heathrow exp to paddington then need advice
Oct 15th, 2006, 09:39 AM
#1
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heathrow exp to paddington then need advice
We will be taking the Heathrow Exp to Paddingon, but then how do you suggest I get to area by Victoria Station?
...Take another train?
...take the tub?
...take a taxi?
Should I buy a "Buy a Go Further Ticket" if we plan to buy an Oyster ticket?
Finally, the train is 14.50 and a hotel shuttle is around 17.00 -- would it just be better and cheaper to go by shuttle?
Thanks everyone - I really appreciate your help!
...Take another train?
...take the tub?
...take a taxi?
Should I buy a "Buy a Go Further Ticket" if we plan to buy an Oyster ticket?
Finally, the train is 14.50 and a hotel shuttle is around 17.00 -- would it just be better and cheaper to go by shuttle?
Thanks everyone - I really appreciate your help!
Oct 15th, 2006, 10:20 AM
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Put me on the list of those who feel that two or more people taking the Heathrow Express then a taxi to somewhere else -- not real close -- in Central London is just plain foolish. For about the same amount of money and in the same amount of time (adding in the wait for the train, the wait for a taxi and the traffic within London for that taxi ride) you'd be better off just taking a car service from Heathrow to Victoria (or your hotel) for 25 to 35 pounds and making the whole thing a lot easier.
I don't know the specifics of your hotel shuttle you mention.
I don't know the specifics of your hotel shuttle you mention.
Oct 15th, 2006, 10:44 AM
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or get the tube to Hammersmith, walk across the platform & get on a District line tube to Victoria which costs 4 - 5GBP (or less if you have an Oystercard)
As for using the HEX - the Tube fare, let alone the taxi fare would be more than the "saving" on the shuttle.
As for using the HEX - the Tube fare, let alone the taxi fare would be more than the "saving" on the shuttle.
Oct 15th, 2006, 11:24 AM
#5
I would <b>never</b> use teh HEX if Victoria was my final destination. Simply doesn't make sense money, time or convenience-wise.
Either a car service door to dood LHR to your hotel, or the tube to Hammersmith, change lines and tube to Victoria.
Both of these will be cheaper and faster than the HEX/cab combo. Me traveling solo would usually take the tube, if I was traveling w/ someone to split costs -probably a car service.
but definitely not the HEX to Paddington . . . . .
Either a car service door to dood LHR to your hotel, or the tube to Hammersmith, change lines and tube to Victoria.
Both of these will be cheaper and faster than the HEX/cab combo. Me traveling solo would usually take the tube, if I was traveling w/ someone to split costs -probably a car service.
but definitely not the HEX to Paddington . . . . .
Oct 15th, 2006, 11:29 AM
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The problem with getting a taxi at Paddington post HEX ride would be in the timing. IME arriving at Paddington in the early morning and then waiting for a cab can take a LONG time.
I'm not sure I agree that a car service once that car gets into Central London is necessily any faster than a taxi but it might be cheaper.
I'm not sure I agree that a car service once that car gets into Central London is necessily any faster than a taxi but it might be cheaper.
Oct 15th, 2006, 11:46 AM
#8
I meant faster door to door. W/ a car service, you wouldn't have to walk to the HEX station, wait for the next train, and then wait for a taxi at Paddington. The driver would be waiting for you in arrivals and you'd be on your way before you even started walking to the LHR train station . . .
Oct 15th, 2006, 11:59 AM
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When using a car service from LHR, where <u>are</u> the cars stashed waiting for the passengers show up? Does the driver guide you to the curb, fetch the vehicle and come back for you? Or do you schlep your bags to a parking lot? How long can those things take?
Oct 15th, 2006, 12:26 PM
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I'm with janisj. Take the tube all the way if economy is paramount and you don't mind schlepping luggage. Otherwise, book a private car service (like www.justairports.com) from LHR to the hotel. Taking the HEX to Paddington and a taxi from there doesn't save any time and it adds a lot to the cost.
Oct 15th, 2006, 01:02 PM
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The driver froma car service will be waiting outside of the customs area. Heathrow has loads of free luggage trolleys so carting your baggage shouldn't be a problem. Most drivers will take the cart from you and push. You will then follow the driver to the car park. It's a fairly short distance.
Oct 15th, 2006, 02:46 PM
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There's no standard answer to Robe's question.
