Heathrow to Waterloo - How Long
 

Hi,

I am going to be arriving at Heathrow at 10:30(am) on a Sunday morning. Then I have to go to Waterloo station to catch the train to Brussels. I'd like to book the train departing at 14:13. I'm planning on using a car service to get from Heathrow to Waterloo (I don't want to drag my luggage on the tube). I'm thinking this should be plenty of time to get through customs and travel to Waterloo station, even if the plane is a bit late, but would like some second opinions. The next train is at 16:39 and since I still have to take another train from Brussels to my final destination, I'd like to leave as early as possible.

Thanks in advance!

On a Sunday morning, a car shouldn't take more than 45 minutes - or a bit longer than it'd take you to walk to the Heathrow Express, get a train into town, get the escalator to the Bakerloo line, then the escalator to the Eurostar checkin. And about ten minutes longer than the plane'll take to Brussels (where the airport is on the railway system). Allow another 15 mins for geting from the Customs exit to where the car's actually parked, waiting for the idiots in front of your driver to demonstrate their techno-blindness with the pay machines and queueing behind the prat at the carpark exit who forgot to pay before driving to the barriers.

But chacun...

Just remember though that you need to be at Waterloo early to checkin (times vary by what class you're booked), and that bags routinely take up to 75 mins from the time your plane's touched down to pop onto the carousels at T3 and T1.

Why don't you fly from Heathrow to Brussels? Even if you get the earlier train you won't be in Brussels before 5:30pm and the later one after 8:00pm

It's going to be easier - and probably cheaper - than schlepping into town.

Eurostar makes sense if you are travelling city centre to city centre but not if there's a whacking great airport by your start point

BA, BMI & Brussels Airlines all fly there so finding a suitable flight won't be a problem

I totally agree. The train makes perfect sense if one is already in London. But if you are at LHR, flying directly on to Brussels is faster, cheaper, and a heck of a lot less hassle . . . . .

As for Heathrow-Waterloo - i went via way of Feltham last year - bus from Heathrow terminals 1,2,3 unified bus stop to Feltham train station for train to Waterloo - easy with luggage and cheap.

Thanks for the replies.

So, even if it should take about two hours to get my luggage and do customs, another hour to go from Heathrow to Waterloo, that should get me at Waterloo in plenty of time to check in for the train (30 minutes before departure).

I'm taking the train because it's what I prefer. I do better on them than I do planes (physically) and I'm looking forward to seeing some countryside on the train.

I'm taking a car service because I do not want to deal with dragging my luggage around and transferring trains especially as I'm not familiar with the system. I don't mind paying for the convenience of getting in the vehicle at the airport and getting out at my destination.