What is the best way for us to get from Heathrow to County Hall Marriott? We will arrive at 08:25 AM on Friday, June 13th from the United States (9 hour flight). There will be two adults (in our mid-20s). Most likely with one large suitcase each and maybe a carryon each. We are truly looking for the cheapest way, but if it will be an absolute pain in the rear to haul luggage from Westminster tube across the river to the hotel for example...then maybe we should get a car. I will willing to pull luggage if it will save us a ton. I will check on car prices, but if we take the tube, please give me as precise directions as possible. (tube stations without stairs for example, easiest route, etc.) THANKS! FYI - we will be flying in on American Airlines....I am not sure what terminal they fly into...so not sure if that makes a difference.

My daughter and I stayed at the County Hall Marriott last summer. I thought I was so smart and the Waterloo station looked closer on the maps I had....do NOT do that! LOL

Westminster tube stop is across the bridge from the hotel and the bridge isn't that long. After my initial mistake, we just walked across that bridge to the tube stop everywhere we went. You can take the Heathrow Express into London and then transfer to the underground...very easy and affordable.

We are returning this summer, though I'm still nailing down our lodging choice. We will use the HE to the underground once we decide between flats. Then i just have to figure out our route out through Gatwick--I've read there is a Gatwick Express too though.

Have a wonderful time. London is terrific--we are looking forward to our visit this year. The hotel you are staying in is quite nice. Request something close to the elevator though--those hallways are REALLY LONG.

1) cut back on the luggage if you can. Most people don't need a huge suitcase, let alone a huge one and a carry on. A 22 or 24 inch suitcase is normally more than adequate

2) The tube is no problem IF you can manage some fairly long walks - not just at Westminster but at Heathrow too.

3) To get to County Hall from LHR: Take the Piccadilly line to Hammersmith. Exit the train and step across to the other side of the same platform (no stairs). Get on the next District line train. Get off at Westminster and use the Bridge Street exit from the station. Look up - Big Ben will be directly in front of you! Walk across the river and there you are . . . . .

The Dot2Dot shared shuttle service would drop you at the hotel and cost you £35 for two people taking a case and a piece of hand luggage each. See:

http://www.dot2.com/Home.aspx

but a car service like justairports would cost less than Dot2Dot, and you wouldn't have to share the vehicle and rove around from hotel to hotel. From the websites &quot;<i>there are no more than 3 other local stops on your journey.</i>&quot;

Janisj has it exactly. There is a lift from the District Platform at Westminster up to the exit so the only stairs you will have will be a dozen or so steps up to the road.

Hopefully by June the main entrance of the County Hall will be open again - if not you will need to walk around to the entrance on he opposit side to the river.

Also, depending upon your room, get ready for a long walk from the lift to your room. having said that County Hall is a great hotel. I've stayed there about 10 times in the last couple of years and have always taken the tube except for one time when I had a huge amount of heavy luggage so I booked a car to take me to Heathrow.

To be strictly exact, there is also a lift from the exit concourse at Westminster to the street, at exit 4.

From which any of seven TfL buses will get you across the river if you don't feel like walking, the Tube stop, Exit 4, and Bus Stop H) are all in the Portcullis House on this map: http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/Dow...estminster.pdf

If you get on any bus at H (southbound), the next stop will be the Marriott.

From the websites &quot;there are no more than 3 other local stops on your journey.&quot;

Also from the dot2dot website &quot;We use express bus lanes to avoid most of the queues&quot; Eg along the M4.

Londonres: My point was why pay <u>more</u> money for what is essentially a SuperShuttle-type van with multiple stops when you can pay <u>less</u> money for door-to-door service w/o ANY other stops.

That express lane saves time - but the advantage is lost once you start wandering around dropping other passengers.

janisj - Yes I know that the car service can work out cheaper for 2 or more people. Personally, I usually go by tube.

Is it just as good to take the Heathrow Connect as it is the Heathrow Express? I know the express is about 10 minutes faster, but the Connect is also less than half the cost. And on the exchange rate for me (United States).....it means a lot.

I thought about taking the tube, but that could take an hour....

If you do suggest using the Connect, I will be flying in on American Airlines on Friday, June 13th. I can't tell if I will be flying into Terminal 3 or Terminal 5. It appears that American now flys into both. But please tell me the best way to get on the Heathrow Connect once I go through customs/passport check.

If you recommend another mode of transportation to my hotel...let me know. I would rather not use a car or taxi as they would both be more expensive.

What will I need to get as far as travel tickets?

You are wrong about a car being more expensive.

A Taxi <i>would</i> cost more - but not a car service. By the time you take either train and then a taxi from Paddington to County Hall, you will spend more than just getting a car service all the way in from LHR. And a LOT less schlepping of luggage.

Now, the Connect plus the tube would run a little less than a car service - but not much. The HEX and any other mode will cost quite a bit more.

justairports.com will run approx &pound;28 if you pay cash. And you won't have to deal w/ getting your bags to the train station, on/off the train, and on the tube or out to the taxi rank at Paddington.

jonmck, the point about the Heathrow Express and Connect is that they go to the wrong part of London for your hotel. Any time you save because they're quicker trains, you'd likely lose in getting the rest of the way.

Your options are

- the tube to Westminster (cheaper; change at Hammersmith to avoid having to change platforms, but you would have to haul luggage to the train at Heathrow and more seriously the several hundred yards across the bridge from Westminster to the Marriot, unless you can get everybody and your luggage on a bus or can find a taxi for so short a trip)

- a car service door to door: much less stressful after a long journey.