12 Hrs Layover at Heathrow
 

Hello,

I get into Heathrow at 9 am and have a 12 hour layover. I wanted to go into Central London and walk around instead of sitting at the airport. It looks like the fastest way to get there is Heathrow Express, BUT the roundtrip fare is about $50.

I am wondering if I can save money by commuting in the Tube at $10 RT. Can anybody confirm if it is plausible to take the tube from Heathrow to Picadilly Circus?

Thank you

Of course you can take the tube into central London and back in 12 hours. The Picadilly line goes directly from LHR to - er - Picadilly. Note that if you're flying into Terminal 4 (mainly British Airways) you may need to take a free shuttle bus to the nearest tube station due to eternal construction at the airport, but no big deal.

It is doable but it will take about an hour from Heathrow Station to Piccadilly Circus and you will have to queue for tickets. It will help if your luggage is checked through to your final destination.

Just allow yourself plenty of time to get back and make sure you know which terminal you are flying out of. Long hauls flights often require a 2 - 2 1/2 hour check-in. Terminal 4 station is shut at the moment but shuttle buses connect every few minutes to Hatton Cross which is also on The Piccadilly Line.

A good walk would take you down Lower Regent Street and into St James Park then across Horse Guards Parade into Whitehall and past Downing Street to Parliament Square. You could then walk past Big Ben, over Westminster Bridge and along the river past The London Eye. Cross back over The Jubilee Footbridge and hear up Northumberland Avenue to Trafalgar Square and back to Piccadilly. That should wear you out and help you sleep on your next flight!

You can walk straight on the train if you have your tickets in hand:

<b>http://www.ticket-on-line.com</b>

Zones 1-6 tickets are &pound;3.80 each way, postpaid.

<i>p.s.</i> If you wait until you get to London, you can buy a one-day off-peak Travelcard for Zones 1-6 for &pound;6 that will give you unlimited Tube and bus transport. The only restriction is that you can't travel before 9:30 AM. Here's your tourist bus map:

<b>http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/pdfdocs/cen_bus.pdf
</b>

This is wonderful.... Thanks to all so much, this is very valuable information. My luggage will be checked to the final destination, so all I will have is my laptop bag....Thanks, again!