Heathrow transfer for 6
 

I'm traveling with a group of 6 in March 2005 to London, flying into Heathrow and staying at the Thistle Westminster Hotel for 6 nights. There appear to be many options for transportation from the airport, but frankly between the tales of traffic woes for street vehicles, and the inconvenience of luggage on the tube, I'm left wondering what to do.

Can anyone share some stories on the best/worst ways to get from Heathrow to Central London (Victoria station area)?

Appreciate any insight!

Cheapest is the tube. One transfer required to get to Victoria Station. Cost: 3.80 GBP. Best for people traveling light without a lot of baggage to schlep and who don't mind walking from the station to the hotel.

Coach: National Express directly from Heathrow to Victoria Coach Station. Cost: 10.00 GBP single or 15.00 GBP return. Either carry your luggage or take a taxi to your hotel from there.

Car service or taxi: Best for people for whom convenience is important after an all-night flight or who have a lot of luggage and need door-to-door service. Fodorites recommend several car services, the cheapest probably being www.justairports.com because of the discount given for paying in cash. Cost for a MPV (minivan) is 40 GBP cash of 61 GBP credit card. Cost for an estate car (station wagon) is 28 GBP cash or 37 GBP credit card. A saloon car (sedan) is even less. The cost of a taxi, of course, is dependent upon how long the meter is running.

"Inconvenience of luggage on the tube?"

1. You put the luggage in at Heathrow.
2. You ride to Piccadilly Circus.
3. You take the luggage out.
4. You take taxis to your hotel.

Just like any other train (or plane, for that matter). Are you 6 adults, or are there children?

If you have a long flight jet lag will be a factor, I would recommend a car service to pick your group up at Heathrow rather then taking the tube. I have recommended Ray Skinner, www.london-transfers.com many times and we also have used him many times .. never had any problems. You do need to advise any car service you use how many are in your group tho, 6 people would require a large van.

Personally, I would not take the tube if I had alot of luggage - I know many do it, but it does not look like a great way to start a vacation (and this is only my opinion). Getting luggage up and down stairs is not alot of fun. If any of your group are small children it will be even less fun.

As for traffic, we really have never had any major problems getting in (or out) of London when we used Ray's service. Good drivers know all the side streets. I think the longest it ever took us getting from Heathrow into central London was 45-50 min. but it does depend on the time of day.

I would NOT take a taxi (with 6 people I would think you would need two taxi's anyway). Taxi's charge by meter whereas car service charge a flat fee, plus tip of course.

Also - the Picadilly Line stop at Term. 4 is closed for repair work I believe,for about a year. You would need to take a bus or get over to Term 3 to take the tube. That sounds like more trouble then it is worth with a group of people.

As usual, Robespierre has a good idea. It combines the economy of the tube with only a short taxi ride and gives you virtual door-to-door service. It's cheaper than what I said above about taking a coach to Victoria and a taxi from there. However, since I travel light, I would just take the tube all the way and walk to the hotel myself. If you have lots of luggage or if there are children in your party, then that wouldn't work very well, of course.

I most often take the tube, or sometimes a car service.

BUT for a group of 6, jetlagged and probably tired/grumpy after an overnight flight -- I would NEVER recommend the tube. And if you do take the tube, do NOT get off at Picadilly Circus. It is one of the most crowded, confusing tube stations. You will probably use it several times during your visit w/o any problems -- but please, not as your group's first experience on the tube . . . besides P. Circus makes ABSOLUTELY no sense for your hotel's location. If you take the tube - go to Hammersmith, change lines (no stairs -- just walk across the platform) to District and get off at Victoria. it is a short walk to the hotel.

Whether you take the tube or not should depend not so much on the location of your hotel -- but on the ages, stamina, and amount of luggage everying is schlepping. If everyone is fit, and if they pack fairly light - then yes take the tube. Otherewise arrange a car service as mentioned above.

According to Expedia, Victoria tube station is a short walk to Thistle <u>Victoria</u>. Says it's almost a km to the Westminster. Can anyone confirm or deny?

One 50-minute tube ride (no connections) and a 5-minute cab.

What's not to like?

I never understand this, you spend thousands of dollars on your flights, on your accommodation, on meals, on sightseeing, but when it comes to something so vital as actually getting into the city you all have to take the cheapest option.

For under twenty dollars per person you can have a comfortable private car transfer instead of messing around with all this tube nonsense. If you can't afford that, then quite frankly you shouldn't be travelling.

Perhaps, but to people with important things to do, the time saved is the important element. I hope your private car is comfortable, because you're going to be stuck sitting in it while I have a leisurely shower and get ready for my business meeting.

Besides, you meet a nice class of people in the tube. In fact, the Waterloo &amp; City line was built specifically to accommodate the carriage trade who have better things to do than sit in gridlocked limousines, which they can easily afford.

&quot;you meet a nice class of people in the tube&quot;

My dear, the state of the people I see emerging from stations would indicate otherwise. Even the business-persons wear cheap suits.

Heathrow to London for me is always traffic free, it takes forty minutes at most, which is preferable to having to sit in an uncomfortable carrriage with strangers who don't even use cheap perfumes.

And I see people alighting at Bank who could buy your house out of their checking accounts.

All good thoughts...

The Thistle Westminster is located on Buckingham Palace Road, 1-2 blocks away from Victoria Rail Station, toward Buckingham Palace.

I'm leaning toward reserving a car service only for the beginning of the trip: mainly because of jet-lag factor, and because I'm traveling with more elderly folks (my in-laws), not kids actually. We will be using the Tube for the week as our main mode of transport, so I'm sure for coming home, that would be the choice back to Heathrow.

Thanks for the advice. Looking forward to the trip!

You could take a NationalExpress.com bus straight from Heathrow to Victoria. I'm not sure how the cost for 6 would compare to a car service, but sometimes there are special rates for families and groups.

As long as everyone in your party can manage their own luggage, the tube is an inexpensive way to get into town.

For a party of 6, it would probably be cheaper to hire a private driver than taking the Heathrow Express. We've used <b>www.london-transfers.com</b> on occassion, but we usually take the tube (from someone who doesn't consider transport from the airport one of the crucial parts of my vacation.) :)

<b><i>If you get a BritRailPass</i></b>

The Heathrow Express (train into Paddington) is included - and it gets you to London in 15 minutes!

Check out justairports.com. We use them roundtrip Heatrow to So. Kens. Their prices were very reasonable (much less than taxi), and the were right on time, exactly where they said they'd meet us. If you pay cash (instead of credit), the price is the lower.

We had am 'estate' vehicle (minivan) for 4 of us. You may need sonmething a little bigger for 6.

Just returned from London yesterday. Our family of four includes two kids ages 10 and 13. We stayed at Rubens at the Palace, which is about a block or two from the Thistle Westminster. I believe your hotel is only 1 or 2 blocks from Victoria Station.

We took the tube. From Heathrow, the Piccadilly line takes you to Green Park, where you transfer to the Victoria line. From there, the very next stop is Victoria. The whole trip takes about 45 minutes. Make sure your luggage is on rollers. You will have to climb a couple of flights of stairs at the Green Park station, which is no big deal unless your suitcases are large (my wife and both kids were able to manage with no trouble). The key is to avoid overpacking!

Have fun!
Dave

While DaveW's suggestion (changing to Victoria line at Green Park) is OK if you want to take the tube -- it is better to change from the Picadilly to the District line at Hammersmith and continue on to Victoria.

At Hammersmith station you do not have to climb any stairs or even change platforms. You simply cross the platform to catch the other line -- a matter of a few feet.