Globaliser

I agree with this, although I think that total travel time to T5 will be a few minutes longer than that. If goheelswks is anywhere near Mansion House Tube, doing the whole journey by Tube will probably be about 10 minutes longer still (likely to be one change at Barons Court), but it would cost a mere fraction of the Tube/HEX route.

bobd46

Sorry to be obtuse, but if I'm leaving Heathrow (T3) which is the front? Standing on the platform I can't tell which way the train will be arriving from (or is there a sign that I am missing? Also, from Paddington, is the front carriage the one furthest from the main station? Thanks,

Bob

alanR

There is a rather obvious sign - the tracks finish at Paddington so the back of the train is where the tracks stop.

stut

Both are given as direction of travel - so at Heathrow, the rear carriage will be closest to T5, at Paddington, the closest to the buffers.

At Paddington, it's obvious which end is which, but at Heathrow Central, it's only obvious if you know that trains run on the left here. The T3 entrance is towards the rear of the train; the T1 entrance towards the front.

Also, advice for the Tube at Paddington has changed. As the Circle Line is now a teacup and not a circle, the advice is different it you're going clockwise (use platform 16 - with the H&C - middle of the HEX) or anti-clockwise (use the main Underground concourse - front of the HEX)

RichardInSF

Last time I was at Paddington, I asked about the day return on the H'Ex and they told me it is no more. Maybe someone could confirm this and, if true, change the first post?

stut

You're right, the HEX and HEC day return fares appear to have been enhanced away. I suspect this was done at the same time as the Oysterisation of National Rail in London.

I'll update the LHR post.

GregWTravels

This is a great resource. A few comments / corrections:

Heathrow – in Rail-Air Links, it notes Watford service is discontinued, but it is still included in the pricing list.

Gatwick – the inter-terminal shuttle is now working, so the 2nd paragraph can be updated

Gatwick – bus links – link to map is broken. New link is http://www.metrobus.co.uk/content/img/Crawley.pdf, or for written detail on buses http://www.gatwickairport.com/transport/local-buses/

Thanks for compiling this!

Greg

stut

Thanks for the update, Greg. Actually, there is now a decent Green Line service to Watford (and Denham/St Albans/Hatfield), so I've added that in. I use it a fair bit between Hatfield and St Albans, and it's particularly comfortable (and with lots of storage space).

Have also update Luton Airport, to make it clear that there are multiple tickets available, including the bus and not including the bus, and Southampton Airport to put in the disclaimer about travelling short on a Megatrain ticket (after the recent, well publicised case of a couple being fined for doing so...)

GregWTravels

Airport Direct link seems incorrect. Do they mean this company? http://www.airportdirect.com/index.html

stut

Yup, that's the company - glad to see they have finally registered a half-decent domain. Duly updated.

amityk

Hi Stut,

I came across this forum in a google search. Seems with your extensive knowledge you may be able to kindly help with some advice for my upcoming trip.

I'll be flying out of Terminal 5 at Heathrow on a Saturday this coming June to Berlin. The flight time is 7:20 and check in closes 90min prior, flying with British Airways.

I'm staying in the Bayswater / Paddington area. Would catching the first Heathrow express of the day be a bit too risky, as it would only give me a window of around 30mins to check in.

Would safest option be to book a car? I'm thinking simply airports. If this is the best option what time should I book for them to collect me from the hotel? I have horrible image of a car not showing and being stranded in the dark and not able to make my flight!

Thank you for your help, very much looking forward to my first visit to London.

Cheers
Amity

SmilingBoy

Welcome Amity.

No problem at all, you could even take a later HEX.

Check-in closes 45 minutes before the flight, not 90 minutes. If you check in online and only have hand luggage, you need to be at security 35 minutes before the flight only.

Personally, if I have luggage to check in, I would take the Heathrow Express at 5:40 which gets into T5 at 6:01. This about half an hour buffer to last check-in time.

stut

Indeed, welcome Amity.

I'll let others (like SmilingBoy) answer questions on taxis - as I now live 50 miles north of London, I can only really recommend taxi services from NE Bedfordshire...

However, the point about check-in times is completely valid - the whole 90-120 minute thing is a 'recommendation', not least to encourage you to make full use of the extensive shopping facilities at the airport...

If arriving at T5 at 6:01 is cutting it too fine for you (or if you wanted that little longer in the airport), bear in mind that the Heathrow Connect (slightly slower, but cheaper) does start up earlier than the HEX (as it's used by staff to commute to the airport). The downside is that you need to change trains (same platform) at Heathrow Central to get to T5. There is a 04:42 train, arriving at 05:33, and a 05:13, arriving at 05:46.

Mizter T

Though the Heathrow Express train mentioned by SmilingBoy isn't the first of the day, before that there's these two:

Paddington 0510 - Terminal 5 0533
Paddington 0525 - Terminal 5 0546


Indeed the times for the Heathrow Connect stut quotes actually involve changing at Heathrow Central onto these later Heathrow Express trains to get to T5 - i.e. in the case of Terminal 5, the first Heathrow Connect train of the day won't actually get you there any earlier than the first Heathrow Express train.
(The first Heathrow Connect train does however get one to Heathrow Central/T1&3 and T4 earlier than the first Heathrow Express train.)

Timings aside, leaving earlier and taking the Heathrow Connect would save £8 per person (compared to the online purchase price for Heathrow Express tickets)... unless you find some magic promo code for Heathrow Express.

Heathrow Express timetable
Heathrow Connect timetable

amityk

Thank you all!

Thanks for the heads up that it's 45mins not 90, I'm on a codeshare multi city ticket with Qantas and it seems that they used the check in requirement for the first leg of my flight for all the flights.

I will have luggage to check but will web check and I assume I can bag drop at the airport.

No concerns clearing customs that early in the morning? I image I shouldn't have to deal with long lines?

Looks like the first express of the day will be the way to go