An experienced driver at T1 will try to park on the ground floor of the s-t car park. If he knows this well enough, and gets lucky, it's 50 yds max from Customs exit to car - but he's carrying the cost of the car park ticket, and if your flight's delayed and/or he's early, this can add up to a substantial part of his fee. So some drivers won't do this.
Some cheaper companies - esp at T3 - might drive round, getting you to meet them at some rather odd place - usually a fire exit. Sometimes, a driver will have to park on the top floor of a multistorey - and sometimes he'll suggest a relatively convenient (to him) place to meet you, or sometimes he'll ask you to come with him in the lift.
None of which really matters very much unless you're disabled (in which case see the LHR site for disabled facilities). And the walk to the HEX or tube is pretty trivial from any of the terminals anyway: 7 mins max from any of the Customs exits, unless you've got a health problem.
The argument for a car is to do with the convenience once you're in London. Since practically all strategies a driver might adopt at LHR involve his going to the ticket machine, then getting to the car, then getting you and the car to the same place, the elapsed time from Customs to car for the passenger is usually pretty much the same as the elapsed time from Customs to the tube or HEX.
Both are usually shorter than the elapsed time from Customs to actually getting into a black cab, especially at peak times and especially at T1.
An experienced driver at T1 will try to park on the ground floor of the s-t car park. If he knows this well enough, and gets lucky, it's 50 yds max from Customs exit to car - but he's carrying the cost of the car park ticket, and if your flight's delayed and/or he's early, this can add up to a substantial part of his fee. So some drivers won't do this.
Some cheaper companies - esp at T3 - might drive round, getting you to meet them at some rather odd place - usually a fire exit. Sometimes, a driver will have to park on the top floor of a multistorey - and sometimes he'll suggest a relatively convenient (to him) place to meet you, or sometimes he'll ask you to come with him in the lift.
None of which really matters very much unless you're disabled (in which case see the LHR site for disabled facilities). And the walk to the HEX or tube is pretty trivial from any of the terminals anyway: 7 mins max from any of the Customs exits, unless you've got a health problem.
The argument for a car is to do with the convenience once you're in London. Since practically all strategies a driver might adopt at LHR involve his going to the ticket machine, then getting to the car, then getting you and the car to the same place, the elapsed time from Customs to car for the passenger is usually pretty much the same as the elapsed time from Customs to the tube or HEX.
Both are usually shorter than the elapsed time from Customs to actually getting into a black cab, especially at peak times and especially at T1.
Oct 15th, 2006, 03:43 PM
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My walk from meeting a driver after customs to where his car is parked -- and he usually offers to roll the luggage -- is about one fourth the distance I have to roll my own luggage to get to the train station.
I think we have always just gone with him to the car park and he always seems to be quite close (not sure how they manage that).
It has never taken nearly as long to "get on the road" with a car service as it has to get to the tube, wait for it to go (one has invariably just left when I arrive) and get going.
I think we have always just gone with him to the car park and he always seems to be quite close (not sure how they manage that).
It has never taken nearly as long to "get on the road" with a car service as it has to get to the tube, wait for it to go (one has invariably just left when I arrive) and get going.
Oct 15th, 2006, 06:36 PM
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We'll take the HX if we can score a twofer (TimeOut London have offered on-line coupons from time to time) because it terminates closer to our usual Marble Arch hotels. The walk is about eight-tenths of a mile if you head straight down London Street and turn left at Stratheam Place. Or two minutes on a # 7, 15, 23, 36, or 436 bus (one of which departs about every minute).
A typical time from T4 to the Thistle is about 25 minutes flat.
So I guess "what's fastest" depends a lot on <i>d</i> in the formula <i>t = d/r</i>.
A typical time from T4 to the Thistle is about 25 minutes flat.
So I guess "what's fastest" depends a lot on <i>d</i> in the formula <i>t = d/r</i>.
Oct 15th, 2006, 07:06 PM
#16
traveler8149 doesn't want to get anywhere near the Thistle Marble Arch. They are headed to Victoria so how long it takes to walk down London Street may be interesting but has little bearing on the question at hand.
A car service or the tube makes <b>much</b> more sense than the HEX for someone trying to get to Victoria
A car service or the tube makes <b>much</b> more sense than the HEX for someone trying to get to Victoria
Oct 15th, 2006, 07:22 PM
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Yes, well you see, that's why I used that example because it's closer to where <u>we</u> are going, to point out that overall ETE depends on rate and distance, per where the discussion had drifted.
