Hi there!

I will be meeting my sister at Heathrow in a few weeks. Neither of us have been to that airport before and we'll be arriving at different terminals (3 and 4). Is there an easy location where we can plan to meet? Can I walk b/w terminals or use a shuttle so that I can go to her? We'll be heading to the tube after getting our luggage...Would it maybe be easier to head into London alone and meet at our final station?

I have to send her an e-mail telling her how/when to meet. If necessary, we can resort to paging and whatnot, but we won't have working cell phones with us.

Whatever one is landing first should head over to the other terminal and then wait outside Customs where everybody has to emerge - a fullproof solution. Each terminal has an Airport Information desk that when i've been there pages people in case all goes wrong. You can ride the Heathrow Express train free between the terminals. If going into London by tube then terminal 3 is the best meeting point as from terminal 4 to get the tube you must take the Heathrow Express back to terminal 3 as the single Heathrow tube stop is one that serves terminals 1, 2, and 3 but not 4. It's a long walk from the terminals to the tube entrance but there are luggage carts. Otherwise have a common phone number back home of someone you can each call in a real pinch to coordinate your movements. Meeting in a tube station in central London could be chaotic. Pick up a one-day all-zones TravelCard at Heathrow tube station and for little over the normal fare (about $7) you can then ride buses and tubes all over London for the rest of the day.

A lot depends on how much time is between the two flight arrivals. Terminal 4 is FAR from the other terminals -- it is practically in a different county.

If the two flights are within an hour of each other, the first arrivee could head over to the other terminal - it takes a shuttle bus and wait outside the customs hall as PalenqueBob says.

But if you are arriving at different times - I'd just go into London and meet up at the hotel.

Whenever I have flown i with friends on different airlines, we just meet up at the hotel. One never knows what delays there can be with the flight, baggage, customs. I second the above poster who recommends to just meet in London at your hotel. Much more fun to already get there, then wait hopelessly at the airport. Easy to take Heathrow Express train into London, then depending where you're staying, either a cab or shuttle.

Sincere thanks for all replies.

My sister and I will be going straight away - via Eurostar - to Paris, so were we to meet outside of the airport, it wouldn't be at the hotel, but at Waterloo. And though I've never been to London, I did suspect what PalenqueBob stated: meeting at a tube station could be chaotic, possibly more so than the airport.

I arrive at terminal 4 about 3 hours before my sis. It's a big chunk of time, but at least I won't be stressed trying to get my bag and make it to meet her promptly.

I'm glad to know about the tube stop being at terminals 1-2-3. Perhaps I can get our tickets and info/maps while I'm waiting.

I haven't yet bought the Eurostar tickets and, pondering this issue, I realized that we may be headed to Waterloo during rush hour. When is rush hour(s) in London? Sis arrives at 2:45, so I figure that we'll be leaving the airport about 3:45-4 (luggage, Customs, unexpected delay, etc). Maybe this puts us at Waterloo (via tube) close to 5. I'm just curious as to when the main rush hour crunch occurs and, if we're in the thick of it, if it would be better to take the Feltham bus instead. We don't mind schlepping our bags (we won't have many), but if crowding is going to give us extra delay, I'd prefer the route w/ fewer crowds/transfers.

Any advice would be a great help in both getting to Waterloo and deciding for which depature time to purchase our Eurostar tickets.

Many, many thanks!
CJ

Your new info puts an entirely different spin on things. if you have not yet bought Eurostar tickets - DON'T. There is no simple way to get from LHR to Waterloo. They are not on the same tube line, and a car service would take quite a while at that time of day. With the 2 of you arriving at different times on different airlines into different terminals and then needing to get to Waterloo! That doesn't make much sense and could be a recipe for total exhaustion, confusion and potential missed connections.

I would just fly from LHR to Paris. You will already be at the airport and it could not be simpler. You can meet up in the departure lounge for your flight to Paris.

If you want to take the train - take it for your return journey from Paris to London.

Janis makes a good point. Consider flying to Paris, taking the train on the return.

The train ride is 3hrs....if you made Waterloo at 5 and departed at 6pm..it still would be 9pm upon arrival Paris, and then getting to your hotel.

Arrival at Paris airport [Orly or C.DeGulle] and still about hr. train ride to town and hotel.

I did it flying to Paris and train return to London....worked great.

one slight correction to circa's post --- ther is a 1 hour time difference between London and Paris, so in her example you would arrive in Paris about 10PM local time.

I'm afraid this post is turning into a thread that may be of little help to anyone other than me! Thanks for your patience.

We definitely want to try the train, which is why I was planning on Eurostar rather than flying. Honestly, I had not considered flying one way and taking the train for the other. Quickly looking at prices, though, flying may be somewhat cost-prohibitive. I booked my ticket to London (from NYC) this week with BA. I just now searched for one-way fares to Paris and came back w/ prices over $500. (There must be less expensive options!) One-way Eurostar prices were $90 each.

We are travelling on a budget, so the round-trip Eurostar price of $90 each is pretty hard to resist, even if it costs us some extra time. Unless there's a way to fly/train at the same price as train/train, I believe I'll be making that round-trip Eurostar reservation.

