Heathrow Express

[patnlcc]

We are flying to Miami to board the Marina from London Heathrow. Does anyone know of a Heathrow Express discount ticket? They are currently charging £18 for a one-way 15 minute journey. Crazy !! Must be the dearest train ticket on the planet.

[LHT28]

I am not sure what boarding in Miami & Heathrow express have to do with each other

If your question is on Heathrow you may want to ask in the British Isles forum

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=233

[First Time 2008]

You get more value on the tube. Less money, more time. The cost per minute is incredibly lower. :-)

[jpalbny]

We've used the Heathrow Express before, and have been all over London via tube. Even 2 Heathrow Express tix from central London to LHR will be much cheaper than a cab ride. While the tube is clearly less expensive (agree with First Time), if you have more luggage than a carry-on the Heathrow Express is much easier - there are large luggage racks for your suitcases. Can't see lugging your cruise suitcases through a tube station, down the escalators, and through the crowds...

 

I think there is a discount for booking on-line (which is the price you're quoting), and if you need a round-trip ticket it's cheaper to buy RT rather than 2 one-ways. Don't know of any other discount - unless you discover the Fountain of Youth while in Florida, as the kid's fare is much cheaper!

[Bestbubba]

We are flying to Miami to board the Marina from London Heathrow. Does anyone know of a Heathrow Express discount ticket? They are currently charging £18 for a one-way 15 minute journey. Crazy !! Must be the dearest train ticket on the planet.

 

You're quite right, it is the most expensive tube journey on the planet! We took the regular tube, for us it was District line and then changed onto the Piccidilly line, through to Heathrow - normal fares apply. If you go to the Transport for London on-line site (Google TFL) you can work out your route.

 

Sue

[alanmr]

We are flying to Miami to board the Marina from London Heathrow. Does anyone know of a Heathrow Express discount ticket? They are currently charging £18 for a one-way 15 minute journey. Crazy !! Must be the dearest train ticket on the planet.

 

We used Heathrow Express last July. More user-friendly than the Underground, especially as we going to Paddington station. At that time, I searched online and found a discount, I believe for American Express. You may be able to locate similar promotions by Googling it.

[LaCroisiereS'amuse]

I work at Heathrow & the Heathrow Express is one of my ways of getting to my workplace......the big rule to follow is DO NOT leave it until you board your train to buy your ticket as there is a £5 surcharge per ticket. Either buy online at https://www.heathrowexpress.com/ or from one of the HEx ticket offices. The cost is crazy I know, but then they market themselves as an alternative to the black taxis, not the tube.

 

Avoid the tube at all costs if you have anything more than hand luggage between 0700 & 0930 from LHR to Central London & 1600 to 1930 going to LHR, particularly if you have to change lines.

 

There are more reasonable taxi services that are much cheaper than the classic Black Cab......

 

I frequently use http://www.greentomatocars.com/heathrow/ who use a fleet of Prius Hybrids which are fine for 2 with moderate baggage you prebook online or by phone & they will meet you in the Arrivals area holding a large green tomato shaped board with your name on it. Parking fees are not included, but they do monitor flight arrivals before dispatching drivers so these are kept to a minimum.

 

Also, www.addlee.com are worth checking out, especially if you are carrying lots of luggage (they use people carriers). Addison Lee have cars based just outside the airport & again they monitor arrival times, but parking charges are included.

 

Both of the pre booked taxi companies accept credit cards, but you will have to prepay online or by phone & there is a small surcharge. You can also pay by £££ cash & this is much appreciated by the drivers as they retain far more of a cash booking than a card booking....around 30% for card bookings versus 75% for a cash booking.....both have Iphone apps & Addison Lee have one for Android.

 

I live in SW18, about a mile & a half from Wimbledon tennis & about 4 and a half miles as the crow flies from Buckingham Palace & for comparison here are the approximate fares for my own LHR journeys....

 

Tube (via prepaid "Oyster" card (1 tube journey + 1 bus journey) £4.50

The above buying cash tickets £7.50

Heathrow Express plus one tube & one bus £22.50

Black London Taxi £65-£75 depending on time/traffic

Green Tomato Taxi £42

Addison Lee Taxi £54

 

If you must travel on the tube or bus you should buy an "Oyster Card" which is a prepaid smartcard than you load with cash at any tube or rails station (and in many convenience stores).......Oyster fares are only 55-60% of cash fares so the saving far outweighs the £4 charge for the card. For example an Oyster Bus fare is £1.25, whereas cash is £2.35.

[LaCroisiereS'amuse]

We are flying to Miami to board the Marina from London Heathrow. Does anyone know of a Heathrow Express discount ticket? They are currently charging £18 for a one-way 15 minute journey. Crazy !! Must be the dearest train ticket on the planet.

 

I see you're in Glasgow......

 

At the risk of thread drift here did you know that you can book a Glasgow TOA cab to pick you up from Glasgow Airport rather than queue for an Airport Renfrewshire taxi. I split my time between London & Glasgow, and a TOA cab will charge a flat fare of £13.60, rather than the variable rate charged by Renfrew Taxis (between £15 & £19!!) to Hyndland. They pick you up just outside domestic arrivals.

[patnlcc]

Thanks for great advice - we are coming to London by train and staying at a Heathrow hotel before flying out to Miami. Thnx too for the taxi advice.

[dlb237]

Heathrow Express is also charging for speed. Heathrow Connect is a local train that makes intermediate stops and takes half an hour or so to Paddington for a GBP 9.10 fare: http://www.heathrowconnect.com/ . Service is every 30min vs. every 15min for Heathrow Express.

 

--David

[bbwex]

Considering the cost of transportation at other European ports, the cost of the Heathrow Express (it's not an underground) is not bad. If you have lots of time, and can manage to get your luggage up and down the steps, you can take the tube, but the tube is not easy if you are taking more than a carryon, as has been said. With the Heathrow Express, you very quickly get to Paddington Station, and it is an easy, level walk to cabs. Or vice versa if you are just trying to get to Heathrow. Heathrow Connect is cheaper but slower.