Taxi: Heathrow to Kensington
 

Hello All,

I have an urgent question for the parent's of a good friend. They leave today for London - overnight flight from LAX to Heathrow. Both are handicapped and while they know there are cheaper options, they can not deal with no sleep, luggage and physical disabilites - they are 68 and 70. I need to find out how much cash they should exchange at LAX to have enough pounds for a taxi from Heathrow to their hotel - plus tip. They are staying at the Hilton Kensington at 179-199 Holland Park Avenue, London, United Kingdom, W11 4UL

They will be fine with the tube/bus/train when sightseeing, but not when exhausted and dragging luggage.

Many thanks!!
Marianne

Forgot to add: Their flight leaves tonight at 7:10 PM and arrives London tomorrow at 1:30 PM

1) See if your friend can contact JustAirports.com right now. Have your friend CALL them directly. It's much less than a taxicab.

2) If you friend's parents prefer a taxicab, according to Heathrow airport website, it'll cost anywhere between £45 to £70.

3) Another option would be have them take the Heathrow Express train from the airport to Paddington, then grab a taxi from Paddington station to the hotel. This should cost about the same as the JustAirport shuttle.

4) If they exchange money at LAX, they will pay a hefty commision - probably 10%. Cheaper option would be wait until they arrive at Heathrow and take money out from an ATM machine.

Agree with jk - call justairports -they are cheaper and they are reliable

Thank you yk! I'll have her call immediately. If only they had asked me about resources when they were planning their trip I could have let them know about Fodors! Although, they are a little computer phobic. :)
I think that Option 3 would be too much for them too.
I'll let them know to hit the ATM at Heathrow - but I am guessing that Just Airports will take a credit card.
Thank you again for your quick response!
Marianne

Thank you Wombat7 - nice to have confirmation.

I'm not sure about Credit Card policy with Just Airports. Make sure your friend ask about it when booking for the car. If they're not sure, just have them exchange money at LAX and pay that commission.

Worst case only if for some reason they can't get cash at Heathrow out of an ATM (rare but it can happen)--many black cabs will take credit cards BUT they charge a hefty premium--I believe 10% on top of the fare. Also, they need to verfiy with the driver before they get in the cab.

Thank you all!
They were able to book a car with Just Airports for tomorrow and the return to Heathrow in two weeks. They were given the cost (54 pounds for the round trip) and will get the intial amount at LAX plus a bit extra - just in case there is an issue with finding an ATM upon landing or having it be out of service.
YK - they also will soon have a copy of your trip report, they like to do many things on the spur of the moment and will find your report a treasure trove of ideas!

Cheers,
Marianne

Too late for this trip but for future reference the train companies offer assistance free of charge, but you do need to book 2 days ahead.

They will carry your luggage for you and get you to your seat.


http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/passen...ed_passengers/

I hope they have a fantastic time

Marianne29- Glad I could be of help. :)

<i>Author: sashh
Date: 11/13/2008, 02:10 am

Too late for this trip but for future reference the train companies offer assistance free of charge, but you do need to book 2 days ahead.</i>

Does that apply to HX at LHR? Or do passengers still have to get from HM Customs exit to the train station?

A car service is the optimal choice for the mobility-impaired.