We will be laying over at Heathrow for 7 hours on Feb 23.on our way to Rome. We are considering going into London to see a sight or two. Has anyone taken the "fast Tube" into London lately from the airport? I am wondering if we have enough time to make a round trip due to increased time getting through security??<BR><BR>Thanks!<BR>

NO - First of all, you do not get on the train the minute you land. Assuming the flight lands on time you still will have to taxi for a while, maybe even park out on the tarmac waiting for a gate. Then you have to go through immigration - which is not at the arrival gate but several hundred yards walk. And the queues can be minutes or over an hour - depending on what else lands at the same time. Then you have to walk a long way to catch the Paddington Express (the tube is not fast but this train is - only about 15+ minutes in to Paddington). Once at Paddington - say 2 hours after you land - you have 45 minutes before you must get back on the train because you have to check in 3 hours before your flight.<BR><BR>You would have time to make a quick trip over to Windsor since it is only a few minutes by cab. But don't plan on a tour of the Castle - just a lunch stop or some shopping.<BR><BR>In other words - if you want to see London - go to London.

I disagree with Janis. She's giving you "worst case scenarios". And I certainly wouldn't get to the airport 3 hours before departure! Especially if you are able to check your bags through when you first get to Heathrow. Otherwise, you are going to spend a lot of time in the waiting lounge, shopping at the tiny Harrods outlet. <BR><BR>My advice is play it by ear.

GoFor it: You may recommend not getting to the airport 3 hours early - but I have flown through LHR 3 times since Sept. 11 on two different airlines, and both recommended 3 hours and said they could deny boarding if you wern't there 2 hours ahead. <BR><BR>So even if the plane is on time - everything works like clockwork and they can walk half a mile to the arrivals hall and then on to the Paddington Express - It probably will be 2 hours after they land before they get to Paddington. And on top of that, they will be jet lagged (extremely) and trying to navigate a strange city. Not fun. <BR><BR>Patricia: Just relax at the airport - maybe use the airline lounge (a godsend and worth the membership fees), have a meal, shop - don't try to go into London unless you are on full fare unrestricted tickets and can afford to miss the outgoing flight.

I disagree, if your bags are already checked through to Rome, and you carry very little on board with you, you could land, walk through immigration, grab the Heathrow express to Paddington. From Paddington you could grab a cab to whatever central tourist sight you wanted., perhaps Trafalgar Square or Buckingham Palace. Even better, you could grab a Big Bus tour right on London Street near Paddington station and go around on their hop on-hop off tour. you could quickly stop at one or two favorites. I hop off always at Harrod's. Taxi or tube back to Paddington and express back to Heathrow. I have done this, and also recently went into Paris, shopped, walked down Champs, and rode by Eiffel Tower for a friend to see it on our 8 hour layover in Paris to Istanbul. If you don't have to deal with checking bags and are booked through to Rome getting back to the Airport 90 minutes ahead is ok. Certainly check with the airline, but that was their timeframe for us in November. Just know exactly what you want to do beforehand, and have it planned out. If you did nothing but the bus tour (2hours), had a drink in a pub, and then back to the airport it would give you a great outside view of the main sights. Look at a search engine for London bus tours. I think the one with live commentary is the best. Also a big time saver,is going directly to the Heathrow express and get on immediately, you can by your ticket on board by credit card instead of wasting time finding ticket window and standing in line. Play it by ear and if plane is on time, you can quickly go through immigration line etc. then go for it.

I will advise being prudent and just get a good book and stay at LHR. & hours when you need it will not be much time. I remember trying to pull the same stunt in Frankfurt while on a 5 hour layover becuase I wanted to go just accross the airport to Rhein-Mein Airbase to get a haircut. This was with a USO van right there on time to shuttle people to the base and back. Needless to say, I ended up running to my flight after a nice sargeant offered me a ride while he was taking his wife to the airport. Murphy's law: when you think you have all day, you end up wishing you had more time to extricate yourself from your predicament. <BR> Good Luck.

Patricia,<BR><BR>I disagree with the posters who say it cannot be done because I have done it a few times on long layovers. I have not done it since 9/11 (and it may have changed) but the times before I have had ample time to take the "slow tube" into London. Once I went to the Victoria and Albert had a nice lunch and headed back. I've also taken the tube to the National Gallery and made it back on time. The last time I did this I spent the afternoon shopping and still made it back on time. Frankly I would take five hours in London over the wait in Heathrow anyday.<BR><BR>If you do plan on doing this I would suggest you make sure you have your boarding pass for the next flight. Excess carry-one luggage can also be stowed at the left luggage counter right before you take the escalator down to the Tube station.

