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-   -   Heathrow airport (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/heathrow-airport-1673065/)

limey10 Oct 21st, 2019 08:02 AM

Heathrow airport
 
Arriving in Terminal 2 from US and taking Heathrow Exp. into London. After exiting customs, is there any place for a light snack lunch before boarding the train?

bilboburgler Oct 21st, 2019 08:22 AM

The airport and the connected station is buried in different food places. Do you want to take the Express?

janisj Oct 21st, 2019 08:26 AM

WHY are you taking the HEX? Unless you are staying right at or very near Paddington it almost never make sense.

limey10 Oct 21st, 2019 08:32 AM

Heathrow
 
We have to take a cab from Paddington to Covent Garden area. Is there a better way? We cannot fight the Tube.

Odin Oct 21st, 2019 08:43 AM

The tube to Covent Garden from LHR is more convenient. You won't be fighting the tube when you get on at LHR, can't say for the other end where you get off but it's still a better option than going to Paddington.

limey10 Oct 21st, 2019 08:48 AM

Thanks, in our younger days that's what we would have done. However, we are in our 80's now and moving two full size suitcases filled for a two week trip, is difficult to just move across the airport.

janisj Oct 21st, 2019 09:26 AM

Book a car service from LHR to covent garden. Justaitports.com will charge less than the likely cab fare just from Padfington. there is a lift at covent garden tube station do not as bad a schlepp as many destinations but I'd still use a car service. A lot easier than the train because the driver meets you right as you exit arrivals

limey10 Oct 21st, 2019 09:58 AM

I had checked on the car thing and it was a possibility. Will look at again. The hotel is actually on Bedford St (Sq ?) about 15 min walk from Covent Garden, so we need a ride right to the door.

tuscanlifeedit Oct 21st, 2019 10:10 AM

Just another 2 cents. We found that it was more comfortable for us to take the dreaded (here, anyway) HEX to Paddington, buy our 2 for 1 Travelcards from a National Rail window, then taxi to our apartment. We used a car service to get back to the airport. This applies if you are interested in the 2 for 1 deals.

janisj Oct 21st, 2019 10:11 AM

That is WHY I suggested a car service. No need to walk from the terminal to the train it tube station. No need to schlepp from the HEX to a taxi or from the tube to the hotel

you simply walk out of the arrivals/customs in T2, see a driver holding a sign with your name on it, driver takes your luggage and escorts you to the car, you settle on the back seat with a bottle of water, driver pulls up in front of your hotel and hands your bags off to the bell man. Easy Peasy and cheaper than the HEX+taxi

janisj Oct 21st, 2019 10:27 AM

Didn't see tuscanlifeedit's post. Yes, if one wants to immediately get paper travel cards, that can be done at paddington . But it sounds like the OP wants as easy arrival/transfer as possible

limey10 Oct 21st, 2019 10:37 AM

Great stuff, thanks all for yr interest. Have just run comparative costs including tips and justairports wins by a mile, plus convenience. Have emailèd them to check that they will in fact pick up at incoming EuroStar to take us back to airport. If they do we will definitely go that route.

janisj Oct 21st, 2019 02:42 PM

Just an FYI if you only checked the credit rate, they will give quite a discount for cash. They should be able to collect you from St Pancras, but if not maybe give them a call and see if the Renaissance hotel which is right there would be a better option.

limey10 Oct 21st, 2019 03:26 PM

Thank you. We tried for a reservation their thru the airline, but they have a minimum three night stay and we leave on EuroStar the next morning.

PatrickLondon Oct 21st, 2019 06:36 PM

To answer the question originally put, there's a Caffè Nero in the arrivals hall of T2, to your right after you exit the customs area.

janisj Oct 21st, 2019 07:39 PM

>>Thank you. We tried for a reservation their thru the airline, but they have a minimum three night stay and we leave on EuroStar the next morning.<<

OK - a little confused by your pronouns. Who has a 3 night minimum and where did you try for a reservation?

i didn't mean to stay at the hotel but just to use it as a possible pick up point for justairports . . .

limey10 Oct 22nd, 2019 03:35 AM

Sorry for the confusion. You mentioned Renaissance and I was just mentioning conversationally that it was our original intention to stay there for convenience to Euro.... However, when I tried to bundle it with United, I was informed that the hotel had a three night minimum. I understand your pick up suggestion. Thanks.

janisj Oct 22nd, 2019 06:14 AM

Oh - i get it. To maybe to clear up that confusion, the hotel doesn't require three nights - in fact I've stayed there twice for one night each time. It is United who requires a three night booking on a vacation bundle with flights.

socaltraveler Oct 22nd, 2019 12:02 PM

We just used justairports in London, to and from LHR, it really worked out very well. Especially since we had a flat, and I was a bit concerned they would not find us in the dark of early morning. Highly recommend their service.

limey10 Oct 22nd, 2019 01:06 PM

Thanks, I'm pretty certain that I'm going to use them. Our trip is actually in the early Spring and we don't get our itiniary exact times until eight weeks before so I can't make the reservation yet. When we return to Heathrow, it will be the day before our flight. We are staying at the Heathrow Renaissance, will the driver drop us there or will it have to be the airport?


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