Heathrow Express or cab for 4?
 

We are flying into London on March 31, 2011. There are 4 of us in our family. Just wondering if it is best to take the Heathrow Express or a cab? We are staying over by St. Paul's Cathedral. First class is $146 or Second class is $94 for the 4 of us. Is there a big difference between the two classes and is it worth it. The website says it is only a 15 minute ride. The only reason I am thinking about the First class is usually we have found it is not as crowded. Also, this would only be a one way ticket because we are going over to Paris later.

Here again, should we just simply take a cab? How much do you think that would be and would it take a tremendously longer time to get into town?

Book justairports private shuttle service . It will be less expensive than eithe the HEX or a taxi

"<i>Heathrow Express or cab for 4?</i>"

<u>Neither</u> one.

A car service - Justairports mentioned above, or http://www.london-transfers.com/

Get a quote from both. Either would be better and much cheaper than a cab or the HEX (plus the Hex only gets you to Paddington and you'd still have an expensive cab journey from there to St Paul's)

Or take the tube from Heathrow and change at Holborn to the central line St Paul's or Bank station.

sure - the tube is an option. But my guess is the OP doesn't want to schlepp the bags on the tube after an overnight flight. And <u>exactly</u> where they are staying will make a difference re tube options and how much walking is involved. "Over by St Paul's" doesn't tell us enough.

I take the tube -- but for a group of 4, a car service easy, economical and door-to-door.

Thank you for the great advice. Never even thought of a car service. I received a quote from both and it sounds like they are just a few pounds different from each other. This does sound much better than schlepping our bags around the tubes. (We are staying at the Cheval Calico House on Bow Lane. It looks nice and they have been great to work with- don't know much about the area, however it is right close to a tube stop.)

Does anyone know if either car service is better than the other? (london-tranfers or Justairports)?

I've used both london-transfers and just airports and I find Just Airports WAY more professional and reliable. it has been a couple of years since i used either one, though as we now use the tube.

Both are totally fine. You can pick whichever gave you the best quote (I've used both more than once).

I really like Ray Skinner - but have been totally satisfied w/ justairports too.

Oh -- meant to add -- that location will be quiet at nights and weekend, but you are just around the corner from St Mary-le-Bow where they do lunch time concerts and w/i a short walk of St Paul's

Bow Lane is an interesting location. Ordinarily, one wouldn't think too much to the idea of staying in the City unless you were there on business, since it's the finance and legal district, and not primarily residential. But there are some small enclaves of "normal" life there, one of which is Bow Lane - it's a little lane full of shops, pubs and so on, though as Janis says, quiet at weekends and in the evenings. Another such area, if Bow Lane should prove too quiet, is between St Pauls and Blackfriars, down Carter Lane/ St Andrews Hill/ Black Friars Lane

It's funny that you should mention that about that area because I was thinking the same thing. We actually just changed it this morning to a lovely flat in the Notting Hill Gate area. Much closer to some little shops, a couple of nice pubs and a very beautiful residential area. This will suit our needs much better.

Thank you for the great advice on the transportation from Heathrow everyone. Now I'm off to the France forum to ask the same question about Paris-(Charles de Gaulle airport)!

<<< But my guess is the OP doesn't want to schlepp the bags on the tube after an overnight flight. >>>

Or didn't know about the Tube option from LHR - I suspect many guidebooks don't cover it very well and give emphasis to the HEX even though most people here know it's one of the worst options.

Buy a round trip ticket on the Hethrow Express to London and then during your whole time in London you can use the tickets to get 2 for 1 entries at many expensive attractions.

You have to print vouchers before from the 2 for 1 London site but with a paper train ticket like that it is my understanding then you get 2 for 1 the whole time until returning to heathroq

one reason that taking the Heathrow Express may be a money-savings option.

alanRow:

What is the tube option? Our intent is to use the underground travel card anyways so it seems like it would be almost easier (and more economical) to just use the tube? Maybe we should just use that? You mentioned that most people from there think the HEX is the worst option, why?

PalenQ:

I will also look into the 2 for 1entries. That sounds interesting too. Is there a specific website for that?

Days Out Guide - London attractions with train tickets | London ...
Get 2FOR1 entry into top London attractions, theatres and restaurants when you travel by ... We're offering 2FOR1 entry to over 150 top London attractions, ...
www.daysoutguide.co.uk/ -

Now this was debated recently and no one could defininitely determine whether the Heathrow Exress was a national rail ticket, which i believe it must be - but i guess the only way to know would be to contact the 2 for 1 folks - if so could reap immense benefits.

I am looking for a definitive answer meeself

If staying in Notting Hill, the Heathrow Express to Paddington would be an option, take a taxi from there. Or from Heathrow on the tube, change at Earls Court and take district or circle line northbound 2 stops to Notting Hill station.

The HEX for 4 people will be almost double the cost of a shuttle

Now that you've changed to Notting Hill, the tube probably isn't your best option. Unless you are on a really tight budget, a car service is best for a party of 4.

