London Heathrow to Waterloo Station
 

Just wondering about how long of a drive or train route it is from the airport to the Waterloo Station. Staying at the Premier London County Hall, near the London Eye.

How many of you? The easiest would be a pre-booked car service--approx £30 plus tip w/ someone like justairports.com It would be door to door w/ no luggage hassles.

But if you want to take the tube you could take the Piccadilly line LHR to Piccadilly Circus station, change to the Bakerloo line south to Waterloo. The whole journey takes about 1 hr 10 mins.

Another option would be a train to Paddington and then Bakerloo tube to Waterloo - but this costs more and only saves about 10 minutes.

For any of the County Hall hotels it's probably just as easy to take the Tube to Hammersmith, walk a few feet to the adjacent platform, take the Tube to Westminster, leave by the Bridge Street exit, pick up jaw and walk across Westminster Bridge.

You could take the bus from LHR to Feltham then a train into Waterloo that way.

Or you can take the air bus from your hotel to the nearby Feltham train station and get a direct train into Waterloo - may be the easiest way with lots of luggage - no need possibly hectic changes of tubes. And I believe you now can use your Oyster Card - a no-brainer to buy on arrival at Heathrow IMO - on the bus and train. Not sure but train station should be equipped with Oyster readers by now it seems.

Feltham's not such a good idea as it sounds.

Buses take half an hour to Feltham. Trains are then every 15 mins, taking another 30 mins - so it's at least as long as any tube connection, only the bus-train connection at Feltham's a lot more hassle than the tube at Piccadilly Circus, with barriers and possibly new permits to travel with some kinds of Oystecard. You MUST have your Oyster before getting on the bus: Feltham's technically off the airport, so the bus has to be paid for.

And, oddly, the usual arguments about luggage on tunes work in reverse here. On the tube, you're getting on where the journey starts, so the tube's relatively empty: on the Feltham train, you're getting on a busy commuter train close in to London, and the train might be quite full already.

Not mention that those of us who aren't keen on other people's music on the trains might not welcome "luggage on tunes". Myself, I'd go with Alan's first suggestion, unless you're heavily encumbered with luggage. If you've got one bag with wheels that you've dragged through the airport, it wouldn't be so bad to get it across Westminster Bridge and the length of County Hall (there's a lift from concourse to street level at Westminster).

I would also choose the Hammersmith transfer to Westminster IF you have small/manageable luggage. It is a little over 1/3 mile from the tube station to the entrance to the hotel on the back corner of County Hall.

I would recommend for the average tourist janisj's original suggestion of an airport transfer.

As for Feltham that station, if arriving in terminal 4 is really close to that - a few minute cab ride and a much shorter bus ride I believe. I have taken that route but if coming from terminals 1, 2 or 3 it is a long coach ride. If one actually wanted to go to Waterloo Station it may be nicer but not to County Hall.

There are 2 of us and well be on an 18 day trip, so probably a good amount of luggage.

Second recommendation for car service. We had good success with justairports

"There are 2 of us and well be on an 18 day trip, so probably a good amount of luggage."

Why should there be?

18 days doesn't automatically equal a 'good amount of luggage'. I take the same small roll aboard for 5 days or 5 weeks. But IF you do have a lot of luggage, then you'll definitely want a car service (not a cab -- that would cost a fortune)

Changed our mind. Only carrying a backpack. Still recommend a car? At 10:30am, what will traffic be like? Most companies are charging £45. Now what??

If you want to save money then follow alanrow's directions above... Take the Tube.

£45 seemed awfully high -- so I just looked at justairports fare table --SE1 (where the County Hall is) they charge £29 for a a saloon (sedan).

Meant to add - the tube would be fine of course -- but don't choose it simply because you thought a car service costs £45.

the tube would NOT be fine - at least anywheres remotely compared to a transfer service - tube could get really crowded - I mean jammed and if you have to transfer with luggage you'd have been happy to pay even 45 quid! I take the Tube but I expect a bit of potential travails - do you and if so fine - get a Travel Card on your Oyster Card and ride the rest of the day in London all zones of that one day's TravelCard.

Justairports is charging us (2 passengers) £42 plus parking -- it will total at least £45. Read the not-so-fine print: £2 surcharge for high gas prices, £6 for picking us up from Heathrow, extra because we each have a carryon and a suitcase (mine is 24"). I think because we have four suitcases we do not fit into the smallest car. The return trip to the airport will cost us £36. Are we getting gypped?

Later we will return to London on the Eurostar, spend one night near Paddington, and take the Heathrow Express the next morning. It is my understanding that we can check our suitcases at Paddington for the United flight home and then go to our hotel with just the carryons. Has anyone had experience with this?

Strange I just paid justairports 55 GBP for a round trip LHR to Lonson and back 2 people, 2 rollons and 2 carrry ons.

As far as I remember the luggage check in at Paddington has been closed for quite some time as they have no xray machines there to screen luggage