On Wed, Feb 5, 2014 at 7:59 AM, Ted Lemon
<ted(_dot_)lemon(_at_)nominum(_dot_)com> wrote:
On Feb 5, 2014, at 8:51 AM, Elwyn Davies
<elwynd(_at_)dial(_dot_)pipex(_dot_)com> wrote:
If you don't mind taking a bit longer to get from Heathrow into central
London, the underground is a *lot* cheaper than the Heathrow Express
(about a factor of five! - HE is 21-26GBP single - Taxi to "central"
London is 45-85GBP depending on time of day and how central) and isn't
that much slower unless your hotel is real close to Paddington Station.
The tube ride from Heathrow to central London is interminable. It's fun
if you want to people-watch, and it _is_ cheaper, but Heathrow Express is
really a treat if you just got off a transatlantic flight, and the
Metropole is literally five blocks from the station. I took a cab from
Paddington last time because I hadn't had time to do the research, and it
was actually kind of fun, since the driver was very polite about it, but it
was a little embarrassing when the ride ended in less than two minutes. :)
[MB] Another option is to take Heathrow Connect. It's much less expensive
than the Heathrow Express (19.80 GBP versus 34.00 GBP RT) and departs from
the same location (the signage for Heathrow Connect isn't nearly as
prevalent as that for the Heathrow Express, so just follow the signs for
the latter). The train takes about 15 minutes longer because there are 4
or 5 stops. A handy option for folks that have US credit cards without
chips, and thus can't use machines, is to buy your round trip ticket
(either Heathrow Connect or Express) online ahead of time. You then just
enter the code on your receipt in one of the machines to retrieve your
tickets upon arrival.
[/MB]
There is absolutely no reason to take a cab from Heathrow--it will take
forever, and you'll get motion sickness. If you really want to be
coddled, take Heathrow Express, and take a cab from Paddington. It'll
cost a bit less, and be much more pleasant. Only take the tube if you are
short on cash or want a somewhat boring adventure.
BTW, doesn't this belong on 89-attendees?
[MB] Yes. [/MB]