I'm not too worried that getting to Waterloo is going to be excessively stressful. We're both accustomed to crowded, hectic public transport. And as far as our temperment, we'll be too happy to see each other to be upset about much else. In fact, I'm actually looking forward to as much uninterrupted face as possible time while travelling to Paris.

So, unless someone has a suggestion with which I might find a $90 way to fly and take the train, I think we'll be taking the Feltham bus out of Heathrow. I assume information/tickets are readily available at the airport?

Again, thank you!
CJ

Sorry, that was supposed to read:

"I'm actually looking forward to as much uninterrupted face time as possible while travelling to Paris."

Should have used the preview option. Thanks for reading along.

The best source of information on public transport is the airport's website (www.baa.com Follow Heathrow)

The least painful way of getting from Heathrow to Waterloo is the Heathrow Express train to Paddington, then the Tube (Bakerloo line). Not cheap, but both lines are exceptionally reliable and even allowing for waiting time and one cancelled tube train, unlikely to take you more than 45 minutes from getting to the station at Heathrow to checking in at Waterloo. (the Feltham connection is billed at 100 minutes) Also relatively unaffected by rush hour, apart from the last four stops on the tube.

Rush hour varies by transport type. It starts around 3.30 (schoolchildren can add a lot of bodies to tubes and buses) and ends around 7: later in Central London on Wed-Fri

Hey cjw,

So you guys should meet at Waterloo. Easy! (And if you've got the time, Picadilly -> Bakerloo lines on the Tube shouldn't be too hateful) . . . Great people-watching . . .

The Eurostar concourse at Waterloo is sunken from the main station & a manageable size/better than meeting at a Tube station.

On the concourse floor there is a cafe behind the elevator and not much else - just open space (OK sometimes a French farmer's market with 3-4 stands. Great for picnic supplies

HTH, have fun!

Do book your Eurostar tickets in advance if you are going directly from the plane. It is quite possible that the train will be booked. I do not know the return/refund policies in case you do not make the train, but check things out. Going from transatlantic plane to public transportation to the Eurostar in one process leave a lot of room for problems. I took the Eurostar last Monday and all went well, but I have taken it before when we almost missed it because our cab got stuck in huge traffic jam on Waterloo bridge, and then then train was held up before the tunnel for two hours because of flooding on the track. I would stay overnight in London and then take the train the next day when you are rested and can more easily judge which train you want to take and then get tickets.

I like your adventurous attitude!

GO FOR IT!

What's the worsest that can happen....you miss the connection at Waterloo? Sounds like you have done your homework....if there is a later train out of Waterloo....getting into Paris late is okay....they stay up late anyway.

I flew BA also...and the added leg was only $25!...that's why I flew to Paris and train back...try calling BA and see if they can help.{BA World Travel Desk]
They usually have good travel deals.

thanks to all for the feedback.

flanner, i've noted the difference in time you gave b/w heathrow express and the feltham bus. very helpful. we don't mind carrying our bags, so heathrow express it may be! thanks.

ealling, we must be kindred spirits b/c i'm not one to to be bothered by time to people watch and shop for snacks!

elainee and circa, your comments have also been helpful. i'm going to give BA a call and see if i can get tickets to paris for about what you paid, circa. regardless, i'll book those eurostar tickets this week.

thanks!!!

Wait wait wait! Check out the discount airlines that fly form London Heathrow to Paris--British European is one of them (www.flybe.com) and there may be others. Go to www.flybudget.com for a list of discount airlines. Make sure to check flights departing from Heathrow and not another London airport--otherwise you'll be adding a ton more time to your trip.

Well I called BA and tried both flybe.com and flybudget.com, but the best price I got is still over $100. Eurostar it is.

The BA rep told me something that might be helpful to others. He said that for one-way trips w/in Europe, the airline (most of them, I think he said, not just BA) sells only business class seats, making a trip pretty expensive. He said to find the best deal, one usually has to book a round-trip ticket on economy class and simply discard or not use the return ticket.

cjw, since you are back to to the Eurostar option, I am certain that flanneruk is mistaken that the Feltham Rail Link option to Waterloo station takes 100 minutes. I have done it twice (but both times in the other direction, mind) and it took 45 minutes from the time the train started moving in Waterloo to the time I was standing in the Air Canada queue at LHR T3.

It is a lot cheaper and I think easier than the Heathrow Express option.

I just wanted to say thanks again to all who assisted me here. Using the helpful suggestions provided, I priced and compared everything under the sun. I wasn't finding the lowest fares to fly to Paris, but when I finally went to make my Eurostar reservation, I found that travelling on the weekend was more expensive and so I couldn't get the $90 fare. (At least weekend travel appeared to be the explanation.) The cost of the train, then, wasn't so much less than flying. $240 vs. approx. $250 (British Midland).
Adding the expense of getting to Waterloo, then, actually put it over the cost of flying.

So, again, my thanks to everyone! Your messages helped me find the most convenient and most affordable option. (Even though the relative weakness of the dollar against the pound made it more $$$!!! I'm afraid we'll be doing little eating out in London considering the exchange rates and our budget!)

CJW - Have you tried:

www.skyscanner.net
www.travelsupermarket.com
www.traveljungle.co.uk

There are some good fares if your dates are flexible.

Steve