Getting to Heathrow early A.M.
 

What is the best way to get from our hotel (which is in the Victoria area, between Victoria station and Pimlico station) to the airport when we need to be AT the airport around 5:30-5:45 on a Tuesday morning? I was concerned about some of the lines on the tube not running early enough to get us there in time. Thanks!

Book a mini cab or car service. There is no tube service that would get you to LHR in time.

When I have an early flight out of LHR I simply ask the hotel which mini cab companies they recommend. They won't refer you to a dodgy firm - just make arrangement a day or two before your flight.

Thanks for the quick suggestion! I was afraid that taking a cab that far would cost an arm and a leg, but we will just have to suck it up and consider it just another "tourist experience" type of thing! Thanks! :)

There are also night buses to the airport which will be a lot slower and a lot cheaper than a taxi.

Heather, I think you missed the idea above. Don't take a taxi!! Take a mini-cab or private car service. You can call Swiss Cottage Cars and they will take you for 25 pounds (about half the price of a taxi), picking you up right at your door. Book just a day or two ahead -- 0207-431-2700.

I recommend Ray Skinner's car service, at www.london-transfers.com. We use him whenever we are in London, he's reliable (and charming & witty as well). It's a flat fee - unlike a regular taxi and well
worth the money. You can book via e-mail, or call.

HeatherH, have you considered a Heathrow hotel?

I guess I also should have suggested a Heathrow hotel if you need to be there that early. The Hilton is connected by a covered walkway to Term 4 (if you are leaving from Term 4 this is a great asset) and you can take your bags back and forth to the hotel on a trolley. The other airport hotels are connected to the terminals by a "hoppa bus" but there is a charge to ride it.

There will be very little traffic (normally) at 4:30 a.m. in the morning tho, if that is when you schedule a pickup so it's not a huge risk not staying at the airport the night before I don't think. Either way you are going to be up bright and early :-)

It's too late to change to a different hotel for the last night (booked and paid for thru Expedia), so that's unfortunately not an option. To Patrick: our area doesn't really see a lot of cab usage, so I didn't realize that there was a big difference between the cab and mini-cab. 25 pounds we can definitely manage! :)