path rather than a road.

Is the train from Imperial Wharf a good way to reach Gatwick?

For some travellers. The Overground from Imperial Wharf runs to Clapham Junction, where fast trains leave for Gatwick. With a small bag, that works. With children and luggage, the change at Clapham Junction, one of the busiest stations in Britain, makes a car from your door a more relaxed choice.

What about London City and Farnborough?

London City is about 13 miles east and takes around 49 minutes along the Embankment and through the City. Farnborough, for private flights, is about 58 minutes via the M3. Luton is just over an hour via the North Circular and the M1.

Is Fulham inside the Congestion Charge zone?

No. Fulham is well to the west of the zone, and journeys to Heathrow and Gatwick do not enter it.