Family One day in London - taxi or tube?

There's no reason to use the Heathrow Express - it's expensive and drops you off at Paddington, from which you still have to get to wherever you're going. You can either 1) take the Tube into town - dirt cheap if you're planning to use public transit anyway, but does take an hour or so; or 2) prebook a car (I've used Just Airports; you can search for other recommendations) to take you into town a little faster. (Others will have to speak to rush hour traffic from LHR into town - I'm not sure how much time a car would save you.) A car service wouldn't be much more expensive than the Heathrow Express, if at all.

Do the kids really want to see Madame Tussaud's? It is your trip, but if I had 12 hours in a city, that would be pretty far down my list. I'd do the Tower of London or something else instead. Just my opinion, though.

Once you're in central London, the youngsters might enjoy getting about on our big red "taxis" - and you could probably put them in charge of navigating you about:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/visitor-bus-route-map.pdf

Thanks a lot for the replies. Tower of London is also a good idea. Great Map, really helpful. I'm sure they will enjoy using it.

I still wish to find out the best way to get from Heathrow. Should I take a taxi to paddington station then use the tube to central London?
Is the oyster my best option for a family of 5 for one day in London or do you think the travel cards would be better for all of us?

There is NO reason to go to Paddington Station. Either:

1) book a car service from Heathrow to wherever you want to go first, and arrange for a car back from somewhere in central London; or

2) take the Tube's Piccadilly Line from Heathrow directly to wherever in central London you want to go. Depending on your first destination, you may need to connect to another Tube line, but we won't know that till you know where you're going first. Take the Tube back to Heathrow in the evening.

I'm not sure on the family card.

• Taxi -- absolutely not.

• Any train to Paddington - almost surely not

• Pre-booked car service into central London - good option yes. But a problem is you will be traveling at the height of the morning commute and the drive will take a long time.

• tube into London - possibly yes, depending on where you want to go first

• tube back to LHR - most likely yes.

• Madame Tussaud's - please, no!


Now, you will really only have about 8-ish hours in central London -- definitely not 12 hours. And even less if you have to queue to leave/collect your carry on's.

I was just thinking about the waste of time in a car. I am planning to do the Tower of London first.

It's going to be cold in mid November, so not likely to take kids to a theme park.

so should I start with London eye, then westminster bridge and the big ben, then Travalgar square, Buckingham Palace, then Tower of London?

Would that be good to fill the 8 hours?

Where should I take the tube from/to Heathrow with the above plan?

Definately do the tube, you are going to be fighting rush hour traffic on the way in and you will spend a fortune on the taxi, even considering the 5 of you. The last time we took the taxi from the airport ended up costing over $100. I would go with the family tube pass purchased at LHR. I think that I would start with the Tower of London, and then go to Buckingham Palace (unless you want to see the Changing of the Guard then change the order and do the Tower last), Big Ben Westminster (grab a quick dinner in the area) and then end up with an early evening ride on the London Eye before heading back to the airport on the tube.

If you decide go to the Tower, you really should do it very first thing (you will get there just after opening time). It will take just over an hour to get there on the tube. Then work your way back to central London. You don't want to be way out at the Tower 3-4 hours before your flight out.

Also -- don't over-plan. You have a less time in central London than you might imagine.

A theme park?

If you want to do the Tower, definitely start there; it will take the biggest chunk of your time. If you do that first, you can take the Circle/District line over to Westminster. If the weather's good, walk across the bridge to the Eye and do that. Otherwise (or afterward), walk back over the bridge and you can see Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Parliament. Then you can walk or take the bus up to Trafalgar Square. From there you're an easy walk to Leicester Square station, which is on the Piccadilly line and a straight shot back to Heathrow.

Just one way to do it. It could work because you're really only "scheduling" one thing, and getting that done first - everything else is just walking by, except for the Eye.

There's no "familycard" on London Transport. Under-11s mostly travel free: 11-18 yos have a range of concessionary fares.

As I understand it, 11-18 yo's don't need advance registration to get the discount on one-day travelcards (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx).

If two of you have Oysters already, just ensure there's enough cash on them for unlimited one day, Z1-6, peak time travel, and buy the children their individual one-day cards. You can do ALL of this from the machines at LHR, though most people (understandably) prefer to check with the helpful staff at LHR they're buying the right thing. But, since those people aren't at their nimblest at 0700 (the staff are fine), you might find the queue ahead of you takes a while to clear, and you might prefer preresearching, then buying/topping up at a machine.

Travel by bus rather than tube and you'll see a lot more of London.
http://www.jeremytaylor.eu/England_1.htm

sorry --but they really don't have time to wander around on buses. they have a very few hours and need to get where they are going as quickly as possible

(BTW jeremy, advertising isn't allowed on Fodors. It would be better if you omitted your url from your posts. Otherwise the editors may delete them)

Itinerary now looks good:
1- At Heathrow, top up the two oyster cards we already have with unlimited one day. Buy 3 one-day cards (valid for tube and bus?) for the children at Heathrow (are these oyster or a paper tickets? I remember I was told no oyster cards at LHR)

2- Take the tube from Heathrow to the Tower of London (which line please?) spend maximum 3 hours there.

3- It will then be around noon time. Take a bus that passes by Buckingham palace then drop us off at Trafalgar Square.
take away lunch from Pret a manger (I love their smoked salmon sandwiches) then walk to Picadilly - shopping at Lillywhites for the children till 3 pm.

4- Take a bus to Westminster, walk from Big Ben to London Eye. Finish at 5 or 5:30.

This gives us time to do one more thing, I think.

Harrods on the tube? or Hyde Park or St Jamses's park?, children will enjoy feeding the ducks and seeing the squirrels for the first time? Maybe we should do this while eating lunch.

Yes - you can get oyster cards at LHR. Or you can buy a one day travelcard. The ticket agent will sell you the best option.

"2- Take the tube from Heathrow to the Tower of London (which line please?) spend maximum 3 hours there."

You will get on the Piccadilly line at LHR and travel to the Hammersmith station. get off, walk a few feet across the platform and catch and east bound District line train (probably signed for Upminster) and it will take you all the way to Tower Hill.

"3- It will then be around noon time. Take a bus that passes by Buckingham palace then drop us off at Trafalgar Square. "

There isn't a bus that would take you on that route -- Trafalgar Sq is between the Tower and B'ham Palace. If you really want to take a bus -- it will be #15 from in front of the Tower and get off at Trafalgar Sq. After eating in the first Pret you see -- you can walk up the Mall to the Palace. (but in any case I think you'll be at the Tower later than noon)

The whole Tr Sq/Buckingham Palace/Westminster area is walkable w/o jumping on/off buses. All three sort of surround St James's Park and you can walk from one to the other easily. Plus the kids can see the ducks/lake/birds in the park - Killing several birds w/ one stone (NOT literally )

If your flight is at 9:40 you will have NO TIME to do anything after about 5:30 so I certainly wouldn't plan on Harrods or anything the least bit time intensive.

Make your way to the Green Park tube station, hop on the tube by 6PM (6:30 at the latest) and go to LHR.