Interesting discovery. Trains to Heathrow.

[KarenG]

I’m sure I told you this ages ago CFB!

The other option is West Drayton which arguably may bring you a tad closer to T5. I didn’t have a good experience getting to it after our last trip though. The taxi driver couldn’t find it and then all trains were cancelled on the line for 3+ hours

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by Gill H

Anyone done the air coach from Reading?

We are in South Wales now so could do train to Paddington and either Heathrow Express or Elizabeth Line. (Done the cheaper Heathrow Connect in the past too - I presume that is now the Elizabeth Line?)


However, there is also the option of train to Reading and the ‘air coach’ straight to Heathrow.

Anyone done it? Pros and cons?

See more...

Yes, a few times as we often connect via Reading from the south west to get to LHR.

It’s just a standard coach, used to be twice an hour and as you’d imagine is heavily traffic dependent in terms of how long it takes. Reading can get a bit snarled up at rush hours. I do wonder if they will reduce the number of them now the Elizabeth Line is open?

I remember it dropping us to the central bus station so you’d still have to get to T5 (unless they have changed that and stop at T5 also).

We have always preferred to get the train to H&H or actually the last few times we sucked up the cost of a taxi from Reading to Heathrow, which actually didn’t end up working out that much more cash and was certainly a lot less travelling time.

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by RockTheDots

We live in Reading so have used the RailAir coach many times to get to and from LHR. Always found it really reliable (runs every 30 minutes) and it drops off outside terminals 2, 3 and 5. If travelling from Terminal 4 you have to transfer to a free airport shuttle. It picks up from Terminal 5 and the Central Bus Station which is a short walk from Terminals 2 and 3. We prefer it to taking the train as it's a dedicated airport coach service so they load your suitcases into the hold for you meaning you don't have to lug them on and off the train, find somewhere convenient to store them etc.

I have colleagues who live in Exeter and they usually go the train to Reading + RailAir route when travelling to Heathrow rather than the train to Paddington + Heathrow Express. Of course this was before Cross Rail opened, in future maybe that will be easier if already taking the train.

See more...

I live in Exeter and my sister lives in Reading so we do the journey often.

The other option that I’ve not seen mentioned, but for completeness: the (usually much cheaper but also slower) train from Exeter to Woking on the Waterloo line and then coach or taxi onwards. We usually did this when there were four of us as the savings added up (plus we could walk to the local Exeter train station from our house). But we now tend to prefer the faster Paddington Train (but get off at Reading and change to a local train to the Heathrow area).

There is also National Express which again fortunately for me is walking distance of my house but the coaches are so infrequent I don’t like that option much!

[JAF]

Originally Posted by Peko

It’s been connected to the airport stations for years. Heathrow Connect trains, now TfL Rail, stop at Hayes and Harlington (along with several other stations) between Paddington and LHR.

The eventual change for Crossrail will be the linking of the 3 sections (Elizabeth Line central section opens tomorrow) so that it is no longer necessary to change at Paddington when travelling east or westbound.

See more...

Ultimately you are supposed to be able to get on the train at Sheffield and travel straight through to Heathrow which is still not happening and you can only get as far as Liverpool Street before having to change train to continue on the Elizabeth Line to Paddington and then you have to change again so definitely doesn’t connect from the east.

[wayner]

Only problem I find with trains is you have to leave your large cases near the entry exit doors and you can't keep an eye on your luggage while you are in your seat

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by wayner

Only problem I find with trains is you have to leave your large cases near the entry exit doors and you can't keep an eye on your luggage while you are in your seat

See more...

As said, we are pretty much always hand baggage only.. including the West Coast this October. We travel very light indeed!

[lizzie145]

I did newton abbot to Heathrow yesterday, went to Paddington and then the Heathrow express.
The single journey on one ticket was £39.
Got the public bus to bath road for £1.55

Going home is always tricky as have to book an open fare just in case the flight is delayed.
Nowt worse than sitting in a cold waiting room when you are tired

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by lizzie145

I did newton abbot to Heathrow yesterday, went to Paddington and then the Heathrow express.
The single journey on one ticket was £39.
Got the public bus to bath road for £1.55

Going home is always tricky as have to book an open fare just in case the flight is delayed.
Nowt worse than sitting in a cold waiting room when you are tired

See more...

It’s really odd the pricing recently - DD (Exeter) and her boyfriend (Newton Abbott) found it slightly cheaper travelling to London from Newton rather than Exeter!

We always book an off peak return for the journey home, slightly more expensive than the fixed date and time but considerably less than leaving it open. That said we almost always return on a weekend so it’s easy to know we would be off peak!