Elizabeth line changes everything
 

After many years of sticking close to the Piccadilly line for Heathrow access, I plan to switch allegiance to the new Elizabeth line this Spring. Therefore, a new hotel for us.

My spouse thinks the Paddington Hilton will fill the bill, but TA reviews…you know.
Hoping some here will have advice for hotels very close to that lovely new line.

If I wanted to be on the Elizabeth Line . . . I wouldn't pick Paddington - unless it was for just one night.

There are so many interesting properties near other stations like Bond Street, Tottenham Court Rd, Farringdon - heck, even Liverpool Street

Yes, I see what you mean Janisj. Thank you.

Looking at https://hotelsnearthemetro.com/hotel...etro-in-london

There must be dozens within a few minutes' walk of either exit from Tottenham Court Road station.

How about The Resident Soho. About a 2 min walk from the Elizabeth Line entrance in Dean St.

[QUOTE=robbieb;17435072]How about The Resident Soho. About a 2 min walk from the Elizabeth Line entrance in Dean St.[

Thanks for this suggestion- looks interesting!
We actually shifted direction a bit and are now planning Belfast/Edinburgh return visits.
https://www.residenthotels.com/soho/

Elizabeth line from Heathrow to Paddington Station
 

I’m asking advice on behalf of a group coming to London for a series of meetings. I’m the only one attending the entire series and have a ride to the hotel. The others are arriving on different days and at different times for the sessions they are attending. The hotel is very near Paddington Station. How difficult is it to get from terminal 1 to the Elizabeth Line platform at Heathrow and are directions well marked at the airport?

UH - bit of a problem thare. There is no Terminal 1 at LHR. Which Terminal are they actually using??

Heathrow is well signed and there are English speakers around they can ask.

Elizabeth line to Paddington
 

I just checked and they will arrive in T2

Our first experience with the Elizabeth Line did not go well, and it no doubt was my fault. We landed Terminal 2 and could have easily taken the Piccadilly line from there as we always have in the past.
But no, we wanted the Elizabeth experience so started following the signs to “TERMINALS 4&5, ELIZABETH LINE.”

The train we boarded was only to Terminal 4, but we thought that would be all right. No, we had to get to Terminal 5
(Or possibly, vice versa…my head hurts just trying to remember that day.)
Airport staff ushered us onto a Heathrow Express train, saying that was the only way to get to Elizabeth.
All right, but this train wasn’t moving- we waited a good half hour.
Finally, and I don’t really remember how, we were able to transfer to the lovely Elizabeth line to Paddington.

I had assumed one could transfer at Paddington within the Tube system, but no, one had to exit (tap out) and then tap back in to the Tube to get the line to our hotel. So we actually paid two Tube fares to reach our destination.

It was exhausting and disappointing but I readily admit I should have researched ahead of time, so my fault.
I still don’t know if the double fares could be avoided somehow. And I still don’t know how to smoothly catch the Elizabeth line at LHR. We agreed we were ‘one and done’ with it, but it was very pretty and purple!

I'm so sorry! It is a bit confusing.. I had the same experience in Liverpool street station, had to tap out and go back in to take the tube. Also in Canary Wharf it is the same. I still love the Elizabeth line though :)

I think even if you researched, it could have been confusing. We will all be more used to it sometime in the future.

The first time can be confusing and jet lag definitely doesn't help :(

Rialtogrl and Janisj, Thank you both for your empathy; I’ve always loved using the Tube and found it so easy to navigate, but that arrival day experience threw me.

That same visit, we spent about 90 minutes ‘lost’ in Hampstead Heath after visiting the Hollow Tree, trying to get to Spaniards Inn for lunch. We hadn’t activated our Verizon travelpass and just relied on the kindness of strangers, each of whom told us “oh, no - you need to go back the way you came…!”

Yes, asking for directions can always be an adventure :) "It's just up the road" almost never is.

But The Hollow Tree to the Spaniards Inn is about a 20-ish minute / fairly straightforward route. If you had walked due west maybe 10 minutes you would have come to Spaniards Road (a good hint;) ) and then its up the road maybe half a mile. I've usually come to The Spaniards from the north/Kenwood direction.

Interesting adventure and thanks for posting. I will be in London soon.

After you posted, I looked for a schedule since I’m using the Elizabeth Line next week (from Terminal 3.) the strange thing is, there are more trains from Terminal 2/3 than 5, so maybe else was something wrong that day?

Here is the schedule in case it can help in the future.
https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/elizabeth-l...ine-timetables

I’ve been in London since Tuesday and yesterday was on the Piccadilly line, dreaming about Elizabeth… so much nicer and faster, when it works!

I'm also in London now - took the Piccadilly line in from LHR on Wednesday only because my hotel is close to the district/circle line at Embankment. Otherwise it would have been the 'Lizzy Line' for sure.the EL seems to also make it better on the Piccadilly line because it seemed much less busy and a heck of a lot less massive luggage clogging up the aisles

RG, as I think about that day, I think you’re exactly right ~ something else was amiss that afternoon, as I remember one staff person saying “EL doesn’t stop here today.”
But I’m an inveterate sign-reader and saw no notice. Perhaps I missed a PA announcement.

I hope everyone in London (or soon to be) has a wonderful experience🇬🇧

My love for the Elizabeth line is seriously tarnished.. the bloom is off the rose.

Probably my mistake for attempting a journey at rush hour. I did check the TFL website in the morning and they reported "minor delays" on the Elizabeth line. I did not look for any other information and went with it. My flight was a bit late and I got down to the station where many, many people were waiting, at 17.25. .My destination was Canary Wharf and a staff member told me not to wait for an Abbey Wood bound train, take a Shenfield bound train and change at Whitechapel. Getting to Whitechapel was not so bad, the train was packed and it didn't help that some people had luggage taking up places where people should sit, but one could breathe.

But at Whitechapel.. chaos. One Abbey Wood train came and people shoved themselves on it. I did not make it, because another woman with a suitcase shoved her way in front of me. Then there was another Abbey Wood train coming but the arrival time said 4 minutes, then back to 5, then to 4, then to 5.. this went on for about 20 minutes. Another Shenfield train came and went. I managed to get on the next Abbey Wood train because I was standing right in front of the door but at least 10 people smashed in behind me when there was hardly any room. It was not only uncomfortable, it was dangerous. Thankfully I only had to go one stop before getting the breath crushed out of me. It was that packed.

Only this morning did I google the problems and found I was actually one of the lucky ones. The evening before some people were stuck on a train for hours.
​​​​​​https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tran...-b1125595.html

Heathrow express had signs that they were only running two trains an hour but they were still trying to sell it.. "fifteen minutes to Central London" isn't fifteen minutes if you have to wait thirty minutes for a train!

I will take the Elizabeth Line again, but never at rush hour.. I don't care if I spend two hours sitting in traffic with a nice justairports driver for £80 instead.