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-   -   Heathrow to hotel while Trooping the Colour Going on (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/heathrow-to-hotel-while-trooping-the-colour-going-on-975089/)

tampaFL42 Apr 20th, 2013 11:02 AM

Heathrow to hotel while Trooping the Colour Going on
 
Arriving in London on June 15. Flight lands at 11:05 a.m. at Heathrow. Hotel on Trafalgar Square.

I see three options on getting to hotel under normal circumstances:

1. Taxi directly to hotel (my preference, regardless of cost; door-to-door)
2. Heathrow Express to Paddington/Tube to to Charing Cross
3. Tube all the way from Heathrow to Charing Cross (stopping at 19 stations!)

With road closures for event and timing of arrival, what would be the most hassle free option to get from Heathrow to hotel?

Thanks.

Ackislander Apr 20th, 2013 12:19 PM

What is the address of the hotel?

Havana128 Apr 20th, 2013 01:35 PM

2 or 3.

Avalon2 Apr 20th, 2013 02:35 PM

Justairports will be so much cheaper than a taxi. They meet you as you exit customs and passport control handle your luggage and drop you at the door of your hotel!!

janisj Apr 20th, 2013 05:04 PM

>>1. Taxi directly to hotel (my preference, regardless of cost; door-to-door)<<

Silly idea - as Avalon says a pre-booked car service is much cheaper than a taxi and is even <i>more</i> door-to-door' than a cab since they meet you as you exit baggage claim/arrivals hall and you don't have to schlepp to the taxi stand.

#2 worse yet since the HEX is costly and you STILL need a taxi. and a lot more schlepping.

#3 is absolutely fine - and likely faster that a car service or taxi. But book a car service if you don't want to schlepp . . .

PatrickLondon Apr 20th, 2013 09:50 PM

Trooping the Colour has no great effect on public transport or traffic except in the immediate area of the Mall, which is to say that it won't affect your plans.

If you do want to do the tube option, change at Hammersmith (just walk a few steps across the platform) to the eastbound District Line to Embankment and walk from there.

flanneruk Apr 20th, 2013 11:15 PM

For once I think Patrick's misunderstood.

Trooping the Colour messes up all surface transport from Hyde Park Corner to Admiralty Arch, and south as far as Victoria, from 1000 to 1300/1330. This makes Traf Sq inaccessible by the direct route from the West till 1345ish and forces cabs from LHR (or Paddington) into a Great Circle approach that practically goes via Birmingham and Amsterdam (actually: A316, M40, A40, Bloomsbury). A cab from the HEX to Traf Sq, in consequence, will cost about the same as a transatlantic flight.

The poster should be getting out of a terminal around 1200. Even under normal circs, the tube takes the same amount of time as a taxi or HEX (the 19 stations could be 119 for all the difference they make. 19 x 20 seconds is still less than one malfunctioning or rescheduled traffic light). That time of that day, on that route, any kind of car will take twice as long as the tube.

The choice is tube vs prebooked car. Depends on whether the insupportable hassle of carrying a case from the westernmost Charing Cross tube exit is more hassle than sitting in a car on the Marylebone Rd flyover for half an hour.

tampaFL42 Apr 27th, 2013 05:50 AM

Thank you everyone for feedback. Much appreciated! Anyone else with an opinion, please continue to chime in.

PatrickLondon Apr 27th, 2013 06:13 AM

>>Trooping the Colour messes up all surface transport from Hyde Park Corner to Admiralty Arch, and south as far as Victoria, from 1000 to 1300/1330. This makes Traf Sq inaccessible by the direct route from the West till 1345ish<<

All along Chelsea Embankment, Millbank and Parliament Square as well?


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