I've done the POD thing and used the T5 Long Term car park, but this is my first time using the Business car park so no experience of the frequency of the courtesy buses... If your experience is repeated for me tomorrow... happy days and no worries :-)

I have found it varies a little depending on the time of day as to whether there is a bus waiting or not. Early morning (pre 7am) tends to involve one or two buses circulating around - after that time - I tend to find there is a queue of 2 or 3 at bus stop 1.

On the return though - I've found myself waiting several times - but never more than 10 minutes.

And I wouldn't try walking to the PODs.

I've always had a bus turn up at T5 Business parking within a few minutes to pick me up to go to the terminal, even at very unsocial hours. I definitely would not try to walk to the PODs, I cannot imagine the bus frequency being low enough to make that a win. Additionally that is not an overly pedestrian friendly route to walk. Just go to the active zone indicated on entry (large red LED sign), park there, and wait in the bus shelter for a bus.

On return, buses do get a bit scarce after 22:00 or so from T5 out to the car park, but they still run OK. Other times of day, no problem.

It's a pretty good service.

For me, the business parking at T5 is actually a bit quicker than the PODS although not as cool granted. By the time you are dropped off at the departures level, and picked up as I pretty much walk out of the building it is about as fast as it can be. I have never had to wait, even at peak times. The POD on the other hand, you can sometimes wait for a POD, you have to get to their level and en route to departures seems to take a bit of time. I am not saying they are slow, I have just found Business parking to be quicker on most occasions.

When the PODs don't work it is about even as it is a bus as well!

I now go for business parking on most occasions.

aks120

I see what you mean by quicker.... I wasn't expecting to be dropped off at the departures level, I like it :-)

You could always ride the pods without using the business parking ;)

Playing with options for an 8 day upcoming trip and either going to park at MAN and fly to LHR, or drive to LHR:

Heathrow Official Parking
T5 Long Stay £113.10
T5 Short Stay £156.40

Goodtogo Parking
Drop & Ride £59.99
Park & Ride £104.99

Used the drop&ride before I think with no issues and at half the price, it's what I would go for.

MAN Airport:
Ranges from £45.99 for Jetparks 3 through to £105.99 for the T3 multi-storey car park.

Potential 15.15% cashback through TCB at present for MAN carparks and half that for official LHR/GTG parking.

It's worth bearing in mind that the T5 long stay and T2/3 business are next to each other.

Over the last UK bank holiday the T5 long, business, pod and short stay parking were all booked out with only a very expensive valet option left. T2/3 business was relatively cheap so I parked in a free space near the exit (they share an exit) and walked over to the nearest T5 long stay bus stop and got the bus. So I consider these to be equivalent and will just book the cheapest of each.

As an aside, there is even a customer toilet in the building by the exit there, which is handy after a long drive cross-country!

T5 short stay walkway
 

Bit of random question, does anyone know which level of the T5 short stay car park the connecting walkway to the check in terminal is on? Are there any parent parking bays in the car park?

Someone asked about DriveFly. I use them regularly and have a mixed feeling. Sometimes the car comes back muddy other times not. Sometime punctual other time have to wait. I have used my MercedesMe App to see where the car is parked. Recently it has been in the close vicinity to LHR around the perimeter and came back nice and clean.

The walkway to departures is on Level 5 but that's the roof of the short-stay and it's the drop-off road, not a parking level. i.e. you enter the car park on Level 4, park 4 or lower, then must always take the lift up to departures.

I'm not sure if you can park on the ground floor - it's probably buses / taxis (/car hire?) only. It that were possible you'd at least not need to use the lift on your return.

The last time I used Park and Ride for LHR T3 my car came back with Rice all over the back bumper - God only knows what went off!

I will never use P&R again, I always self park these days (Holiday Extras - or Martin Lewis has a few good links for reduced prices)

Having said that, for my next trip to KRK its (almost) the same price for me to Travel to LHR (From Grantham) on the train first class, and pre-book a taxi to drive me home as it is to POD Park - So that's what I am doing, plus this way I can also enjoy that extra wine or two in CE on my inbound flight ^

I really don't understand the mentality of handing over your car and keys to a complete strange who also knows how long you will be away. Suppose it MIGHT be alright if you use the official Heathrow meet and greet, but a company you have never dealt with and found on the internet? Even if I had a VW, i would not risk it!

Has anyone tried booking anything today through either Heathrow parking or goodtogoparking?
I keep getting my card refused even though everything is fine my end / works elsewhere.

Has anyone used Hounslow West car park recently. It has a new operator and on their website it now says no parking at Weekends (not just part of the car park is closed).

https://www.sabaparking.co.uk/car-pa...n-car-park-tfl