Filed under: airport, top-feature, transportation
How to Get from London Heathrow to Your Hotel without the Stress
London Heathrow (map): it’s one of the world’s busiest airports, and many would say one of the most confusing. Heathrow was built in the 1940′s, and its popularity has continued to stretch the airport’s capacity ever since. But, realistically, the majority of international flights land at Heathrow, particularly those from North America, so if you’re planning a trip, you’ll more than likely end up at Heathrow.
But how do you get from your airplane to your accommodation in London? Well, you have several choices, which may or may not be a good thing. Here is a rundown on the main options including the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Note: You might want to print a copy of the London tube map, or have the digital copy handy for reference.
Taxi
Without a doubt, the lowest hassle option in most cases is just getting a taxi at Heathrow. Signs outside of the customs area and baggage claim will point you towards ground transport, and you’ll find the taxi stand just outside. Each terminal is a bit different so at some you’ll have a longer walk than at others.
The Pros: This is no hassle travel, let somebody else figure it out.
The Cons: I hope you’re sitting down – a taxi from Heathrow into central London is typically in the $85-100 range. About the same price as a connecting flight to Scotland!
Another downside is rarely are there more taxis than passengers – so the queues can be long. Not enjoyable on a chilly, wet London afternoon.
And to make it worse, if you’re trying to get into/out of London during rush hour, the trip could take up to two hours. Plan on at least 45 minutes, but allow lots more time if you’re heading back to Heathrow to catch a flight.
Tube
I generally take the Tube when I travel into Heathrow. It’s the primary form of transport, and it is fairly tourist friendly with maps and staff who can help, but if you’ve just landed and are feeling a bit fuzzy/jet lagged, it can be a little too much. And if you’ve got large bags, the trip into London on a crowded subway can leave you feeling the need to turn around and go back home. Pack light!
Nonetheless, the Tube is very reasonably priced and really is the best option for the majority of central London destinations. The Piccadilly line is the line that goes into London. The Transport for London website has a nifty travel planner you can use to determine fares and timing.
The Pros: It will take you pretty much anywhere you want to go in London, all for a reasonable price.
The Cons: It can be awfully crowded/uncomfortable, particularly with lots of luggage.
Hot Tip: Get an Oyster Card – it’s one of those cards that you fill up with money and then use. It costs about £3 and you’ll get your money back after just two trips, because cash tickets are almost twice as much as those for Oyster card holders.
Train (+ Tube/Taxi)
If you happen to be staying anywhere near the vicinity of Paddington Station- and by that I mean 1-5 tube stops away – I would definitely recommend that you choose the Heathrow Express. As the name implies, this is an express train that runs from Heathrow Airport nonstop to Paddington Station, on the Northwest side of central London. Padding is one of several major train stations in London, and with just a 15 minute journey once you get past all the terminal stops, it is a super-quick way to get into inner London. Padding has onward train connections and is a major stop on the tube.
You may have to take the tube to switch terminals if you arrive/depart in a terminal not serviced by the train. (Don’t worry – the tube is free/not ticketed in between airport terminals.)
The Pros: It’s fast, comfortable, and good value for money.
The Cons: If you aren’t staying near Paddington Station, it doesn’t really help you.
Shuttle Service
Surprisingly, there are not that many shuttle services operating at London Heathrow. This is probably because 1) the city is so huge, and 2) because of that nasty aforementioned traffic problem. Dot2Dot is the only one I have heard of, but I am not aware of any positive or negative reviews.
I’d suggest if you are staying somewhere not near a train station/tube stop, that you talk to your host or accommodation provider to see if there is a local shuttle service that might help.
Bus
There are several bus lines that go into/out of Heathrow airport – here’s the official map. These are buses to the suburbs of London though – if you want a bus into central London, your main option is the National Express bus to the central bus station. To find timetables and how to get to the bus from your terminal (buses do not operate from all terminals), visit the National Express website and choose “London Heathrow” as your departing station and “Central Bus Station” as your destination. The website is pretty clear and helpful.
The Pros: Cheap and fairly comfortable (not as comfortable as a taxi).
The Cons: Subject to bad traffic.
For More Information
If you need additional details, I suggest visiting the official Heathrow website – it isn’t the prettiest, nor the best organized, but it is where you’ll find the most recent updates. Heathrow is undergoing constant construction to help implement improvements and streamline operations – the last two years have seen incredible improvements on the speed and ease of connections.
Also, if you Tweet, Heathrow airport is on Twitter – and they’re pretty responsive to questions. It’s cheaper than a phone call, anyway.
Photo Credit: Jason Cartwright
1 Comment
My advice to everyone who will land on Heathrow airport is to use the services of Heathrow airport hotels.In that way you will save valuable time and lots of nerves.