We have a 20 hr layover at Heathrow. Would it be worth taking the train to Paddington Station to see a few sights in London? Are there any sights within walking distance of the station? Your thoughts,please.

I wouldn't take the train to paddington, it is not near any sights really....take the tube to Covent Garden

My goodness, yes. Besides the scene in Covent Garden itself, you might walk to the National and National Portrait Galleries. Hang out and people watch in Trafalgar Square, visit a pub, have dinner/tea somewhere.

Absolutely. What time do you land/take off. That will partly determine what makes sense. And what day of the week?

But as jamikins says -- don't go Paddington. Yes,the Express train is fast, but it is very expensive and only gets you to Paddington (which is nowhere) and then you'd have to take an expensive cab or the tube to anywhere interesting.

The tube to Covent Garden and from there you can easily walk to the river, Trafalgar Square, Picadilly Circus, the Mall/Buckingham Palace, even the southbank.

But flight times and day of the week? . . . we might have different suggestions.

Or you could change at Hammersmith to the District Line to Embankment, and walk over the river to the South Bank and/or up to Trafalgar Square and round about there (or go back to the airport that way).

<i>Or you could change at Hammersmith to the District Line to Embankment</i>

Why Embankment? Going to Westminster and leaving by the Bridge Street exit is a FAR better option - one might even say iconic.

But of course a lot depends when OP is in London

>>Why Embankment? Going to Westminster and leaving by the Bridge Street exit is a FAR better option - one might even say iconic. <<

Better views from the Hungerford footbridges, and a rather livelier atmosphere at the arrival point on the South Bank; but it's all a matter of taste.

Exactly when are your 20 hours? (if most are the middle of the night you won;t find a lot to do.