Luggage on Tube in London?

[patcacmt]

Can luggage be taken aboard a train if you are using that to get from the airport to a hotel? Arriving in London for a 3-day stay and 12-day cruise, we'll have a couple of pieces apiece, I'm sure. Is using the tube a viable option? Would using a car service be better?

[JodiBB]

It's going to depend on how many transfers you will be making inbetween lines. I've ridden the Tube multiple times. It'll also depend on the time of day. If you're not going during a rush hour and the transfers are minimal, it IS doable. There are escalators between lines so you don't have to climb stairs. If you find there are multiple transfers, then it could become hectic...

[Globaliser]

Can luggage be taken aboard a train if you are using that to get from the airport to a hotel? Arriving in London for a 3-day stay and 12-day cruise, we'll have a couple of pieces apiece, I'm sure. Is using the tube a viable option?

You can certainly take luggage on board the Tube trains. However, very few stations have step free access, and even if you change lines with the aid of escalators you're almost certainly going to encounter steps.

 

The advice I usually give here is as follows: If you can lift and carry all your own luggage in one go, and you can carry it up or down the equivalent of one floor and about 50 yards horizontally, then the Tube will be fine. If you have more than that (so you have to shuttle backwards and forwards to move it all), or if it is too heavy to lift and carry for those distances, then you will struggle.

[soraya]

hi, Depending on wear your going from/to it might be easier to take a black cab. Much less wear and tear on you than the tube with luggage, although I base this on the luggage I take with me for a cruise!

 

Soraya

[VikkiGarcia]

Our family of 4 did it. We arrived at Heathrow at a non peak time so our whole journey was not very crowded. Getting on at Heathrow is easy. Our hotel was on the same Green line route so we did not have to transfer trains (that would probably have been tricky). Our arriving station had the newer escalators which allowed each family member to pull their suitcase on the step behind them. Make sure if you are going anywhere else that same day to buy an unlimited pass at Heathrow for that day. The ticket guy assumed we just wanted to get into town and did not ask us until we pointed out that we wanted it.

[yfraser]

Note where Globaliser is from... he knows exactly what he is talking about. For the past three years or so, I have been in London every 6 months of so. You can take the tube with luggage according to exactly how he states! Can you manage it on stairs? You never know when the escalator will go out. And believe me they do go out! And those spiral stair cases are amazing!

 

Heathrow Express is a definite option to consider... google it... another quick cheap option to getting to central London and there is a hotel right in Paddington station.

[CAPinBoynton]

Patcacmt, we did a 3 day pre-cruise in London before our British Isles / Norwegian Fjord tour this past June. Personally, I would not use the tube with even one piece of luggage. I don't even know if I would attempt it with just a carryon!

 

We used a wonderful service called Airporttransfers. They also took us to Harwich to board the ship, and picked us up and took us back to London after the cruise. They were most helpful and reliable. You can read about them on our website. Our review w/ pictures will give you other tips and links to the services we used, as well as answer a lot of questions. The link is below my signature. Hope you have a great time.

[EGG]

There is also a mid price option called an airbus. We lucked out. Our hotel was only a block away from one of the airbus stops. You leave your luggage on the rack in the lower deck of the bus, and enter London on the top deck of the double decker. A great way to start you trip. Make sure you have pounds to pay.

 

Ellen

[patcacmt]

Thanks for all the great information. I think we'll look into the other options posters have suggested. It would be nice to take care of not only the airport-to-hotel transfer, but also the hotel-to-port and port-to-airport transfers all ahead of time. Also, now that I think about it, my husband had shoulder replacement surgery a few months ago and even though he's feeling better and stronger than ever, I don't want to risk a re-injury!

[dbh62ark]

Patcacmt, I think that's a good idea. My husband and I have been on the tube with luggage, and I would not do it again!

 

Best wishes,

Donna

[SteveS]

We have taken the tube from Heathrow directly to Russel Sq. twice. We had three pieces of wheeled luggage and carry-ons each time. The only hard part is the flight of stairs up to the elevator at Russel Sq. We stayed at the Russel Sq. Holiday Inn which is very nice and air conditioned. Which can be important in Aug. We took the National Express coach to Southampton and to Dover which was inexpensive and scenic. Do spend a night in a B and B in Dover. There is a lot to see.