Heathrow Express v Heathrow Connect

alanrowell

Well if it's Central Line then the obvious thing to do is to take it Holborn and change there for the Piccadilly Line to Heathrow. If OP still wants to use the HEC then they can take the Central Line to Ealing Broadway and pick it up there.

Makes no sense to go to either Paddington or Waterloo as all it does it make the trip longer and more hassle

SuzySu

Thanks all for your replies. I'm not actually travelling from Essex as I'll be leaving my car at my mum's and was thinking about getting the tube to Paddington to connect with HEX or HEC. From your comments I might just as well consider the tube from KX to LHR.

I'm travelling on my own so can't take advantage of the post by Pompeyrich - but thanks

I will be travelling on Sat early evening so I reckon I should get a seat easily enough and I only have one suitcase.

All in all the tube looks the cheapest (if not the quickest) option.

Moonrakerz - I was going on the time that the London Underground route planner estimated it would take me from KX to LHR. Would be glad to find it's not as long.

Thanks to you all for taking the time and trouble to post.

blindman

SuzySu wrote: »

I will be travelling on Sat early evening so I reckon I should get a seat easily enough and I only have one suitcase.

All in all the tube looks the cheapest (if not the quickest) option.

Just look out for (planned) Tube closures at the weekend:eek:

Take a book to read for the tube journey :eek:

I used to do the KX to LHR T3 journey a fair bit last year and tried all the options and timed them (anal I know but it was a long journey:D)

I found that from KX IF I made all the correct connections I would save about 20-30 minutes by going by HEX and about 15 mins by HEC.
Trouble was I had to change\walk\wait several times whereas from KX it was 2 minutes to the tube-wait 5 mins-sit down for 60 minutes-read a book\newspaper-get off.
All for £2.40

Simples!

BTW
The third to the last carriage stops at LHR opposite the escalators.

SuzySu

Thanks Blindman. You've convinced me - tube it is!!

ferf1223

I only mention this as the reminder would have helped me not make the mistake I did - but do check the destination on the front of the train as not all go to LHR, and not all that do go to LHR go to all the terminals.

Having boarded a non-LHR bound train and not realised my error until a stop too late, having to get off, change platforms to go back the other direction and get off, change platforms to go back the right direction was a bit of a nightmare as I was on my own and had a large case + a wheeled carry-on.

I take the Piccadilly Line regularly but always to and from stations that all trains serve - totally forgot that there are different branches to the line further along.

martindow

Is there not a limitation on using Heathrow Connect for the full journey from Paddington to LHR? I thought this was limited to short journeys to get people to pay more for Heathrow Express trains.

Pelican_eats_pigeon

martindow wrote: »

Is there not a limitation on using Heathrow Connect for the full journey from Paddington to LHR? I thought this was limited to short journeys to get people to pay more for Heathrow Express trains.

No, no limitation as far as I'm aware of.

Dave_Z

ferf1223 wrote: »

I only mention this as the reminder would have helped me not make the mistake I did - but do check the destination on the front of the train as not all go to LHR, and not all that do go to LHR go to all the terminals.

Having boarded a non-LHR bound train and not realised my error until a stop too late, having to get off, change platforms to go back the other direction and get off, change platforms to go back the right direction was a bit of a nightmare as I was on my own and had a large case + a wheeled carry-on.

I take the Piccadilly Line regularly but always to and from stations that all trains serve - totally forgot that there are different branches to the line further along.

You must have got on a Rayners Lane train. This isn't necessarily a problem as you can just hop off at Acton Town and wait for the next LHR train. The LHR branch trains stop at T4 then T1&3 or at T1&3 followed by T5. If you're going to T3 then you can get on either destination.

And the Heathrow Connect is excellent. When i used to live in Ealing Broadway (first stop after leaving Paddington) i used to take the HC to work everyday (at LHR). I would never pay the extra for the Heathrow Express unless time really is critical. HX run every 15 mins and HC every 30 mins, so in theory it could take 55 mins from getting to Paddington to arriving at LHR on the HC (if you were very unlucky and had just missed one). They both use the same platforms in the same stations at LHR, though when i used them last HC trains carried on to T4 after T1&3 whereas the HX carried on to T5 meaning a potential change of train at T1&3 (Heathrow Central).