Hi, and thanks in advance to all who reply.

I'm staying in a hotel near Russell Square - what are my options to get to the hotel from Heathrow?

We are two people and will probably have one piece of luggage each.

This is probably one of the most asked questions. Just do a search and you should get a zillion suggestions. Seriously, this question is asked nearly every day.

Cheapest but slowest A1 bus. Ticket kiosk outside arrivals. You are at last stop on route that drops off at major hotel locations in central London

The Airbus may be the slowest but it is also a pleasant and interesting ride on the top of a double decker.

The fastest is probably the tube (and cheaper?). Russell Square is on the Piccadilly line - no changes from Heathrow - no stairs at Russell Square, just the elevator.

Take the Airbus. Relax. Enjoy.

Since Russel Square is on the Picadilly line there'll be no transfers. It will be the fastest and cheapest way. The scenery you'd see on the bus from Heathrow to central London is boring, and the bus can get bogged down in traffic. Take the tube and then take buses around central London when you get there - much more fun.

Thank you, isabel, for repeating what I said about the tube to Russell Square.

I always find the bus ride interesting from Heathrow. I like to see what Glaxo, Bristol Myers and other multinationals are doing along the highway. I also think the ride down Holland Park Avenue and thru Notting Hill Gate to Bayswater Road where I have Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park to my right are a wonderful introduction to London's parks. I am always amused by the huge lines to Madame Tussauds on Marleybone Road and maybe I'll see Sherlock Holmes outside Baker Street Station. Terribly boring.

I agree with jsmith. I rather like taking the bus into London (or Paris). I feel gritty and jet-lagged and a little stupid. I really don't want to deal with people in close quarters or with crowds. I need to feel that I'm getting somewhere, but I don't want to be rushed--what's the point, my hotel room probably isn't ready any way. I like sitting a bit above it all and getting back the feel for the city: looking out for landmarks, reading the ads, checking out the shop windows, and watching the flow of cars and people.

When flying into Heathrow I always take the tube to Russell Square and it's fine. However, must correct the statement that there are no stairs - yes, there is an elevator, but there's also a set of stairs before getting to the elevator (oops - lift!) That said, with only one suitcase, the stairs aren't much of a problem.

Take the bus in and the tube out if you are flying from Heathrow. I was on the airport bus once and it was a nightmare, we had to let a couple out at a hotel where they then jumped into a cab which was going to be quicker through the traffic otherwise they would have missed their flight, and yes they did allow plenty of time but the congestion was at a maximum.

caroltheanglophile, thank you for correcting my error that there are no stairs at Russell Square. Next time I'll check my fading memory against the Tube Access Guide. I still can't picture the stairs, are they at the train level or at the entrance level?

To jsmith - the stairs are just before the lift as you're leaving the tube station. Carol

Hi Tandia,

It's true that you need to climb some stairs before getting to the lift at the Russel Square tube station. I stayed in hotel in Russel Square and I just took the tube from Heathrow, no need to change line. It took about 30 to 40 mins from Heathrow to Russel Square. Go visit www.thetube.com
You should be able to see a tube map there