Till now, I've always used the Heathrow Express to get myself into London. It's fast, convenient--and, at $50, so expensive it makes me slightly queasy.

For my trip next week I'm considering using the Underground instead, but most tour books are less-than-enthusiastic about it if you've got much luggage and the train is crowded.

Can anyone give me a heads-up as to just how congested the Heathrow-to-Paddington trip is? I'll be changing at Hammersmith (unless there's a better way to get to Paddington?); my inbound trip will be around noon, my return trip about 7:30am; both will be mid-week; I'm carrying one small bag and one medium-ish bag.

Advice, please!

I don't think you can get a district line train bound for Paddington at Hammersmith...you can go out of the station and switch to the elevated Hammersmith line (you will need a travelcard or it's another fare I think)...it would seem the best way is to stay on the Picadilly to Earls Court and switch (escalator and a couple of very short flights of stairs) to the Edgeware Rd. train 4 stops to Paddington.

Yes it's a pain because of the change in trains but you're right you're speaking 4 quid against 14 quid...since you're getting on the Picadilly line at its first stop, you will be able to sit but be aware as the train heads into central London, it will crowd up.

Don't know what to tell you..it's convenience vs. cost.

Couple of comments:

The HEX doesn't cost $50 (Do you mean US$?) - it is less than $25 - or do you mean for 2 people?

If I was determined to use the tube I would NOT stay near Paddington. Any neighborhood along the Piccadilly line would be MUCH more convenient than the hoops you'd have to jump through to get to Paddington.

If for some reason you must stay near Paddington - then the extra £10 for the HEX would be very well worth it. Not only much easier, but 40 mins faster,

Janis...I do agree with you on a couple of things but to some people £10.20 which is sort of the difference between HEX and the tube might be important; a lot depends on the amount of luggage etc.

It's not all that bad to use the tube; at least I find it that way. I often stay in Bayswater and take the tube from Heathrow to Earls Court and switch to the Edgeware Rd. branch of the District line coming up from Wimbleton takes about 45 minutes the one change at Earls Court isn't too bad and Paddington is of course 1 stop farther. The OP spoke about having luggage which might and should to a degree skew the decision in favour of HEX; perhaps the OP is staying at one of the B&B's in the Lancaster Gate area and getting to Lancaster Gate underground from Heathrow means at least 2 changes unless one wants to go somewhat out of the way further into central London and double back and it is still a hike from either Paddington or Lancaster Gate underground...don't know of too many really good places to stay near Paddington myself.

Big question remains luggage. Without too much luggage the tube isn't all that bad to Paddington and since you are alighting at the first stop, you will certainly have a seat....

xyz123: I agree w/ you. I often take the tube in from LHR. But getting to Paddington via tube in a jet lagged stupor w/ any luggage in the a.m. (when most transatlantic flights arrive) is just to gruesome for me.

And if the OP is not actually staying at Paddington but near Bayswater Rd/Lancaster Gate it would be even worse.

Years ago I always stayed near Paddington because I didn't know any better. I lived outside Oxford and the train came in to Paddington and that was the nearest neighborhood. But since learning more about other parts of London, Paddington is one of my least favorite areas. I'd only stay there if I wanted to be steps from the HEX for a very early a.m. flight out.

What ARE these wimpish guide books you've been reading? Not only are they inventing non-existent problems, they're avoiding ones that do exist.

You're getting on the tube at the start of the line. If you were arriving during the early morning rush of arrivals, you MIGHT, sometimes, have to walk to the next carriage to get a seat. But at midday, the train will be empty at Heathrow.

It'll get a bit fuller by the time you get to Earl's Court: there might even be a few people standing. And it'll be like that on the District Line. While changing you MIGHT be delayed by brain-dead tourists (there's an awful lot of Ozzies in Earl's Court) clustering in the stupidest places or walking at the dilatory speed that might be OK back home but is antisocial in a real city. So add two minutes.

Going back to Heathrow, you're going against the traffic from Earl's Court and the train will be close to empty. But at 0730 you'll just hit the wave arriving at Paddington and getting onto the Circle Line. That train MIGHT be crowded. If tube trains get very, very crowded (and I'd say 0730 at Paddington is just a few minutes too early for that), it's usually sensible to let the train go and the next one is almost always a lot more bearable. But check that another train is coming reasonably soon.

So forget about crowds. The real problems with the tube are (and if your guide book doesn't mention them, sue the publishers for misrepresentation):

- delayed, unreliable trains, with the Circle/District being the worst offenders. Assume your train going back will be messed up and take one 10 mins earlier than you need

- unbearable heat. Not a problem in mid-October

- ghastly design of some corridors and staircases. The exit from the northbound District line at Paddington is one of the worst on the system (the southbound is OK), and getting a case up and down the narrow, twisting stairs off the platform is dreadful if you're in a crowd. Wait till all the passengers from your train have gone up the stairs before taking your case up. It's not a long staircase, so even weaklings like me can get cases up and down, but you can't do it comfortably surrounded by 200 other people.

Incidentally, the VERY congested stairs at Paddington are also a problem if you're arriving on the Hammersmith and City tube in either direction. During the evening rush hour, it's always worth allowing an extra 5-10 mins for this.

But no doubt the wallies masquerading as your guide book writers are too busy inventing stories about leprachauns to tell you that.