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-   -   Heathrow to St Pancras? (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/heathrow-to-st-pancras-1676006/)

ricster Jan 4th, 2020 04:59 AM

Heathrow to St Pancras?
 
You all have been so helpful so far with our transportation questions. We land at Heathrow at 6:45am on a Friday. We are staying near the Russell Square (or Holborn or Goodge are also close) tube stop. What is the best way to get from Heathrow? Do we take Heathrow Express to Paddington? And if so, what is the best way to get from there to Russell Square etc? Go through Kings Cross/St Pancras? Thanks for your help!

Tulips Jan 4th, 2020 05:30 AM

The easiest thing to do is to get the Piccadilly Line straight from Heathrow to Russel Square or Holborn; no transfers, just the one line.

thursdaysd Jan 4th, 2020 06:26 AM

Ditto on the Piccadilly Line (tube, known elsewhere as metro, subway etc.). Buy an Oyster card: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/

bilboburgler Jan 4th, 2020 06:58 AM

https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/

there is an app as well. note information on each route

Pepper_von_snoot Jan 4th, 2020 07:43 AM

At LHR, follow the signs to UNDERGROUND not Trains To London. After the moving walkway, you will see the ticketing machines to the Right. Buy an Oyster Card. Take the Piccadilly Line to Holborn or Russell Square.

Holborn is pronounced Hole Burn.

Thin,aristocrat 🚀

thursdaysd Jan 4th, 2020 08:07 AM


Holborn is pronounced Hole Burn.
Could not be more wrong. See: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionari...nglish/holborn

janisj Jan 4th, 2020 08:08 AM

Definitely 100% do NOT take the HEX to Paddington! Where exactly are you staying -- that will determine which station Russell Sq or Holborn. You do not have to go as far as St Pancras/Kings Cross.

However - how much luggage will you have? Hopefully you are traveling light because the tube can be a bear (especially exiting the stations) with large luggage. If you do have a lot of or large luggage, consider a pre-booked car service like justairports.com The driver will meet you as you exit Arrivals and drop you at the door. That would save the slog to the tube at LHR - no steps but a fairly long walk, and the slog at your destination station.

bilboburgler Jan 4th, 2020 08:08 AM

"Hole Burn" ...... :-) if only. Try O BuN

janisj Jan 4th, 2020 08:09 AM


Originally Posted by thursdaysd (Post 17039807)


But thin is an 'aristocrat' so he pronounces things funny ;)

Pepper_von_snoot Jan 4th, 2020 08:13 AM

Holborn is most definitely pronounced Hole Burn.

You are all daft.

Thin,aristocrat 🤓

janisj Jan 4th, 2020 08:14 AM

uh - no. It is not

greg Jan 4th, 2020 08:31 AM

I presume you know by the time you are on a tube, you will be traveling during the weekday morning rush hour.
If you have multiple contact less credit cards (you mentioned "we") it is possible to use them at tube turnstiles without buying Oyster Cards. However the is a big difference if you drop and lose your card during the hustles and bustles of going through the turnstiles. With an Oyster card, you loss is limited to the balance on the card while with credit cards, you need to block your cards and travel the rest of the trip with one less credit card.
https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/how-to-pay-...-pay-as-you-go

janisj Jan 4th, 2020 08:45 AM

>>With an Oyster card, you loss is limited to the balance on the card <<

There is no loss if you register the card . . .

The tube won't be terribly busy at 8AM and they would be boarding at the first station so would be guaranteed seats.

Dukey1 Jan 4th, 2020 08:57 AM

IM experience getting on the Tube at Heathrow means you are on the train BEFORE most of the so-called "rush hour" passengers.

jc_uk Jan 4th, 2020 08:57 AM


Originally Posted by janisj (Post 17039818)
uh - no. It is not

I've been a Southerner all my 43 years and I pronounce it "hole burn" and so does everyone I know.

rialtogrl Jan 4th, 2020 09:00 AM

Janis, as far as I know you cannot register an oystercard without a UK address... at least it was the case over the summer when I tried to register mine.

janisj Jan 4th, 2020 09:09 AM

Visitor travelcards can't be registered -- but AFAIK regular one can if you fiddle with the phone # and address fields. (I didn't do it but my cousin did - using her hotel post code)

janisj Jan 4th, 2020 09:10 AM


Originally Posted by jc_uk (Post 17039853)
I've been a Southerner all my 43 years and I pronounce it "hole burn" and so does everyone I know.

I have never heard the 'L' pronounced. (except by visitors who also pronounce Thames and Marylebone as they are spelled)

thursdaysd Jan 4th, 2020 09:17 AM

Perhaps he means he's an American southerner. I grew up in the Home Counties, lived in London for a while, have stayed in the LSE student residence in Holborn and have never heard the "l" pronounced. Besides - the Oxford dictionary is a better authority than any random internet poster.

historytraveler Jan 4th, 2020 09:26 AM

I used my contactless credit card on the Tube and bus on my trip last summer. Couldn’t have been easier. Didn’t have to worry about Oyster card purchase or travel cards.


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