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Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Original poster

Getting from Heathrow to London

89 replies

Julofhiddenacres · 29/05/2023 01:39

Our family is traveling to London next month. DH and I have visited England before, but flew into Manchester. This will be our first visit to London, and the first overseas visit for our three teens. I'd welcome some advice on the best ways to get from Heathrow to our hotel on the South Bank.

I'm wondering if it would be easiest, though expensive, to hire a car to take us straight to the hotel, given that we will be arriving on an overnight flight from the US, and dealing with jet lag. I checked the price of train tickets, and for 5 of us, it adds up. It's been a long time since DH and I used the subway anywhere, and our kids have never tried it. I think we'd be game, but maybe not first thing!

That might be more information than anyone needs, but I wanted to avoid the dreaded drip feed. Again, any suggestions welcome.

OP posts:
AuditAngel · 29/05/2023 09:43

For those saying get a taxi - I live 3.5 miles from Heathrow, my local taxi company are charging me £40.50 for a 5am pick up tomorrow to the airport, and the same home again on Friday. This factors in the additional charge of £5 to drive into the airport.

I could catch a bus from the end of the road, but not attractive before 5am (bus runs 24 hours a day) plus, I can recharge it to work

TimesRwo · 29/05/2023 09:55

AuditAngel · 29/05/2023 09:43

For those saying get a taxi - I live 3.5 miles from Heathrow, my local taxi company are charging me £40.50 for a 5am pick up tomorrow to the airport, and the same home again on Friday. This factors in the additional charge of £5 to drive into the airport.

I could catch a bus from the end of the road, but not attractive before 5am (bus runs 24 hours a day) plus, I can recharge it to work

I live 16 miles from Heathrow. My local mini cab company, which is one with branches all over west and north west London and has never let me know, charges me £35…

Willmafrockfit · 29/05/2023 09:56

i would get the tube,
it is easy

notimagain · 29/05/2023 10:24

If you are going to dragging a fair bit of luggage around I’d try to minimize/avoid the tube, or at least minimize the number of line changes.

Given the size of the party plus possible bags, plus possible fatigue I’m another one who is voting for mini-cab or even black cab.

If you don’t want to do that then recommend Elizabeth line then the appropriate tube as an option.

Having seen lots of people try to use the tube carting half a house with them I’d only use the Piccadilly line and connect if you are all and lightly laden and preferably outside of peak hours….

Willmafrockfit · 29/05/2023 10:27

at least you will be starting at heathrow, <<end of the line>> bagging your seat along with your luggage

notimagain · 29/05/2023 11:11

True but from what I see a lot depends on the luggage..travelling with full size suitcase(s) usually means somebody ends up standing with those bags in a door area all the way into town from LHR….

It’s obviously easier if you can travel relatively light.

Spicypeanuts · 29/05/2023 11:17

It depends on how much luggage you have but with a family of five I'd just pre-book a car for simplicity's sake. Addison Lea is a good shout, but there are others.

When I took the Elizabeth Line there wasn't anywhere for luggage and the lifts aren't working at Liverpool Street. It's a long walk down to the trains and I wouldn't fancy it jet lagged. YMMV but that was my experience.

TrishTrix · 29/05/2023 11:22

Where are you actually staying?

i live near London Bridge.

best options for me are bakerloo line to Paddington from elephant & castle / Lambeth North then Heathrow express BOOKED IN ADVANCE (it’s much cheaper)

or Jubilee Line to Westminster, the District to Barons Court then Picadilly to Heathrow. I do it this way as there is less walking with a suitcase.

i don’t find Lizzie line very helpful tbh

notimagain · 29/05/2023 11:25

Not sure what the rules are on recommends around here but anyhow in addition to Addison there’s an outfit called Parker Cars which does a lot of work around LHR and also does runs into/out of town.

HermioneWeasley · 29/05/2023 11:26

Get a quote from twelve transfers - I’ve used them a few times and they’ve always been cheapest. I definitely wouldn’t mess about with trying to do it by tube/train off an overnight flight with luggage- it will
be a miserable start to your holiday.

have you got your london itinerary planned?

MrsFezziwig · 29/05/2023 11:30

Honestly, jet lag from the US is minor. I manage to do a full days work after the overnight red eye from the East Coast, and I manage to navigate around London on return from Sydney which is a 26 hour trip. It’ll keep you awake and active and start to orient you to the city.