Let me get this straight. Almost every day on this board we tell people they will be too jet lagged to do or see much in their first day in London and to take it VERY easy. But now we want Patricia to think she will have enough energy after an overnight trans-Atlantic flight to rush into London, see Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Harrods no less. And then get back to Heathrow in time to catch another flight to Rome! <BR><BR>If they do this mad dash trip into London, once they get to Rome the manageable jet lag will have turned into absolute hell. <BR><BR>Patricia: London is only part way to your final destination and you'll have another time zone to cross. You will be totally fried. Just sit at heathrow and relax.

On returning from the US to Heathrow last summer (on a flight from San Francisco) there was a huge line for non-EU passengers to get through immigration and customs - it looked like it would have taken about an hour to get through. <BR><BR>The train from LHR to Paddington takes about 15-20 minutes, but Paddington is not the easiest station to get to and from and for most of the "sights" - eg Buckingham Palace, Parliament, Trafgalgar Sq, etc - you will need to get the tube. It will depend somewhat on what time your flight arrives too - if it's early morning then you probably would have a better chance of being able to do something.<BR><BR>That said, I'd suggest leaving London out - come back again and visit us properly, you'll enjoy it much more!

I don't know which airlines are referred to above as denying you boarding if you're not there 3 hours in advance, but that is certainly not the norm. I'd suggest you check with your airline or look at the BA site--their rules are pretty much the standard at Heathrow. They recommend l hour for domestic and European flights (such as to Rome), 2 hours for other international. <BR><BR>Even if your plane is an hour late and it takes you an hour to clear immigration, then plus checking in an hour before flight to Rome--still 4 hours. I personally fell LESS jet-lagged when I'm up and moving than when lolling around the airport (even in their private lounges). I agree you should play it by ear, but I think it is not only possible, to me it would be preferable. (And to add a note of useless personal experience, my flights from NY to London are almost always early, once almost 2 hours!!!)

7 hours at Heathrow is a long time.<BR><BR>are you on BA? if so, you have your own terminal - won't be quite so long in immigration. (unless every other flight is in at the same time, which I have yet to experience)<BR><BR>if you have an early flight (say, Virgin) again you won't be more than an hour in immigration.<BR><BR>you are not flying internationally at that point - London to Rome is in Europe - you can be at LHR one hour ahead of time and be fine - especially if you are bags-free.<BR><BR>I've been in-out of Europe over a dozen times in the past couple of years, and 3 times since Sept 11 - have not had issues at all with time - the three hours is indeed worse case scenario but it's never been a problem for me at least - I've gotten there an hour and a half early and sailed right through. (unless I am pushing my luck)<BR><BR>time it - if you are out of immigration in even TWO hours you have ample time to run into London and have a nice lunch and a stroll. Heathrow Express is 15-20 minutes each way - even if you give yourself an hour for that, 2 hours in immigration, and an hour early at the airport - you still have 3 hours in London (and you will likely have a lot more)<BR><BR>so, at minimum, just play it by ear.

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I am with Beth. I have done London in six hour layovers several times. It is all a matter of knowing where you are going and being prudent about being back 2 hours before the flight continuation. There is nothing worse than a 6 hour layover in Heathrow and you will be more jet lagged if you don't get out and move around than if you do. <BR><BR>Here is a link to a map of the Tube. Pick where you want to go, plan you route, and go for it.<BR><BR>http://www.afn.org/~alplatt/tube.html

One other thing - February 23 is the end of half term, so Heathrow is likely to be a zoo!

Good point reg. I completely missed the date. Term ends are REALLY hectic at every UK airport/train station. Families all over the country are in a rush to get out to Spain or Italy or a 100 other places all on the same day. <BR><BR>Once I was in Edinburgh airport (1/10 the size of one terminal at LHR) on the first day of the school break and the scene was crazy - queues everywhere.<BR><BR>Just something else to think about.

I too have a 6 hour layover at Heathrow. I was just planning on visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew. I can't imagine sitting in an airport after just sitting on the plane for 7 hours! I'm sure people who live in London don't need 6 hours to get to the airport! Some of you guys scared me at first....but..I will play it by ear.