OT - Heathrow Airport / Picadilly Line

[RCDisneyFan]

I figure since most of you are in the UK... I might be able to get some clarity around this. We're stopping in London on the way to DLP and it seems to me that taxis and even the shared ride services are sort of expensive.

Our hotel is about a block or two off the Picadilly line and I think flights from JFK come into Terminal 5 at Heathrow. The airport site says you can pick up the Picadilly line at the basement level. My question is - really how far is that / how long does it take to get to the tube station? Also, since it's the same line - it's a fair assumption that if we go onto the Picadilly line, we won't have to switch at some point in the city?

If it's easy, I'd like to talk the hubby into spending tube fare instead of $60 plus on taxis, etc.

 

[ukstitch]

Which station on the picadilly line is your hotel near?

Once you've got that, I'd advise having a look at the Transport For London website which will provide you maps and journey searches that should allow you to work out how long it takes, how many changes and probably also the cost of the trip.

The TFL website is http://www.tfl.gov.uk

A word of advice though in case you're not aware - many of the tube stations around London are quite old and don't have the best of facilities for moving large amounts of luggage around them - you're quite often presented with escalators or even stairs being your only way of reaching the platform.

Also - standard city public transport advice applies: I wouldn't advise trying to traverse the tube with lots of luggage around rush hour as it gets extremely busy, especially in the centre (Zone 1).

 

[RCDisneyFan]

It's the Gloucester Road Tube Station...I was just trying to Google to find out if there is an elevator, or even escalators.

We're not super-heavy travelers... We'll have one large suitcase, a backpack and a big totebag between us. We're arriving at Heathrow at 8:15am on a Saturday - if it was during the week, I wouldn't even consider public transportation!

 

[ukstitch]

Right - according to the TFL it takes about 43 minutes from Heathrow Terminal 5 to Gloucester Road (straight across on the Picadilly line as you already know).

Unfortunately, it appears that you will be confronted by stairs somewhere along the way (at Gloucester road I believe) as when I do an advanced search asking it to avoid stairs, it sends you a different route.

What I can't tell you, unfortunately, is the exact number of stairs - it may only be a couple, or then again it could be quite a few.

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

You should be ok with your luggage on the tube, to get to central london should take about 40-45mins on the Tube.

I would rather get the tube then pay £50+ on a taxi.

 

[aussietravellers]

We used dot2dot www.dot2.com when we went in December and they were fantastic. We had prebooked online and an arriving at heathrow we went to the dot2dot counter in our terminal and they walked us outside to our waiting mini van/people mover car, there was one other passanger and we were dropped at our hotel first. It was great and very reasonably priced. I would definately use them again when we next go to London.

Although I have heard through the grape vine that they have a new owner since we used them, but haven't heard any bad reports, so we would still give them another go as we found it to be a great service.

 

[RCDisneyFan]

We used dot2dot www.dot2.com when we went in December and they were fantastic. We had prebooked online and an arriving at heathrow we went to the dot2dot counter in our terminal and they walked us outside to our waiting mini van/people mover car, there was one other passanger and we were dropped at our hotel first. It was great and very reasonably priced. I would definately use them again when we next go to London.

I came across them and I think they're my first choice if we don't take the tube. It runs about the same or slightly less than taxis, etc - but I know I can buy vouchers here at home before we leave and that kind of thing always makes me feel better. So glad to know you had a good experience!