Driving to Heathrow on a Sunday evening?

[Hairbrush123]

Hello. I've been driving a few years now and have driven down many motorways without any problems. My DP and I are going on holiday Monday morning and staying in a hotel overnight near Heathrow.

DP isn't feeling amazing so I've decided to drive. I'm quite nervous as the M25 looks scary to drive down? I am driving from Birmingham so it'll involve driving down the M42 and M40 which I don't mind. Is the M25 busy on a Sunday evening? I'll be leaving Birmingham at around 4pm so I'm hoping it won't be too busy. Is it as bad as I'd think it'd be? Any tips? Thanks

It'll be fine - you only go 2 junctions on the M25, and its really no more scary than the M42

From the M4O to M25 on a Sunday evening you’ll probably be in a slow traffic jam most of the way so it will be very, very slow (gear 1 or 2) boring and your legs will ache. The M4O will be very busy too and you may also encounter traffic jams. Its not difficult but will be tiring and a bit stressful so perhaps plan to stop at services at Oxford or Beaconsfield. I’d think about leaving after lunch and then go out for a nice meal once you arrive.

Sorry meant fromM40 to M4 around the M25

If you're used to driving on the motorways around Birmingham the M25 won't be an issue. It is very carefully managed so if it is very congested they lower the speed limits. I actually quite like the M25!

Thanks guys! I'm feeling much more confident after realizing that I won't be really driving down the M25. I quite like the M40 as I drive down it regularly and it's never busy :)

M40 not busy! Blimey! It’s normally heaving and very very fast when I’ve been in it.
M25 will be a doddle. It’s four lanes and often less than the limit. One of my favourite roads because it’s efficient.
I think the Heathrow turn off is ridiculous, You come off the M25, join the M whatever and literally 30 seconds later have to go back into the slip lane for the airport. Why not keep the left lane as it s own stretch to the airport?

Sunday night towards London is mostly a trundle in traffic. You’ll be fine

@Leflic oh, maybe I'm used to how busy it is then I do agree with you about how fast some people drive on there! I find the M6 southbound far more civilized as people don't go crazy speeds on there! Thanks for the reassurance!

@lovelyupnorth brilliant! I should be fine. I will let you all know how I get on when I arrive at Heathrow. Thanks all.

should be fairly jammed, and this bit doesn't have the smart motorway so you are unlikely to die horribly even if the traffic was fast enough.

I'd leave a lot, lot earlier though. That trip was four hours 15 years ago and we've got 15 million extra people since then.

@mencken it took you four hours to drive from Birmingham to Heathrow on a Sunday? Were there any accidents or holdbacks on the way to Heathrow, it's never taken me that long to drive to Heathrow even with very bad traffic but I will try to leave a bit earlier. Thanks for the advice.

admittedly from the western side of Birmingham but generally yes and it was four hours each way out on Friday and back on Sunday. After real world work of course.

if there wasn't a crash there was always a holdup near the RAC building going round Birmingham.

Hi all. Safely arrived at Heathrow! Was nowhere as bad as I thought it would be. It was busy but nothing I couldn’t handle. Lovely drive, overall. The drive took about an hour and forty five minutes for anyone who is driving a similar journey on a Sunday. Thanks guys for the help! :)

@mencken oh God! The M6 is ruthless! I avoid going that way at all costs! I live in south Birmingham so I don’t need to go through the M6 to go to Heathrow thankfully.

Well done! You made good time too ( knew that M40 was fast)

Have a great night tonight and enjoy the holiday!