GiuliaPiraino

We arrive at 6:50 a.m. at London Heathrow and would like to get to St Pacras station as inexpensively as possible. We'll be checking baggage, so given time to collect baggage and the possibility of the plane being delayed in arrival, what's the soonest time we can arrange for a train ticket to Paris? I don't want to cut it too close since we'll have a baby in tow and running to catch a train by the skin of our teeth probably isn't going to happen!

Also, we were hoping to grab something to eat near the station if we can give ourselves enough time.

So anyone who's BTDT, how much time do we need?

Is the Heathrow Express our only option or are there slower less expensive routes? We'd rather not take a bus if possible.

Thanks!

(Any tip on a decent place to grab a bite near the station would be appreciated as well!)

GiuliaPiraino

Sorry I meant Pancras not Pacras, these darn phones are difficult to type on!

PatrickLondon

You can reassure yourself that buses aren't an option. Heathrow Express + Circle Line is quicker than the Piccadilly Line direct, but not by a great deal - and it is more expensive, and you have to change at Paddington (not too difficult, but still an added inconvenience).

From when you clear immigration and collect your baggage, allow at least an hour transit time, on top of which Eurostar advise you to check in at least 45 minutes before train departure time. There are plenty of food outlets at St Pancras before check-in, and a couple inside the lounge. So allow at least two hours, plus however long it takes to get through immigration and pick up your baggage - which others with more recent experience could advise on.

janisj

OK -- you want to get to Paris but are landing at LHR. To get to Paris you have to dash across all of London (w/ an infant no less), grab a meal, and catch the train, getting to Paris 2.5 hours later. Meaning getting to Paris 6 to 8 hours after landing at LHR and w/ a lot of luggage schlepping.

The Eurostar is a great way to get from <i>central</i> London to Paris. But you aren't starting from central London. You are starting 20 miles west of London.

So if it was me-- I'd book a flight from LHR to CDG maybe 2 or 3 hours after my scheduled arrival and check my bags all the way through. This would be less hassle. If you are going back to London later in the trip, you can use the Eurostar then.

Brizman

Signed on only to see Patrick's reply - pretty much what I would say. We used the Piccadilly line to exit Heathrow - cheaper and easy. I would hook onto the Victoria Line at Green Park and get to St Pancras that way. I assume you have logged onto Eurostar to view the timetable - if it were me, I'd plan for an early afternoon departure (around noon or 2pm)and book on line - I think you can get a flexible fare which would help if you miss a particular train or get there early. But it's much more expensive. With the cheaper prices, if you miss the train you lose your money and have to pay again. On the plus side, if you pay online with a credit card that has a chip, you just walk up to the automatic machines, push in the card, type in your details and it produces your tickets - while the others queue up and wait. Not with a baby I'm thinking!

I think Patrick's time frame would work, but I'd feel safer with longer. In terms of getting through customs/immigration - how long is a piece of string? An hour - for safety? Snacks are not a problem inside St Pancras - just a bit pricey as I recall, but that's standard with transport terminals. Also, I've been told there is a cash machine after the check in, so you don't need to use the high cost currency exchange operators outside.

Good luck - it's always a gamble trying to make connections and if you are linking low cost options it's even more challenging.

alanRow

I'd go with janisj's suggestion just from the logistics. If you pick a flight the same time as the Eurostar departure you immediately gain an hour to make the connection as you, at worst, just have to change terminals with luggage rather than spend an hour travelling. In the best case you get your luggage checked through to Paris so you don't have to bother with UK immigration and baggage collection which saves you another hour.

So

1) See if you can add an extra leg to your tickets from LHR to CDG
2) If not then book a separate connecting flight with the same airline and see if you can link them
3) If not then book a separate connecting flight with a different airline then ask at check-in if you can check luggage through

flanneruk

"I would hook onto the Victoria Line at Green Park"

Never in a million years with luggage and a baby.

There IS a lift for this connection, but it's almost impossible to find, and you'll be dragging things (and child) up stairs. Even if you do find the lift, the time it takes to tramp between the two lines and wait for the next train is ALWAYS longer than the few minutes saved on the faster journey time. And you'll often struggle to find a seat or anywhere for your bags.

