Heathrow Express

I've never used this service and I'm wondering whether or not it's a
good idea.

I've got a 22:30 flight out of Heathrow on Monday night and I arrive
back at about 19:30 on Friday night and I've got the choice between
catching the train from Bedford, hopping over to wherever it is the
Express goes from and toddling off to Heathrow and then reversing the
journey on the Friday evening or driving down and parking at one of
the long stay car parks.

Cost doesn't matter because it's a business trip so all I care about
is the hassle factor. Which way should I do it? I'll be carrying a
rather large hold all with PPE, laptop and clothing for a week and on
the way back I'll have duty free tabs to worry about so I reckon drive
down is better but I'm open to suggestions. The client won't pay for a
business class ticket and a chauffeur driven limo to and from home so
don't suggest that idea.

 

I'd get a taxi, both ways.

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I'd have thought all your luggage would fit nicely onto the Tenere. Free
parking under whichever terminal it is, and a quicker trip home.

 

*Ding*. (if it someone else's coin). Saves a lot of fannying around, and you
can have a beer or several.

JB

 

Heathrow Express runs from Paddington. It's every 15 minutes and takes
about 15 mins to reach Terminals 1 and 3. The same train carries on to
T5. If you want T4 you change at Heathrow T13 for a connecting train.

It is expensive but you say cost is not a problem.

http://www.heathrowexpress.com/ticket-prices

Depending on how laden down you are then you've got Thameslink to St
Pancras. A bit of a walk to reach the Circle / Hammersmith & City Line
platforms at Kings Cross tube station. There is a part closure of the
H&C line next week so you will have to take a Circle Line for
Paddington. The H&C is not running beyond Edgware Road. The HEX leaves
from platforms 6 and 7 and you can pay on board rather than having to
search out a ticket office or machine.

http://www.heathrowexpress.com/Home/Paddington/StationMap

Interestingly a quick search on the NR website shows the journey routed
via Farringdon which takes slightly longer but the outward interchange
is up a tiny flight of steps from the s/b Thameslink platform to the w/b
Circle / H&C platform. It's not quite so convenient in the reverse
direction.

You can get a through fare including HEX of £36.40 single from Bedford
and the journey time is about 2 hours.

It really depends on your tolerance for the interchange distances and
willingness to lug your bags. To be honest neither Kings Cross or
Paddington are ideal - there are steps and quite long walks. Farringdon
is slightly more convenient. It's really up to you to judge whether the
train overall is a less risky proposition that the motorway network.
I've no knowledge of how the M1 and M25 fare early evening time.

 

The M25 between the M1 and M4 is horrendous at the moment. Solid
roadworks and solid jams as a result. The Friday should be alrright, as
by the time you've cleared customs and got the car back the traffic
should have eased, but getting to Heathrow from Bedford by road on the
Monday will be a proper bastard. Though there is always the option of
leaving a bit earlier, after all.

As to the train, as Paul says the only downside is lugging shit around
and gambling on the circle line not being fucked.

 

When we did Oz last year, it was the best decision I made. When we
landed at LHR on Friday morning, the thought of hacking our way through
the rush hour was just hideous. Walking out of departures and seeing the
little sign with our name on it was great

It wasn't *that* expensive either.


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I'd still have the problem of M25 traffic even though someone else was
doing the driving and I wouldn't even be able to smoke in the car so
it's a non starter really.

 

snip>

I'd not even thought of taking the Tenere but now you've suggested it
the idea isn't so bad. All I'd need to do is bungee my holdall to the
seat then when I get there dump my crash helmet in the top box and the
rest of my riding kit in the panniers and it's away.

That one's on the list of possibilities.

 

You're a star. I'd never have thought to check for line closures.

That's not bad really and I'd be hitting London after the peak travel
time so the tube shouldn't be too much of a misery.

The motorway will be awful which is what set me off thinking about the
Heathrow Express. Add on the cost of the short taxi ride from my house
to Bedford station and the cost is still under £45 each way which
compares pretty well against fuel and parking at the airport.

I like the idea of using the Tenere but I think I'd struggle to get it
past my boss because we've supposedly got a ban on using private
vehicles for company business.

 

I used to travel to LHR frequently from Milton Keynes. I'd use either a
taxi, drive myself, or even the coach sometimes, but never the train.
Train IMO is too much hag and shassle, even with the speed of the Express.

The downside of course is the potential for hold ups (There was once an
accident on the M1, followed by an accident on the M25 - took me about 4
hours IIRC).

If you're scheduled to land at 19:30 on a Friday, you'll probably be
circling for a fair bit and at the gate at 20:00, on the road by 20:30
if you're lucky.

I have recently been using Purple Parking's meet'n'greet service and
generally pretty pleased with it. On the way out, park up 5 mins bus
ride from the terminals. On the way back they meet you at the terminal
with your car. (Use the Quality Airport Parking Premium option).

 

The favourite bike parking spot by T2's been demolished now though
hasn't it? I've seen where the bike parking is for T5 but not sure about
T1/T3/T4 - I assume by your post that they exist.

 

There is that, but leave yourself enough bar time...

Yep. That kills it.

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Bad form and all, but you can't smoke on the train, or (I assume) the
bike either. So driving is your only option.

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Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 GTV TS GT 3.2 V6
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

The journey wouldn't include 7 hours sat on the M25 on the train or
bike though.

 

I'd still use the bike & cover the fuel cost out of my own pocket. It'd
be far & away the easiest & most stress-free option.

<thinks>

Or it would be if you had a bike that could complete a trip around the
M25 under its own power.

 

TBAH it's not hugely likely to have 7 hours on the M25[1]. It is a
possibility with either option, though.

[1] Having done it a fair number of times ISTR that 4 was the worst from
M40 to A10

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Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 GTV TS GT 3.2 V6
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

The possibility's enough when you're a smoker, especially if it doesn't
leave you with enough time to top up the nicotine levels before jumping
on the plane.

 

If you're that bad[1], best not to go then. Might get stuck on a train,
after all.

[1] As an ex (up to) 40 a day smoker, I never was.

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Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 GTV TS GT 3.2 V6
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

If it's the one under the on-ramp between T1 and T2, I dunno. There must
be another close by.

There's bike parking at T4, yes. You go past the drop-off (or is it
pick-up? The one on ground level, anyway) point on the ground floor, and
the road bears round to the right, and the bike parking's under the
off-ramp from the pick-up (or drop-off) point on the upper floor.

T5 is the best, because it's purpose built with nice little roofing to
keep the rain off and pretty flower beds.