Genesea

Hi ... after a few days in Bristol, I'm returning by coach to Heathrow at 10:30am. I need to get to Waterloo for the EuroRail leaving at 1pm. Should I buy a tube ticket in advance? Or can I wing it?<BR><BR>Thanks!

Anthony Pink

You can't reserve tickets on the Underground. Give yourself a good hour to get to Waterloo from Heathrow. Take the Piccadilly line and change for the Northern (Southbound) at Leicester Square. It is a very frequent service.

PatrickW

Hmm, don't forget you need to be at the Eurostar check-in about 12.30 p.m. I would worry a bit about the actual time the coach trip gets back to Heathrow. If it is 10.30 a.m. you should have time for Anthony's routing, which is the cheaper option too. A quicker (about 40 minutes) but more expensive alternative would be to take the Heathrow Express to Paddington and the Bakerloo line from there on the tube.

janis

Actually 12:30 could be cutting it close for a 1PM train. There is a security screening at Waterloo just as at an airport. Sometimes it is very fast but sometimes there is a long queue that can take 1/2 and hour or more.<BR><BR>So I would plan on being at Waterloo by noon. For convenience I would take the Paddington Express and then a taxi from Paddington to Waterloo. A LOT less schlepping of bags. But this route would be more expensive.

Red

Totally agree with Janis. The cab ride is not expensive. I wouldn't risk taking the underground from Paddington with such a tight timeframe.

Ben Haines

<BR>Re Heathrow to Waterloo: Fodors<BR>Genesea &lt;[email protected]&gt;<BR><BR>May I take a step back, and ask whether you can take the train from Bristol to Paddington ? If time allows, you can cut out much luggage handling on the direct train which runs Sundays excepted from Bristol Temple Meads at 0847 to Waterloo at 1120. On the platform at Waterloo are luggage trolleys for the transfer by lift to the Eurostar platforms. Otherwise, on a weekday you can leave Bristol Temple Meads in a buffet car train at 0815, 0845, and every half hour, and reach Paddington in 100 minutes. You need to reserve a seat on this train: you can do that by phone. <BR><BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to England.<BR><BR>Ben Haines, London

Genesea

Well, I checked my EuroStar departure time, and it's actually 13:54pm ... so in light of this, do we need to take a taxi? We're two college students without heavy luggage and would prefer the most reasonably priced travel route.<BR><BR>Thanks all. =)

Genesea

Well, I checked my EuroStar departure time, and it's actually 13:54pm ... so in light of this, do we need to take a taxi? We're two college students without heavy luggage and would prefer the most reasonably priced travel route.<BR><BR>Thanks all. =)

Ben Haines

The original poster wrote to me by e-mail, and I replied:<BR><BR>Dear Ms Carter,<BR><BR>The route from Heathrow is this. Arrive at Heathrow airport bus centre. Pick up a trolley, wheel your bags five or ten minutes to Heathrow tube station. Buy your ticket, go down the escalator, board the next train for Piccadilly Circus. Five minute walk, with styairs, to the Bakerloo Line, and so to Waterloo. Up stairs and escalators to the main station, and down by lift to the Eurostar station. Total time from the bus centre in Heathrow to Waterloo International station 70 minutes.<BR><BR>Your original question, do you need to reserve a tube ticket, has been correctly answered, no. Indeed, you cannot.<BR><BR>If you cannot recoup the cost of the coach tickets and so cannot go by rail you might see whether you can extend the coach tickets, to take you from Bristol to Victoria Coach station in London. From there you can take bus number 211 in 30 minutes or less to Waterloo.<BR><BR>The train from Bristol via salisbury to Waterloo takes you to a platform 30 yards from the Eurostar train terminal. I know no tube system that is simpler than that.<BR><BR>I learn that you mean to board Eurostar at 13.53. Good: you will not need to leave Bristol as early as I thought. So on a weekday I suggest Bristol Temple Meads 0922, Salisbury 1030 to 1126, Waterloo 1253.<BR><BR>Ben Haines

Vincent

If, for any reason, you decide to take the Heathrow Express to Paddington, then to Waterloo, forget about the taxi alternative. Not only will it set you back at least &pound; 10-12, but the queues at Paddington taxi stand are always huge, whatever the time of the day (20-30 mn). So, you're better off taking the Bakerloo line, which is direct to Waterloo and arrives just under the Eurostar terminal.