Best way Paddington HEX to British Museum

[Alaskanb]

Trying to figure out the best way of getting to the British Museum from Paddington HEX station. We are staying at Heathrow and okay with the cost of HEX.

The pdf bus map does not indicate which bus stop to use in which direction. What money would we need -- pound coins or ? We are specifically spending the day at the museum.

Would the underground be more efficient? Are day passes available for that?

[Twickenham]

Trying to figure out the best way of getting to the British Museum from Paddington HEX station. We are staying at Heathrow and okay with the cost of HEX.

The pdf bus map does not indicate which bus stop to use in which direction. What money would we need -- pound coins or ? We are specifically spending the day at the museum.

Would the underground be more efficient? Are day passes available for that?

 

While No. 7 bus will take you directly to the British Museum from Paddington, there's really no need - if you're staying out at LHR, take the underground straight to Holborn, and walk (should be about 5 minutes or so). If you're just using the underground for the day, a 1-day travelcard will probably be sufficient, but if more than a day, you'll probably want to look into getting an Oyster card.

Any particular reason you're staying at LHR and not closer in?

[John Bull]

I find the tube (underground) system a lot quicker & much easier to navigate than buses.

No direct route from Paddington, but you have a number of options involving just one change of tube train.

 

But regardless of the cost, simplest without luggage is the tube all the way from Heathrow to Holborn or Russell Square station - direct route on the Piccadilly line (dark blue on the map) vs two changes by using the HEX. About 35 to 40 minutes, which is as quick as the total journey if you use the HEX.

Tube train from Heathrow every 5 mins (T1-3), every 10 mins (T4 or T5), all trains from Heathrow go to Holborn / Russell Sq.

About £6 each way, mebbe a shade cheaper (& certainly easier) if you buy a return ticket.

Various payment options, machine or ticket booth, cash or credit/debit card. I don't know my way round Oyster cards & the like, but if this is your only journey I can't imagine a travel card being cheaper.

For your return journey, trains terminating in Heathrow & Uxbridge use the same line. Don't get on an Uxbridge-bound train, it's a long walk to Heathrow ;)

 

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.pdf

 

"mind the gap" ;)

 

JB :)

Edited January 28, 2014 by John Bull

[Post Captain]

Alaskanb ~

 

Heathrow to the British Museum is relatively straightforward whichever way you do it. Train (Heathrow Express, or Heathrow Connect if you wish) + bus is faster (in theory, anyway) but more expensive; Underground (Piccadilly Line to either Holborn or Russell Square & then a short walk to the museum) is slower but less expensive. It's up to you.

 

The bus stop for the number 7 bus from Paddington to the BM is on the north side of Praed Street, about half a block from the station:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/tfl-bus-map/text/stopinfo.aspx?s=14020&r=7&rn=1#

The cash fare for the bus currently is £2.40.

 

The cash fare for the Underground from Heathrow currently is £5.70 each way = £11.40 round trip. A one-day off-peak travelcard (zones 1-6), good for travel after 9:30 a.m., costs £8.90, so would save you £2.50 per person off the full fare.

 

[Alaskanb]

Thank you everyone. I had been thinking that HEX + bus would be much faster than the hour on the underground from LHR. Think we will stick to the underground….

We are staying at Heathrow because we have a family reunion post-cruise near Goring-on-Thames so it is easier for folks to pick us up from there. Then we are off to Iceland after our day at the British Museum.