What a ridiculous sweeping statement to make. Jet lag is an individual thing, so how you react to it is entirely irrelevant to the OP’s decisions. Also they are a family group with multiple pieces of luggage trying to find their way in a strange environment. Not at all like your situation.

MrsFezziwig · 29/05/2023 11:32

SavvyWavvy · 29/05/2023 07:22

Definitely don’t hire a car. That will take so much longer and once you’re in London you won’t need it and won’t have anywhere to park it.

Download the CityMapper app and it will give you every possible route via every type of transport.

Heathrow express to Paddington and then tube to Waterloo is by far the quickest route.

She didn’t say she was going to hire a car to drive it, she said she was going to hire a car “to take them”. Fundamental difference.

MajesticWhine · 29/05/2023 11:35

Yes get a cab - much easier with all your luggage. Download the Addison Lee app and get a quote. They will meet you in arrivals.

SheilaFentiman · 29/05/2023 11:39

Piccadilly line to green park, jubilee line to Waterloo

Or Elizabeth line to Bond Street, jubilee line to waterloo

Kentkittypie · 29/05/2023 12:02

Book a car service/ get a taxi from the airport. With 5 of you it's starts to become marginal. Assuming you are arriving early - traffic shouldn't be too bad hopefully.

Original poster
Julofhiddenacres · 29/05/2023 12:12

Thank you, everyone. There's a lot to think about here.

Our flight arrives at 10 am. Is it reasonable to allow about an hour to go through customs? We have nothing to declare. My goal is to travel light, with carry on suitcases for everyone, but we'll see how that goes.

As for hotels, we are staying at Premier Inn County Hall on the South Bank. I've downloaded the City Mapper app, and it looks to me as though the closest station is Waterloo.

So far it sounds as though a pre-arranged car and driver hire is one of our best bets - I think several people mentioned Addison Lea, so I will check them out. Others mentioned the Elizabeth line as a good choice, so I'll look into that as well. This trip came up rather suddenly - we were invited to join friends who will be traveling in Devon. We're flying in early to see a bit of London.

OP posts:
SheilaFentiman · 29/05/2023 12:21

Yes, Waterloo station is the closest to that

Recently premier inn has got stricter with check in so they may well not let you into your room until 3pm. Check you can leave luggage, it should be possible.

you are very close to the London eye and the aquarium thete, if either appeal

if you pre book and airport taxi, they will ask your flight number and monitor its progress - they should have a good idea how long customs will take

Throughabushbackwards · 29/05/2023 12:22

I came back through Heathrow at Easter and the Elizabeth Line was fast and really easy. I won't pay for the Heathrow express again!

mynameiscalypso · 29/05/2023 13:19

I'd allow two hours to get through passport control at the moment at Heathrow. You can never tell but it's chaos a lot of the time. Googlemaps has the car journey as an hour at the moment. I think that's a bit optimistic myself, maybe because it's a holiday here today.

corlan · 29/05/2023 13:31

Cheapest and easiest way.
Picadilly line from Heathrow to Barons Court. Get off, stay on the platform and get the next District line train to Westminster.
Walk across Westminster Bridge (taking in the glorious view) and you're at County Hall!

dizzydizzydizzy · 30/05/2023 14:56

I would just get the tube. It is so easy. The staff at Heathrow will help you.

We did an overnight flight from London to Shanghai and managed to find our AirBnB on public transport. It'll be ok. Just make sure your valuables are safely zipped away. There are thieves on all big city transport networks.

dizzydizzydizzy · 30/05/2023 14:57

Where on the south bank are you staying? I could tell you the best routes.

SwedishDeathClearance · 01/06/2023 18:26

Piccadilly line to Pimlico
Walk out of tube and C10 bus to Waterloo (towards Canary Wharf) - drops right by the hotel

Yarnysaura · 01/06/2023 19:00

SwedishDeathClearance · 01/06/2023 18:26

Piccadilly line to Pimlico
Walk out of tube and C10 bus to Waterloo (towards Canary Wharf) - drops right by the hotel

Piccadilly line doesn't go to Pimlico!

SwedishDeathClearance · 01/06/2023 19:05

Yarnysaura · 01/06/2023 19:00

Piccadilly line doesn't go to Pimlico!

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Change at Green Park onto the Victoria- I assumed that was obvious!