The HEX or Heathrow Connect + a taxi willcost much more.

BUT -- where <u>exactly</u> is the new flat? Some owners take real liberties describing their locations - especially where Notting Hill is concerned.

The Tube is great for your day-to-day travel around London -- but sometimes not for your arrival/travel in from the airport. factors like exhaustion/confusion, luggage come into play. A car service lets you sit back/relax and be delivered right to your front door.

We are not on a tight budget fortunately so I do believe that it will be better for our family to just do a car service. That actually sounds the best to us and the easiest. We travel pretty light so we really only ever have carry-ons tom deal with.

The apartment I had mentioned before is in the Notting Hill Gate area. It is right off Campden Hill road and Kensington Place. I have Google-mapped the area and looked at their street view scenes of the area. Not really far from the Notting Hill Gate tube stop.

Heathrow Express is the most expensive option from Heathrow and only gets you to Paddington anyway. We would never recommend that travellers take it, there are better options. The tube is the cheapest way to travel and we have travelled many times to all the London airports and managed with suitcases. There are steps but unless you are on your own and have 4 huge bags, it's not that hard and saves a lot of money. The Heathrow Connect is another train that travels from Heathrow but it stops a few times on the way. It's a bit cheaper than the HEX. Other options are a taxi (expensive) or a car service.

Kay

<<< You mentioned that most people from there think the HEX is the worst option, why? >>>

The cost, the fact it puts you at Paddington which almost always mean another journey to your final destination plus if you arrive early in the morning you end up at Paddington fighting it out with hundreds of thousands of people trying to get to work

<<< The apartment I had mentioned before is in the Notting Hill Gate area. It is right off Campden Hill road and Kensington Place. >>>

Tube to Hammersmith, walk a few feet to the adjacent platform, Tube to Earls Court, wait on same platform take Tube to Notting Hill. Walk for a few minutes. Cost £4.50 per person. Unfortunately you are nowhere near a train station to pick up the correct Travelcards for the 2-4-1 offers. I'd send someone off to Paddington to do the dirty and come back

For up to 6 passengers London Transfers is 54 british pounds from Heathrow.

"<i>For up to 6 passengers London Transfers is 54 british pounds from Heathrow.</i>"

That depends - on the destination, amount of luggage, and number of people. They charge less for 3 or 4 than for 6. More for 2 w/ a ton of bags than for 3 w/ just carry-on's, etc.

Can't just make a blanket statement like that.

ARGH. PalenQ gave you <b>bad</b> advice on the 2-for-1 offers. She completely muddied the waters in this case. The HEX (120 quid RT for four) plus cab (probably 30 quid from Paddington to St. Paul's, each way) will wipe out your 2for1 savings. <b>Do not do that.</b>

Here's what to do for the 2for1 options and save money by hiring a car service:

(1) Go to daysoutguide.co.uk and print every gawdang voucher you would conceive of using. Just keep them in a little folder or something. It's not that hard.

(2) When you arrive at your hotel, walk over to London Bridge station (appropriately, right across the London Bridge), go to the ticket booth AT THE LONDON BRIDGE NATIONAL RAIL STATION and purchase 7-day London travelcards from a manned booth. Do not go into the Underground (Tube) station and ask for the travelcard. Find a ticket agent on the level that has the ubiquitous Boots, M&S Simply Food and 15-20 other shops. You will receive a credit card sized paper ticket (with plastic coating) with orange top and bottom borders.

(3) Go to whatever attraction you want. Present your travelcards both of you who will be covered by the 2-fer) and the voucher and you will pay one price for the two of you.

This is not a hardship. The transaction takes mere minutes. And the savings is HUGE.

You're looking at saving 13 GBP on Hampton Court Palace (that's nearly lunch), 17 at the Tower (that is lunch, and there's a good pub under the DLR tracks about two blocks from the Tower Hill Tube station), another pile at the Cabinet War Rooms, a nice snack from your savings at Courtald Gallery, ditto from a Fat Tire tour, etc. Count it up -- the savings from two-fers only at the Tower, Hampton Ct. Palace, and Cabinet War Rooms is 44.95 GBP. That's nearly $68.

And if you buy the 7-day travelcard, you DO NOT NEED AN OYSTER CARD. They serve the same function for you.

Also: if you're going to Windsor Castle -- buy a ticket at the manned booth at Paddington/Waterloo (probably Waterloo because it's closer to St. Paul's area) and they may have a discount offer for ticket entry. Windsor is not on the 2-for-1 offer list.

There's also 2-4-1 on the London Eye currently - that's another £18 saved

<<< Also: if you're going to Windsor Castle -- buy a ticket at the manned booth at Paddington/Waterloo (probably Waterloo because it's closer to St. Paul's area) >>>

It's quicker to take the bus than Tube from St Pauls to Waterloo - it's also direct

See http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk