Shocker077

On January 7th I will be flying into LHR at 9:15am from ARN with BA I'm assuming terminal 5. My flight to LAX leaves at 3:30pm with BA, I'm assuming terminal 3. I've noticed there is a train that can get you to Paddington in 15min from LHR. Will I have enough time to clear customs, make it in to town and actually have time to walk around and grab lunch before I have to head back to the airport? Or am I better off just relaxing in the lounge?

thanks.

NWIFlyer

BA flights to LAX leave from T5, and - given they use A380s - almost certainly from the remote B or C gates.

That means you need to be back at LHR a little earlier than you originally planned - perhaps 15 minutes. If you’re unfamiliar with LHR, and given boarding will start 45 minutes before departure, I would personally want to be back at the terminal 90 minutes before to give some leeway.

The 15 minute train is the Heathrow Express - but that’s the travel time from T2/3. It's 21 minutes from T5, on a 15 minute frequency. It’s also expensive - around £20 each way - and takes you to Paddington, which is certainly not central London. Bolt another 20 minutes on to get somewhere useful on the Tube, by which time you might as well have saved a lot of money by taking it direct from T5 anyway. Either way, you can pretty much rely on 45-60 minutes to get anywhere sensible in Central London.

Assuming you’re on a US passport, even with Fast Track immigration you could easily be a hour.

So, land at 9.15, get landside at 10.15, reach Central London at 11.

You need to be back by 1.30pm, so that has you leaving at 12.45 latest.

You’ll spend your whole time clock-watching.

If you want to get out of the terminal for lunch, you might want to consider one of the pubs in the villages around the airport - the 423 bus (free within the extent of the Perimeter Road) passes a couple, and a little further afield there’s some quite decent eating in Harlington (one bus change, £1.50, contactless/Oyster cards only).

Shocker077

Thanks for the info. Sounds like the 423 bus might be the way to go. I'll look up more information on it.

Swanhunter

UKtravelbear

There really isn't any need to be back 90 minutes before departure. 60 would be about right - on the assumption that your bags have already been checked in / through.

At T5 the absolute limit (BA conformance) is to have your BP scanned at security 35 minutes before departure and at the gate no later than 20 minutes before.

I'd take a decision on the day. Your flight could be delayed leaving you with less time or it could be pouring with rain in which case a few long hours in the lounge may very well be more appealing!

SQTraveller

How did it work out for you in the end?