Walk from Paddington Station to Piccadilly Circus...Bad idea?
 

My husband and I are 30years old in good health. We will be arriving at Heathrow at 12pm on a Wednesday in May. We were planning to take the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station. Since we only have a half-day, I was hoping we could walk from Paddington Station to Piccadilly Circus to begin The Original hop-on/hop-off bus tour. (My tickets for the bus say I cannot start from the Marble Arches, though their website says otherwise) I know I can take the tube, but figured walking would allow us to really begin to explore London. Also, we would probably want to stop midway at a pub for a pint and a lunch of fish and chips.

My questions are:
How long of walk is this?
Is it a decent and pleasant walk, or sketchy and through unpleasant terrain?
Are there any good places to stop on the way?
What is the best route to walk?

Thanks in advance!

I have done this week several times and it does not showcase the best of London IMO - if you head to Piccadilly Circus

I would head straight south of Paddington to Hyde Park and go thru the Park to Hyde Park Corner where the tour buses probably pass as well -even though you say you cannot start at Marble Arch, which is there

Really with only half a day i do not think you'd see much on that walk to write home about

and consider taking the Tube - Piccadilly line from Heathrow to Piccadilly Circus - will be there quicker and much cheaper than HEX to Paddington and then walking.

According to www.walkit.com/cities/london it's 3.4km (2.1 miles) with an average walking time of 42 minutes.

By the time you've walked & had a meal it the only thing you'll be able to do is get the Tube back to Heathrow.

You certainly won't have enough time for a HoHo bus

Your plan makes no sense time-wise.

It would be faster and cost a tiny fraction of the ££ to just take the tube from LHR to Piccadilly Circus. Going to Paddington - and paying through the nose for the HEX is not a good use of you VERY limited time.

You probably have vouchers for the H-o-H-o bus so you may have to exchange them at a major stop on the route (which Paddington isn't)

Thanks for the quick replies! I forgot to mention that we will not be flying out of London until the next morning. We will not be in a hurry to make an evening flight.

It sounds like the walk is not too long, just maybe not the nicest.

Well if you want to walk via Hyde Park to Piccadilly then i'd say the walk would be nice - i thought too you had to head back to Heathrow same day - Hyde Park way may not be the most direct but at least you'd go thru a famous part of London

Thanks. I guess taking the tube may be a better option.

I originally wanted to take the Heathrow Express because it appears to be only 15 minutes rather than 45 to 60 minutes on the tube. Also, (I know I sound like a wimp) but I hate taking subways. They make me anxious and really confuse me.

"<i>I originally wanted to take the Heathrow Express because it appears to be only 15 minutes</i>"

That timing is very deceptive. You have to walk to the station at LHR (as you would for the tube), wait for the next train and then spend the outrageous fare, that only gets you to Paddington. Paddington isn't near anything so you'd then either queue for an expensive cab, or take the tube anyway to get anyplace interesting. And total time point to point would be longer than just using the tube in the first place.

So, yes - take the tube.

If it will relieve your subway anxiety a bit, it's a direct shot from Heathrow to Piccadilly Circus on the Piccadilly line (no transfers) and the first portion of the route is above ground.

Thanks TimS! That does help alot. I am glad I asked and thanks to all for your quick replies! I will brave the tube.

tube is a snap for folks with, presumably little baggage, and a direct shot - however folks with too much luggage taking the tube and then having to change in some humongous interchange station, with lots of steps and walkways, should look at airport transfers or the HEX to Paddington then cab. Or from Heathrow terminal take a cab to the nearby Feltham train station and a direct train to Waterloo Station, in the heart of London