I am traveling to England this April for a month. I will be traveling solo and would like to give special thanks to Lea Lane for her book “Solo Traveler” it was full of great tips, fun stories and was incredibly inspiring. I have enjoyed this forum and have gained loads of insight and tips, thanks to all.

I was wondering if anyone can give me advise on getting from Heathrow Airport to the Waterloo station. I am staying in Gosport and will travel by train to Portsmouth Harbor and take the ferry onto Gosport.

Also, I would like to purchase my RT train ticket through the National Rail website but need help clarifying what the difference is btwn London Waterloo and London Waterloo East. One more quick question - it asks you to choose a vendor at time of purchase, there are a ton listed, how do I know which one to choose.

Thanks for the help.
Cheers!

Do you really want to go into London? There's any number of threads to search for on this board about the relative merits of:
- the 285 bus to Feltham, then the train
- the Heathrow Express then the Bakerloo tube
- the tube all the way, with a subsidiary debate about the best place to change.

But actually the quickest way to Portsmouth (if the only 3-4 times a day National Express direct bus isn't convenient) is the Railair bus to Woking, then the train. Both half-hourly.

If you have to go via central London, the quickest way is to take the Heathrow Express to Paddington and the London Underground Bakerloo Line from there to Waterloo. Direct trains from London to Portsmouth are with South West Trains

Waterloo East is an adjoining station on lines into London from Kent. For your purposes, you can safely ignore it.

However, if you just want to get direct from Heathrow to Portsmouth, the simplest way is to take the Railair bus from Heathrow to Woking and pick up the Portsmouth train there. Much less stress and luggage-handling and probably no longer in time.

http://tinyurl.com/rgwds for details of the Railair bus.

Thanks friends. Great advice. I didn't even think I may not need to go into London at all.
Best wishes & Happy traveling!!!
: ^ ) !!!!

I've never taken a train from Heathrow. Where is the station, and how does one get to it?

The Heathrow Express - just follow the signs, you go down an elevator and take a fairly long walk but it's easy to find.

Sorry. I've ridden the HX many times. I mean if you're heading west.

There's no train west from Heathrow.

You get a bus to Watford, Woking or Reading stations, get the HEX back to Paddington or take the Heathrow Connect to Hayes & Harlington. All then connect with westbound trains.