Originally Posted by
jjbc
If you are flying overnight, I would strongly recommend arranging car service from LHR to the hotel - it costs about 40GBP (easily booked on the internet). I tried the Picadilly line once and swore I would never do it again after an overnight flight. The line to purchase the oyster card or the fare can be very long, and while you are likely to get a seat, the tube can get pretty congested. You can use the heathrow express or the heathrow connect for a cheaper fee (but after taxi from Paddington), you are not saving that much. And if there is more than just yourself, the car service is far more economical.
Is sitting in a taxi stuck in a huge traffic jam trying to enter central London during rush hour better than the tube? Unless you are talking about Sunday morning and there isn't a Marathon or anything going on, I would definitely prefer the tube. If there are huge lines, then just skip the Oyster card and buy a single ticket from one of the many machines right outside the baggage area. Personally I kept the Oyster card I bought about a 8 years ago. It never expires.