Heathrow to Renaissance St Pancras
 

Posted previously about our dream trip to the UK. Flying into Heathrow on Sunday, October 22 about noon local time. Staying at the Renaissance at St. Pancras.

I've read a lot about the options via Underground, Taxi, Private Car. What is the best option for two people with two bags and a couple carryons? Is Underground doable with luggage? We're adventurous and flexible - but is there room for the bags on the train?

Best option depends on who you ask... There's some space for bags by certain doors on Piccadilly Line trains, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P...eLIneTrain.JPG for what that looks like. Personally I've no problems with 2 suitcases on the tube outside of rush hour, but it depends what you fancy! Likely one of you will have to stand by them to stop them falling over though, unless you're able to do something cunning with lying them down with them not moving

Tubes start at Heathrow, so getting space for you and bags isn't as bad as when you start in London going to Heathrow

Otherwise, quite a bit of space on the Heathrow Connect (slower cheaper stopping train service to Paddington), then the sub-surface tube trains from Paddington to St Pancras are quite a bit bigger

Yes, no doubt.

And you won't be travelling during the 'rush hour' either (though the Tube remains busy across the weekend).

I'd suggest you head to one of the end carriages of the train (the Piccadilly line trains have 6 cars). There are no luggage racks, but there is space for putting luggage near the doors - see this photo.

As ever, stay near your bags (thinking less about the risk of theft, rather you don't want folk to think they are abandoned) - but that doesn't mean you need to stand next to them or hold on to them the whole time.

Quadrillions of people with luggage routinely use the Underground to get to or from Heathrow, despite the impression you may get from reading some Flyertalk threads.

The journey on the tube wins. It is direct, very cheap (£3.10 using oyster or contactless) and would be about an hour, but somehow always feels longer. It is likely to be the quickest option - traffic congestion (which includes at the weekend) in London has got significantly worse in the last year. Using the (painfully express) Heathrow Express could - in theory - shave a few minutes off, but only if you arrived at the platform at the right moment. As these only run every 15 minutes, add in waiting time and the time saving evaporates. Changing from HEx to tube at Paddington is a faff.

The Tube is direct, easy, cheap and uncomfortable. My neck normally starts complaining by Hammersmith.

The HEX is ridiculously overpriced, and changing at Paddington is a bit annoying (you need to use the "Hammersmith & City" Tube station, not the main one, although better out of the rush hour, and they've now at least installed lifts at the Tube station. You'll save a little time, and it breaks the journey up, but it will cost much more. Of course, you can also switch to Uber at Paddington - they pick up on the street just to the left of the ramp up out of the station.

A slightly unorthodox option (that I often use) is to change at Hammersmith. It costs the same as the direct Tube, but breaks the journey up, allows you to grab a sandwich and a coffee on the way, and means you join a quieter, larger, air-conditioned train (that is above ground for part of its journey). The complication is that you need to change stations in Hammersmith (exit via a shopping mall, cross two pedestrian crossings) and not always the simplest for the uninitiated.

But yes, the Piccadilly Line is easy.

The words dream trip are used. For sheer comfort alone I would (and do) take the HEx to Paddington (business class for a bit more space) for a black cab onwards. The OP says nothing about penny pinching.

The underground is certainly doable, no problem. It's also direct to St Pancras. However, with a cheap price comes a consequence! It is a bit of an arduous journey. There are close to 30 stops between Heathrow and St Pancras so the stop-start of the journey is a bit tedious. Also, the Piccadilly line (i.e. the line you need) on a Sunday afternoon gets very packed from Hammersmith into the centre - it's not only a key line running through central London it also connects very tourist-heavy spots in South Kensington, Knightsbridge, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden, etc.

If it were me I'd book a car. The traffic at that time of day/week will be okay getting to St Pancras, with the door-to-door journey being about 50 minutes (I live not far from there and have done the journey by car more times than I can remember). It costs a lot more than the tube for sure, but removes some of the hassle and IMHO will make for a more pleasant start to your time in London. There's another thread on it but I'd recommend Addison Lee www.addlee.com for Heathrow pickups into town. Not the cheapest (total cost will be something like £75) but among the most reliable and a good overall standard of car/driver.

I would second the view that, if money is not the issue, do it overground by car. Whilst there's not much to see, at least you are seeing something. And it's far more relaxing, whether or not you get stuck in traffic.

Otherwise, Heathrow Express plus changes will take just as long or perhaps longer than the Tube, be more stressful and will cost many times as much, so should be avoided.

If it were me, I'd do the Tube and spend the money on a treat, but then I live in London and I'm on the Tube every day anyway so it's no big deal. You will almost certainly be using the Tube as you get around London, so if you take a car, you won't be missing out on a London experience.

Tube ^

The tube is (compared to other public transports in other cities) really easy to use with luggage. I found it a lot easier than the Tokyo subway system, where the distances between platforms can get rather long (Carrying approx. 40 kg on your back and two 4-wheel bags in the summer heat is something I no longer fancy...)

If you're staying at Renaissance St Pancras then I'm guessing that money isn't an issue.

If you want to do it quickly and in some comfort, I'd suggest the Heathrow Express to Paddington and then a black cab from the rank. It's probably quicker than getting a black cab or minicab (uber, Addison Lee, etc etc) all the way from Heathrow.

If you want to save a bit of money, but not be stuck on a tube train for over an hour, then the Heathrow Connect is an option, but it only runs every 30 minutes so you could be waiting a while. If money is tight then the Piccadilly Line to Hammersmith then change, or stay on the Piccadilly Line all the way to Kings Cross St Pancras would be the cheapest option.

The tube is easy enough to use, even with luggage, and the tube station at Kings Cross St Pancras has lifts that pretty much take you into the lobby of the hotel.

Noon on Sunday and a dream trip? Book a car. Won't take that much longer than public transport and will be a nicer start to the trip.

The tube to LHR is solely for masochists, the impecunious or those with the misfortune to live in Acton or Hounslow. 😉

Dream trip? Book a car pickup from LHR (see the thread in this forum for recommendations of companies to use)

Everyday travel? Take the tube. It's got plenty of room for luggage and starts at Heathrow so will be empty when you board, and is very easy to board with luggage. It takes an hour and is somewhat boring but workable.

HEX? Pointless waste of money with extra hassle transferring to tube or taxi at Paddington to get to St Pancras for a scarely-faster journey.