I am going to London soon and have a couple of questions: I arrive at 8:30pm and would like to know if there are any places to exchange money at that hour at the airport? I have never taken the Heathrow Express. I would like to know if you have to go up or down stairs to get to the Heathrow Express going into town? Do you buy your ticket on the train or do you buy it before?

If you needed to change money place will be open at that hour. BUT DON"T DO IT. Just use your ATM card and you'll get £ at a much better rate than at a booth!. You'll need to buy yout ticket before getting on the train. There are ticket machines at the terminal. Again, use your credit card to buy the ticket (save the cash for later). There are elevators all the way to the platform. There are luggage trolleys at baggage claim and you can use these all the way to the platform (there's a barrier to keep them off the actual platform.

I'd imagine there are bureau de changes at the airport, and you purchase tickets on the train, as for stairs - it's designed to be used with luggage so it won't be a problem.

DON'T buy the ticket on the train - even though you can: they're cheaper at the ticket office or the ticket machines, all of which take every kind of plastic (OK, I'm not sure about JCB and no-one takes the Sears Card).

I agree with highledge about changing money. It would be foolish to exchange currency at a booth when the ATM is faster, easier, and will give you a much better exhcange.

Here's a link to the Heathrow Express.

http://www.heathrowexpress.com/

Just back from using the Heathrow Express last week...there are no stairs involved, either at the airport or Paddington rail station. You can take your luggage on a (free) luggage cart ALMOST all the way--you have to offload from the carts about 50 feet from the train platform at Heathrow.

There are automated ticket machines near the platform at Heathrow, and ticket booths similarly near the platform at Paddington.

You can also reserve Express tickets ahead of time, on-line, and then retrieve them from the ticket machine once you arrive.

If I take the Heathrow Express to the Paddington station (13&pound, what's the cost of a taxi ride from Paddington to my hotel (372 Strand Palace Hotel, WC2)? OR is it better and less expensive to do the www.justairports.com for 29£? I'm also getting in in the evening (8:10pm). Will traffic be down by that time?

Hotelink has a one way trip for 14GBP in a van, door to door. That might be an option if you are willing to be in a van with other passengers. You may or may not be the first to be dropped off at your hotel.

Monica

Consider taking the tube, which may land you close to hotel door, saving onward xfers.

P.S. Jan issue of "Airliners", a serious industry magazine, says terminal 4 has a new scanning machine that displays your nude image to security, seeing thru clothes to find nonmetalic weapons. Says the US is waiting for a version that smudges out modesty areas.

"If I take the Heathrow Express to the Paddington station (13&pound, what's the cost of a taxi ride from Paddington to my hotel (372 Strand Palace Hotel, WC2)?"

Anyone?? one the taxi from Paddington station question?

MaryJG, The cost of taxi ride in London depends on the time of day, how far you're going, and how fast (or not) you're travelling. My SWAG would be 10-15 GBP.

Perhaps someone with better knowledge will reply when this thread is topped.

If it's not a budget breaker, why not spring for a little more money and have the hired car take you directly to the hotel?

"I'm also getting in in the evening (8:10pm)."

Thanks!

oops, I meant to also add, " my hotel (372 Strand Palace Hotel, WC2)"