European Rail Travel - LHR to St Pancras Late at night

We are arriving at 10:25pm into Heathrow on American, Terminal 3. We are traveling the next morning on the 10:25 Eurostar to Paris. St Pancras to Paris.

We have 2 options and would like some advice.

#1. Stay at the Sofitel in LHR and take the underground the next morning out to St Pancras. Probably easiest and least expensive. but boring.

#2 Try to make our way to St Pancras area for the night so we could have fish and chips and go out a bit. (Sat night) and be there in the morning for a breakfast and feel like we have arrived for our vacation and get on the train from there. More expensive and logistically more problematic because of our late arrival.

Questions.

Which option would you pick? My husband hasn't been to London before and I only briefly. We will visit on our way out before flying home for a couple of days.

Most important question... If we arrive at 10:25pm with clearing customs and luggage etc is it even plausible to use Heathrow Express and the underground or is a taxi our only solution?

Thanks for your feedback

Personally, I wouldn't bother with the HEX for this journey, and would just take the Underground all the way. It's slightly less comfortable, but it's a solid 50 minutes at that time of night (the last Tube to central London is at 11.45), cheap and direct. Take a good book!


You'll be lucky to get a decent fish supper near St Pancras at midnight, though.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with the HEX for this journey, and would just take the Underground all the way. It's slightly less comfortable, but it's a solid 50 minutes at that time of night (the last Tube to central London is at 11.45), cheap and direct. Take a good book!


You'll be lucky to get a decent fish supper near St Pancras at midnight, though.

Can we just ride one train or would we have to transfer? I was worried if we got off one train we might not be in time to catch another. Newbie question, I know.

It's direct, any train from Heathrow to "Central London" (Final destination likely to be Cockfosters of Arnos Grove, but they are labelled Central London from Heathrow).

There may be trains finishing at Northfields, before London, at that time of night, but you will be warned at Heathrow. If the train did terminate early, you'd just stay on the same platform and wait for the next one.

I'm not sure about elevators from the platform at St Pancras though, but there are bound to be escalators, but beware if you have luggage.

This is assuming you're arriving weekday. Sunday services finish earlier.

I'm not sure about elevators from the platform at St Pancras though, but there are bound to be escalators, but beware if you have luggage.


The Piccadilly line platforms are closest to the surface and just a short single escalator to the main underground concourse, which is just below surface level. From the underground concourse, there are elevators to the surface.

There are elevators at King's Cross St Pancras (it's one Tube station for both) if you use the "Regents Canal" exit from the platform (towards the front of the train). This will take you out to the "Circle" at St Pancras (turn left at the ticket barriers).

You could easily get to St Pancras at that time of night, but I'm not sure you'd want to. Despite recent redevelopments, it really isn't in the nicest part of town and it's not somewhere I'd be eager to wander around at midnight - not that I'd suggest it's dangerous. Fish and chips - you'll be lucky to get good ones that late at night. I'd personally stay at Heathrow and travel in on Sunday, or maybe find a hotel near Piccadilly Circus then find somewhere to go out from there.

Thank you all. We decided to stay at the Sofitel at LHR and take the Underground to St Pancras in the AM to catch the Eurostar and will spend our time in London on the return. Thanks for all of your expertise! Always appreciated. Nancy

Make sure you check the Tube website a few days ahead to make sure there aren't maintenance issues on the Picadilly line. When I was there two weeks ago there was track maintenance underway on Sunday and buses were substituted to run between several stations close to the airport. You don't want to be caught up in something like that if you're on a fixed schedule.

Thanks Tom, I appreciate that. I found the website that shows what work they are doing. There is no planned work at this time but I am sure that changes :-) We will leave plenty of time as well. Any suggestions for a breakfast bite to eat in that area? Or pastries and coffee that you recommend?

Actually, the branch of Le Pain Quotidien inside St Pancras is a great spot for a (continental) breakfast. Make sure you get the Belgian chocolate spread and get a window seat for people watching!

Just what I had in mind !!! Thank you I put it in my notes on Tripit !!!