Avidtraveller

We were thinking of taking the train to Bath from Heathrow, staying overnight in Bath and hiring a car to drive to the Cornwall. We were thinking driving a rental out of the airport too hard. However one of the forums said that it wasn't a big issue.
Can we have some thoughts on a Heathrow rental please.

Rubicund

If you've just come off an overnight flight that's going to leave you jet-lagged and/or aren't used to driving on the left side of the road, take the train.

If neither of these is the case, driving from Heathrow is well signed, so you should have no problems.

flanneruk

There's no train from Heathrow.

The easiest way to Bath is to get the National Express bus: the next easiest is to get the Railair bus to Reading station, then the train.

Jeff801

Several years ago, we drove from Heathrow to Cornwall after an overnight flight. Even though we had no checked baggage, it took some time to go through immigration and then get the shuttle bus from T3 to the rental area. Then, after completing the formalities and getting our car, leaving LHR was easy. After two hours. the need for sleep overcame us and we found a cool shaded area in which to park and take a nap. It was a good 10 more minutes before we found out we had chosen to nap off the end of an active runway at an RAF base. In the alternative, I would now choose to take public transportation.

bilboburgler

Best advice, take flanner's

janisj

Driving out of LHR is easier than driving out of Bath. But driving anywhere after an overnight flight is not at all a good idea - dangerous even.

So if Bath is your first stop, follow flanner's advice and take the coach to Bath and pick up a car the next morning.

Gardyloo

It's very easy to drive from Heathrow; the rental agencies (for the most part) are located close to the M25 and M4 motorways (you want the M4 for Bath and the southwest of England.) We probably can assume that you're a grownup and won't willingly drive impaired from jetlag or fatigue.

PalenQ

There's no train from Heathrow.>

No but going by train is probably the fastest way - take the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station - 25 minutes or so and then a high-speed (for the UK) train to Bath in about 90 minutes.

Maybe bus is faster but you can go by train with one simple change (or take the air buses from Heathrow to Reading, a station on the rail line to Bath) - but bus may be the easiest and probably the cheapest and maybe faster than I think.

ribeirasacra

There are train and bus services which can connect you to places outside of London.
http://www.heathrow.com/transport-an...athrow-connect
http://www.heathrow.com/transport-an...es-and-coaches
You should note that not all routes service all of the terminals.

Driving when jet lagged is not something to be recommended so you could be doing the best thing.

Questions for the Brits. where is the new bus station in relation to the railway station at Reading.

PS in for those who do not come from the UK the town is pronounced Red-ing, not read-ing.

flanneruk

"where is the new bus station in relation to the railway station at Reading."

Is there a new bus station?

The Railair coach stops right in front of the ticket concourse at Reading railway station (stop EH at http://www.reading-buses.co.uk/files...tops%20map.pdf )

It's significantly cheaper for the overwhelming majority of passengers to get the bus to Reading, then a train, than to get the HEX to Paddington to get the same train. PalQ is pro the HEX because his obsession with expensive railway passes means it's cheaper for him to get the HEX. Few others bother with these ways of boosting railway companies' profits.

Havana128

The RailAir coach sets down outside Reading Station

PalenQ

PalQ is pro the HEX because his obsession with expensive railway passes means it's cheaper for him to get the HEX.>

Yes because I if going to Bath from Heathrow would have a BritRail Pass because I always take zillions of trains everywhere but in this case I wold giving the two rail access from Heathrow to Bath that flanner did not even mention - most noticeably the bus to Reading's station - for some reason his in infatuated with slower buses than faster and yes probably more expensive trains.

If it's an open seating train as all are TMK the train to Bath from Paddington could also in standard class be chcock full by the time it reaches Reading - that's one reason I would go - because I have a Pass that lets me do it at no additional charge - to get a good seat although I always have a first-class pass and there are rarely no empty seats in first class on any British train - Standard class which I equivocated to a Greyhound Bus - is more and more chock full - you can still board and stand til a seat opens up.

To me the Air Bus to Reading is the best way in terms of comfort and speed so perplexed why flanner never even mentioned that route before I did.

ribeirasacra

flanner that is my question.
These photos show where the buses and taxis stood right outside the station.
http://c8.alamy.com/comp/ATYJJG/buse...ire-ATYJJG.jpg
https://ssl.panoramio.com/photo/5346797
https://ssl.panoramio.com/photo_expl...c&user=1825903
and what is obviously the abandoned bus station on the opposite side of the road to the rail station.
http://www.buszone.co.uk/News1210_2.html
http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main...h-station.html
You say right outside the concourse, but they cannot due to the remodeling of the station.
http://i2.getreading.co.uk/incoming/...ix-offices.jpg
http://i4.getreading.co.uk/incoming/...JS32999626.jpg
http://i1.getreading.co.uk/incoming/...615/crowds.jpg

Avidtraveller

Many thanks for all your replies - think we will take the bus from Heathrow - it doesn't concern us if it is not the fastest as we intend to stay in Bath overnight and rooms probably not available till after 3 p.m.
Not a wise idea to travel on after a plane trip.

PalenQ

The bus ride may be more scenic too than the train - railways in the UK are often lined by industrial detritus but the motorway may not be much nicer though.