Getting to Heathrow from King's Cross

[xsquared]

Is the Heathrow Express worth as I will still need to get to Paddington to get it from King's Cross.

On the other hand, it's non stop from Paddington, so less chance of a delay.

Anyone with experience of both say which they found less stressful?

I'm arriving to KX at around 3:30pm and need to catch a flight just after 8pm.

Thanks.

Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean by this:

Is the Heathrow Express worth as I will still need to get to Paddington to get it from King's Cross.

You can get a direct train to Heathrow from Kings Cross, using the Piccadilly Line.

Tube map here

I’d probably take the tube to Farringdon and then get the Elizabeth line.

Heathrow Express hasn’t been running the last few times I’ve tried to use it.

Piccadilly line is soul-destroyingly slow, but at least you don’t need to change, so that might be the better option if you have a lot of luggage.

Take Elizabeth line.

Journey time from Kings Cross, using the Piccadilly Line, should take about 45 minutes to an hour

(Sorry - edited because I put the wrong figure in!)

Really? It always feels longer, possibly because it seems to stop every couple of minutes and is so noisy.

It’s longer than this but I’d do it just for ease on the Piccadilly line. Or get the tube to Farringdon and get the Lizzie line. Tube is cheaper. Heathrow express is expensive.

Never get the Heathrow Express. From KX the Piccadilly is easy if slow. I’d recommend the Elizabeth line but last couple of times I’ve tried there have been issues. If it’s working it’s great.

Elizabeth line may cost more than just Piccadilly line all the way. I'd just do the one long tube journey as easier with luggage.. Elizabeth line would involve changing somewhere.

HX is a headache. Piccadilly line from King's X to Heathrow direct, but I think there are engineering works affecting a couple of stations at that end of the line.

Never used HE before, bit I understand that it goes straight from Paddington to Heathrow without stopping.

I know that Picadilly line runs fro KX to Heathrow but that has dozens of stops so probably takes about the same time if not a little longer. However it means I can go from KX to Heathrow without changing.

Is the reduced risk of delay with the Heathrow Express better than the convenience of not having to change trains form KX to Paddington, is what I'm asking.

Okay, having caught up with the rest of the posts, it seems like HX is unreliable.

I had a look at Google maps today which was showing significant delays on the Picadilly line.

It will be a couple of months before I need to go, so hopefully issues will be resolved then! I shall bear the Farringdon and Lizzy line option on Monday. Thank you for your help.

If you want to keep it simple in terms of hauling bags I’d stick with the Piccadilly line all the way but allow an hour, maybe a bit more, and yep, watch the engineering works.

It also depends which terminal you need at Heathrow. I recently came into T4, had to get myself from there to T1/2/3 to get on the HX and had just missed one - so would have been as quick to have taken the tube to Kings Cross or the Elizabeth line to Farringdon. I’d already spent £25 on the HX before I worked that out. Presume it’s the same in reverse.

No it is not. HEX is only good if you time it right. Worst case you just miss one and it's a 15 mins wait and you've gained no time compared to the tube.
Liz line is marginal too as the Heathrow trains also not that frequent.
In your shoes I'd always take Picc. You are likely to be able to get a seat at the ends of the trains. Then you can sit out of the way with your case in front and no one walking past. Podcast or book and just sit and wait

I use Piccadilly, Lizzy and Heathrow Express & GWR and have often found problems with Lizzy. Spoke to a lady on the train that works for them & she said it's a flamin pain in the backside! I would check the TFL website first for delays before deciding which one to take.

Delays on the Piccadilly line often don't mean a thing. The trains are usually just as frequent, it's just that the train you get at 1pm might have been scheduled for 12:30. But I don't think anyone who gets the tube looks at schedules.

I got the Elizabeth line from Farringdon once, but as the trains are less frequent than the Piccadilly, it didn't save me any time. A nicer environment, but more of a faff.

I always take the Piccadilly line, just get on, find a seat and get off. Can't be doing with faffing about!

It will be a couple of months before I need to go, so hopefully issues will be resolved then!

If you're not going for a couple of months, there's no need to plan anything! I often don't decide until I'm on the train into London! And when I land back at Heathrow I just wander down to the station and decide on a whim! If there's a Lizzy line due I'll take it, if not I'll get on the Piccadilly. There's no advance booking needed.

Worth noting Piccadilly also works out significantly cheaper than the Lizzie line AND the Heathrow Express too.

I'd say by the time you faff about getting to Paddington, it'll be the same amount of time anyway. Just definitely keep an eye on any delays/works going on and be prepared to change methods depending on what's working or not 😬

I do this regularly - always just get the picadilly line. Never had an issue