I wasn't recommending that they should walk from Paddington to Victoria, and I think your motives in suggesting that I was reveal a lot about your personality.
I wasn't recommending that they should walk from Paddington to Victoria, and I think your motives in suggesting that I was reveal a lot about your personality.
Oct 16th, 2006, 05:32 AM
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Funny, the only "drifting" I'm aware of in the entire thread was someone starting to talk about a totally different destination (Marble Arch) from what the entire rest of the discussion was really about.
In fact, I actually thought Robespierre was confused and posting on the wrong thread since there was such detail about what bus to take to get to his destination that had NOTHING to do with the subject at hand.
But by the way, since we now are off subject, that 25 minutes estimate immediately changes to 45 minutes if you just miss a Heathrow Express and have to wait for the next one. It is highly unlikely that you arrive at the Express just as it is about to depart. And even then, it normally would take me at least 10 to 15 minutes to get off the Heathrow express at Paddington, get through the crowd in the terminal, and begin the walk to the hotel. 25 minutes total from T-4 to The Thistle sounds like dreaming to me.
In fact, I actually thought Robespierre was confused and posting on the wrong thread since there was such detail about what bus to take to get to his destination that had NOTHING to do with the subject at hand.
But by the way, since we now are off subject, that 25 minutes estimate immediately changes to 45 minutes if you just miss a Heathrow Express and have to wait for the next one. It is highly unlikely that you arrive at the Express just as it is about to depart. And even then, it normally would take me at least 10 to 15 minutes to get off the Heathrow express at Paddington, get through the crowd in the terminal, and begin the walk to the hotel. 25 minutes total from T-4 to The Thistle sounds like dreaming to me.
Oct 16th, 2006, 05:52 AM
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If you land at LHR T2, it can be a looong walk through that depressing corridor past the tube station till you get to HEX platform. I walk fairly robustly, but doubt I can make it in 7 min from the customs even without much luggage.
On the other hand, taxi queue at Paddington is only an issue if you're arriving early in the morning (7-10:30am).
traveler8149, I guess the answer to your question would be what your criteria is--least hassle, the fastest, the cheapest, do you mind schlepping luggages etc?
On the other hand, taxi queue at Paddington is only an issue if you're arriving early in the morning (7-10:30am).
traveler8149, I guess the answer to your question would be what your criteria is--least hassle, the fastest, the cheapest, do you mind schlepping luggages etc?
Oct 16th, 2006, 06:46 AM
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Oh. I thought "the entire rest of the discussion was really about" <b>heathrow exp to paddington then need advice</b>. janisj was still dealing with this hypothetical as late in the proceedings as 10/15/2006, 03:46 pm. My bad.
Then I thought it drifted into "how I would get from LHR to Victoria" and "how long it really takes to get from Baggage Reclaim to your hotel's front door all obstacle considered."
Okay, I'll give you 7½ minutes average queueing time for the HX at LHR. But you can use some of that time productively by wandering down to the head of the train so you'll be closest to Praed Street when the train stops. I'll stand by 30 minutes as a good estimate.
And statements like "I would <b>never</b> use teh HEX if Victoria was my final destination" are just plain silly. What if the Piccadilly Line were undergoing planned works and the HX was covered by a Zone 6 Travelcard? What if you <i>absolutely</i> had to get to Grosvenor Square fifteen minutes sooner than the Tube or a car could get you there (this happened to me once)? "Never" is an extremely long time.
Then I thought it drifted into "how I would get from LHR to Victoria" and "how long it really takes to get from Baggage Reclaim to your hotel's front door all obstacle considered."
Okay, I'll give you 7½ minutes average queueing time for the HX at LHR. But you can use some of that time productively by wandering down to the head of the train so you'll be closest to Praed Street when the train stops. I'll stand by 30 minutes as a good estimate.
And statements like "I would <b>never</b> use teh HEX if Victoria was my final destination" are just plain silly. What if the Piccadilly Line were undergoing planned works and the HX was covered by a Zone 6 Travelcard? What if you <i>absolutely</i> had to get to Grosvenor Square fifteen minutes sooner than the Tube or a car could get you there (this happened to me once)? "Never" is an extremely long time.
