Hotelink or the Tube
 

My husband and I are travelling to London in January and we are arriving at Heathrow Airport. How "easy" is the tube to use when you're carrying 2 bags each? Are there luggage racks on the tube? Would you recommend the tube or Hotelink to get from Heathrow to Ibis Earl's Court hotel?

Thanks for any advice you can provide!

We are in our 50s. We had 2 large bags and 2 carryons. Took the tube to Charing Cross to & from Heathrow, made a change I think at Picadilly. Not a big problem, but there were some steps.

Unfortunately your hotel is not on a direct tube link from LHR. It is about 400 yards from the West Brompton tube station. So not only would you need to schlep the luggage from arrivals to the LHR tube station and into London, you have to change lines and then walk a quarter mile.

None of that would be bad w/ minimal luggage (why two suitcases each? But that is a different question) but I wouldn't want to do it w/ dragging 2 bags. Thare are no luggage racks, you must keep your luggage by your side. But since you'd be getting on at the beginning of the line - not really a problem.

I personally don't like HotelLink - but that is just me. It is sort of like SuperShuttle in the States. You have no control over how long the trip takes because they will take passengers to several hotels.

I would book a car service like justairports.com. About £30 door to door.

Oh - to clarify - that would be £30 for the car, not per person.

Starting off from Heathrow is a piece of cake - the trains are empty there.

The only caveat is that the Ibis Earls Court is a quarter hour walk from the Warwick Road end of Earls Court Tube Station past the Earls Court Exhibition Centre or a short bus ride on the 74 bus.

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The http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk will give you details including maps

I used to take Hotelink but got fed up with their schedules and increasing prices. Likewise I would not take the Tube unless all I had was a backpack. Try justairports.com, it's about the same price as two tickets for Hotelink.

Thanks so much for all the advice!

JanisJ we will each have a suitcase and a small carry-on. I checked out the justairports site - it seems perfect thanks for the tip.

One more question now... justairports gives you 40 minutes of "free waiting" after the plane touches down. Is that enough time to go through customs and get your luggage?

Thanks!

No

To complete my answer

No, on some days you won't even be off the plane in 40 minutes. I normally allow an hour from landing to going through Customs - and I'm British

Customs isn't your problem - it is immigration. Customs is basically just walking through a doorway.

But Just airports factors in the estimated time. Unless you you get really delayed at immigration, you will be fine. If they are early, they park offsite and wait untill your plane actually is at a gate before they move to arrivals.

They seem to have it down to a science and there is usually no problem w/ fees for extra standing time . . . .

In my last trip to London, I arrived at T2 at Heathrow and my friend from Edinburgh at T1. We booked a JustAirports car to meet us at T1. My friend had a problem in baggage claim (the baggage from her flight was delayed for a bit more than an hour) but she phoned with her mobile to the driver and also to me, I met him and he waited for my friend to arrive. He didn't ask for more money, my friend gave him a bigger tip , though :)