Best transfer from London city airport to Heathrow
 

Hi guys,
I have a 4h transfer window from LCY to LHR, my flight arrives aorund 18:20 LCY on a Wednesday...

Wonder if anyone could recommend me the best traveling route? I have done this before with a cab service but got caught in traffic in the heart of London so I'm a bit unsure I want to do this option again..

I am happy to take tube/HEX but can someone tell me which way would be the best if I'm carrying a led size luggage? Thank youuu!!!

Do you have 4 hours to get to Heathrow (which seems unlikely given your landing time)? Or 4 hours until your next flight takes off? In which case this is a question for the experts.

>>I have a 4h transfer window from LCY to LHR, my flight arrives aorund 18:20 LCY on a Wednesday… <<

If you mean your flights are 4 hours apart, sorry but that is going to be very difficult.

The very fastest travel between the two airports takes about 1.25 hours and involves the DLR, two tube lines and the HEX. A car service would take longer.

So assuming you get your luggage and are on the DLR by 1900 you will be at LHR between 2015 and 2030. So if everything goes like clockwork you could make it. One delay on the tube or train and you are SOL.

>>I am happy to take tube/HEX but can someone tell me which way would be the best if I'm carrying a led size luggage? <<

What is led luggage? Anyway - you would take the DLR to Canning town; then the Jubilee line to Baker Street; Circle line to Paddington; HEX to LHR . . . That is a slog.

Having done this journey, more than a few times, I would get the DLR to Canning Town. Jubilee Line to Green Park and then Piccadilly line to LHR . Should take less than two hours.

Not sure as to what "led sized luggage" is so can't say whether this is feasible or not.

An alternative would be DLR to Tower Hill and circle line to Paddington, then HEX to LHR. However, if ever I got delayed it always seemed to be on the circle line.

That time of day SHOULD be ok with a car service but 4 hours is tight and I feel public transport would be the better option.

I seem to remember that that exchange at Green Park is a slog though, even without luggage.

When is your travel? Normal service on the Bakerloo Line at Paddington is supposed to be resumed from some time in August, and the best advice then would again be to take the Jubilee Line to Baker St and walk through a few steps on the level to the Bakerloo for Paddington and the HEX.

But if it's before then, well, you could take the Circle Line to Paddington but there would be steps all round. Changing at Green Park to the Piccadilly Line is the only other option - there are lifts up and down, though you have to look for them a bit, and there is a long walk on the level between the two sets of lifts.

I agree with Janis's time estimate.

Hi crellston, I was thinking the same so it would only involve two transfers... And take the picadilly line all the way instead of HEX.. Would you be able to tell me about the walking? Is it crazy? Sorry typo I meant MED size luggage.. Haha thanks!!!

Hi guys... I meant med size luggage... Sorry for the typo!! And thanks for all the comments! I will update you my experience.. :)

>> I was thinking the same so it would only involve two transfers… <<

But the transfer at Green Park is a bear. Hard enough w/ no luggage -- you walk for what seems like miles. That is why I suggested the other routing (as does the TFL website BTW)

I'd think with led sized luggage, it'd be an easy transfer considering most leds are microscopic.

;-)

Med-sized is meaningless. If it's luggage you can carry on, then your transfer will be a lot less hectic. If you have to check it, you're chances of missing the next flight treble.

The lesson here is saving a few bucks on a flight to London City means a good deal of trouble going to Heathrow. And you're going to be deep inside of any 3-hour check-in window if you're flying outside the UK/EU.

Thankssssss janisj...
Wat do you think if I take dlr to west ham and transfer hammersmith pink line direct to Paddington to the HEX?

So you would suggest your previous transferring involving circle line to Paddington? Is this less walking?

Thanks!

Hi big russ.. Trust me if I had a choice I rather not do this but it was the only choice due to my previous flight from a smaller town.. Money was not the main reason lol..

>>Wat do you think if I take dlr to west ham and transfer hammersmith pink line direct to Paddington to the HEX? <<

No, likely to be slower, and potentially prone to hanging around waiting where the rails cross the Circle and Metropolitan lines.

Changing to the Circle at Baker St - off the top of my head, I suspect there will be stairs, and there certainly will be stairs up and down from the Circle Line at Paddington. The walk at Green Park feels like about a hundred yards.

Hey patrick_london... Even if some "tips" say to go up to the ticket hall on green park to exchange?

This is so painful to decide, but based on this very bad comment on the mile long walk at green park I'm better off with dlr to jubilee to circle all the way to Paddington and take HEX.. :/

Dear all and future reader.. :) I ended up taking the DLR > jubilee > picadilly option changing at green park. The walk was not bad at all, just make sure to use the elevator and it should take your through pretty easily.. It took me about 3-5 min max doing that walk. Total traveling time from the moment I set foot on DLR 1.5h just because we had small interruptions but didn't last long.. :)

I hope this will help the next person in doubt..
Thanks!!!

Someone I know did this journey recently in a black cab when their flight out of London City was cancelled and the airline rebooked them out of Heathrow.

It cost about £150, though the airline picked it up.

You did all right!

Phew, well done OP. That must have been quite a relief.