flatlander

My understanding is that the HAL-funded bus "Free flow" area around the airport is forced on them (explicitly or implicitly) by the need to reduce traffic congestion around the airport, to try to reduce the air pollution levels around the airport [1], and because having only the Heathrow Hoppa available to get to and from the airport looks like an extractive monopoly that particularly affects non-flying people using the Tube station in the airport, workers at the airport, etc.

However there's nothing to stop them providing some alternative service that costs a lot of money and trying to steer people onto it. That's easy when most of the people in the airport "are not from round here" and follow the signs, trusting the airport to direct them to the most suitable transportation.

I don't feel it is a coincidence that most of the signs at the airport for transport are either the Hotel Hoppa or the Heathrow Express - the expensive options whose revenue accrues mainly to HAL. [2]

[1] A surprising amount of the air pollution around an airport comes from the ground transportation to and from the airport. Aircraft engines are quite clean-burning.

[2] Leading to a thought experiment: if one had some money to spare, could one hire a billboard in the airport somewhere in the passenger view as they approach the Heathrow Express ticket touts, showing the much lower cost of the Tube for a similar travel experience to reach most of London; and also some near the Hoppa stops directing people to the free central bus terminal alternatives?

catandmouse

I agree the HEX is expensive, but it is quick. I remember arriving at T5 around 22:00 once and having to go to Islington. My solution was HEX and taxi from Paddington, total travel time just over 30 minutes. Taking the tube to Kings Cross is the better part of an hour, followed by a rather shorter taxi ride.

paulwuk

I wonder how baa charge - based on the number of gate openings? Or just honesty from the hotel? The couple in front of me at check out were charged £10, but will obviously only open the gate once.

shorthauldad

If you're travelling to Paddington, perhaps. Once you need to go further afield, I'm not convinced "quick" is an accurate word.

flatlander

Quite so.

For example Heathrow to Kings Cross is 1 hour on the Piccadilly line on a direct train while it is 45 minutes on the HEX and then Circle (or equivalent) line to Kings Cross, add more time and hassle if you have any larger luggage because you have to carry bags up stairs and back down again at Paddington.

shorthauldad

Is the Piccadilly line every 10 mins ex LHR? If so you'd save another 5 mins waiting time on average compared with the HEX, which I think is every 15 mins....

Also, from LHR T1/2/3 getting down to the HEX platforms seems to take significantly longer than getting to the Tube platforms.

Sam Bee

Living in Camden, so similar distance, I've tried every method. You hit 30 minutes at that time of day if you fluke the HEX (or time it from getting on).

But in normal daytime, the journey to Paddington from Islington / Camden can eastily hit upto 30 minutes (I gave up with the HEX after one morning rush hour journey took over 40). I've tried every method of getting to LHR known to woman as on average they all roughly take the same length of time (except cab / being driven), and now go for the least stressful - which tends to be via Gunnersbury on Overground.

BobbySteel

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry8700c: Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; Android 4.4.2; HTC6525LVW Build/KOT49H) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/38.0.2125.69 Mobile Safari/537.36)

Gunnersbury? That seems like a much longer route. How long does that take you? Switch via turnham green to district line?

d3vski

The free buses are the result of a lack of pedestrian access to the terminals. Anyway to get to T5 or any other terminal by foot?

Sam Bee

I get the Overground from Camden Road, then double back one stop on the District, then onto the Picadilly. Might seem a fuss, but it's all overground, avoids central london, and the changes are walk across platform or down and up, so straightforward. Quickest time is 1 hour 15, but i'm only 3 minutes from the Overground.

Wong Jnr

T5 you can definately get to be foot. I've done it several times.
Only issue is the short "bus only access bridge" where you need to walk along the cycle lane as there is no footpath.

armouredant

Resurrecting this thread from the dead to say that I stayed at Thistle T5 last night. Podded there from the terminal, buzzed in at the gate, checked in at the desk, glass of wine at the bar (decent view of the runway), checked out in the morning, buzzed out at the gate, podded back to the airport. Signs everywhere about paying a fiver, but no mention of it out loud.

Don't ask, don't tell.

KARFA

They usually take your money at reception when you check in. No idea why they didn't in your case.

armouredant

Reception had a few different people/groups checking in; I imagine they had no way of knowing who had come via the pods.

On the way out, I pressed the buzzer and simply said, "Could you buzz the pod door please*", wholly expected to be told to come back and buy a code, but reception just opened it. Perhaps they couldn't tell if I was incoming or outgoing.

* This struck me as a very strange first thing to say in the morning, out loud, to anybody.

KARFA

Well done anyway. I must admit the charge for the pod is highish but what puts me off is that I am not a fan at the hotel itself, am much more of a HGI fan when it comes to LHR hotels.