Just get the tube at Heathrow and get off at St P.

GiuliaPiraino

Thank you. Unfortunately we had to move Paris to the beginning of the trip. We'll be coming back to London for a week before we leave. Continental doesn't have a direct flight from LHR to CDG which seems crazy but sadly it's true.

AlanRow what do you mean with #3, checking the baggage all the way through on a different airline??? I still have to collect it from Continental, yes? Or am I misunderstanding?

SimonX

I definitely agree with previous posters; Underground, Piccadilly Line from Heathrow right through to Kings Cross St Pancras is cheapest and least stressful and, yes, allow about 1 hour for that journey. As you're starting at LHR you will probably be able to get seats fairly easily.

You don't say what day you're arriving. If it's a weekend you should check the Transport for London website (www.tfl.gov.uk) as there are often engineering works at the weekend. These are announced in advance.

Again, reiterating others' advice, you will find plenty of places to eat at St Pancras International. It's way better than the old Waterloo Eurostar terminal. It even boasts the longest Champagne bar in Europe, though that's probably not a consideration given the early hour of your journey!

jamikins

I would not book the train until 1pm ish. You land at 7am, figure 1 hour to get luggage and get through passport control, 1 hour to take the piccadily line to Kings Cross/St Pancras and you should be there 45 mins early so that takes you to 9:45 assuming everything goes well.

If your flight is delayed, or the tube is down, or there is a holdup with your luggage etc that could change everything pretty quickly. this way you have about 3 hours leeway to get lunch at st pancras and not be rushed around frantically. Especially with a baby.

alanRow

"Continental doesn't have a direct flight from LHR to CDG which seems crazy but sadly it's true."

Don't see why that would be odd, what is odd is that none of the Star Alliance airlines fly LHR to Paris.

"I still have to collect it from Continental, yes? Or am I misunderstanding?"

But then you have a 10 minute transfer between terminals rather than an hour long slog into central London during the rush hour. Net result is that you can either get a flight an hour earlier than you could with the Eurostar or have another hour to make the connection.

I missed BTW option 0 - change your tickets to fly into Paris and out of London

GiuliaPiraino

Janisj, if you had the option to do the public transport as discussed before, or take a flight from London to Frankfurt to Paris, would you still fly? I can get those flights for free on my Continental ticket. Or I can by a one way ticket from British Air and return on Eurostar for less than the rountrip on BA.

So am I understanding that I have to take the Picadilly line from LHR, change and Paddington to arrive at St Pancras?

We're traveling fairly light for having a baby, one piece of large checked luggage, an umbrella stroller and one small backpack. I know the stairs in the station are an issue with the luggage, but that's what husbands are for, no?

jamikins

Nope the Piccadily line is direct to Kings Cross/St Pancras - takes about an hour.

jamikins

You can view the map here: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloa...d-tube-map.pdf

GiuliaPiraino

Jamikins, So it's one tube ride from the airport or am I missing something???

jamikins

If you take the Piccadily line its just one train - no changes. You get on at Heathrow and off at Kings Cross/St Pancras. Takes about an hour.

GiuliaPiraino

Thanks, that info will help me decide what to do. I think I have some miles on BA, might work to fly into Paris and train back to London.

Mimar

The problem is you can't guarantee your flight will arrive at Heathrow on time. So if you book your train to Paris ahead of time, you need to allow plenty of time for that possible delay. I'd say two hours. If you wait and buy your Eurostar tickets after you arrive, you'll pay a lot more.

All of which means you'll probably be hanging around St. Pancras with that baby.

Traveling with small children, you need to simplify your travel as much as possible. Direct flights if possible, few changes of hotel, longer stays in one spot.

Mimar

Sorry I didn't see your post about flying BA. Even if you can't check your bags through, changing terminals is easier than the Eurostar option. However, if the flight to Paris is a separate ticket, you'll again need to allow for a delayed arrival.

GiuliaPiraino

We get in to LHR at 6:50 and there's a flight on BA to Paris at 11:25am. I think that should be enough time. Then we can leisurely take our time at the airport and not have to worry. We can take the train back to London from Paris when we don't have any other time constraints. This seems like the most sensible option!