Direction of the Heathrow underground loop
 

I'm arriving at T1 25 minutes earlier than a friend at T4, and am thinking about meeting up to take the Underground into the city together.

He's a much less experienced traveler than I am, and is a bit worried.

The only trouble is I'm not 100% sure which way the loop goes.

The map on the LHR website shows it going anitclockwise, with the first stop at T1/3 and then T4 before you leave the airport.

But, the Underground map shows it going clockwise, with the first stop at T4 and then T1/3 before you leave the airport. This seems to be correct, since the timetable shows the first train departing T4 at 5:02 and the first from T1/3 at 5:12.

Which is it??

It is what you observed. The westbound trains that go to T4 go to T4 first, and then loop back to T1 before heading back east.

You could grab a bus or the Heathrow Connect from T1 over to T4 and meet your friend in the lobby of the Underground station.

You may like to take the train from T1 to Hatton Cross, and then change trains there (straight across the platform, which is between the tracks) to take one of the trains heading for T4, to meet friend there. Because of the lesser frequency of the supposed BAA Express connection between T1 and T4 terminals, it can be faster. Meet friend on platform at T4.

The fact that the map in question on the Heathrow airport website (accessed via this page) manages to get the direction of the loop wrong is I have to say a particularly inept mistake - it's not like it has ever changed direction since it opened.

Since the direction of the underground loop has no relationship to the shopping mall that BAA is operating, it seems unlikely that they would care.

There isn't a huge difference in frequency. Heathrow Express connection to T4 now runs every 15 minutes, vs. every 10 for the Tube. Hardly worth it considering you have to change trains.

Also, unlike the Express, the Tube is NOT free to take between terminals.

It may be geographically wrong, but it is not directionally wrong. The trains do go London->T123->T4->London and that is what is shown.

The loop is shown going south instead of north, but it's a diagrammatic map. Other than that it's different to TfL's map, is it *that* important? It's not as if you can really see which way it's going when underground.

Neil

No they don't!

Heathrow T1&3 trains go London->T4->T1&3->London only.

Quoting for truth. There's a reason that Heathrow bound trains are either for "Heathrow Terminals 4 and 1/2/3" or "Heathrow Terminals 1/2/3 and 5", as that's the order they visit the terminals in.

Eh?! The Piccadilly line trains to T4 go Hatton Cross -> T4 -> T123 (or rather T1&3 at the moment), and they always have done, ever since the T4 loop opened.

The BAA map/diagram is geographically correct in where things are positioned, but the arrows are simply pointing in the wrong direction - they should be pointing the other way on the T4 loop bit, but also there shouldn't be any arrows on the northern side of the loop to take account of the fact the line is bi-directional there, what with the service to and from T5.

So yes, it is important to get these things right - the OP's friend, for one, was confused by BAA's inaccurate map/diagram.

I stand corrected.

Neil

This in itself is a gross inaccuracy/untruth by London Underground, as the trains that go through terminal 4 are timetabled to wait there for some considerable period, and by the time they get to T123 the next following train to T5 at least, and perhaps the next two T5 trains following, will have got there earlier.

I believe some of the timetable waits at T4 are up to 8 minutes. It is their end-of-journey waiting time, the same as the T5 trains do beyond the last station. This is infuriating if you are desperate to get to T123 for a departure.

Are they not still making announcements in T4-bound trains on the approach to Hounslow West and Hatton Cross that T1&3 and T5 bound passengers would be best served by alighting and catching for the following train?

Thanks for all the help. I thought I sent a second message yesterday, but I don't see it so I'm sending again.

I'm actually arriving early at 6am, so figure I'll be at the T1/3 station by 6:30 or so. Are all the options operational at that time of the day?

I also asked about whether or not the T4 station had a single obvious entrance/ticket counter so I could tell my friend where I'd be.

Finally, the most important question. Does the existence of an "LHR reverse loop" open new possibilities for a shortcut when playing Mornington Crescent?