Tom Anderson wrote:

On Sun, 7 Jan 2007, Tristán White wrote:

"Brian Watson" wrote in news:50cd01F1fjn7pU1
@mid.individual.net:

I have to do this trip on Thursday morning after 9am.


Our survey (of the TfL Journey Planner) says: Circle/H&C to Paddington,
then Heathrow Express to Heathrow, taking 40-odd minutes. If you ask for
a no-NR route, you get the Central/Picc route via Holborn, which is
predicted to take 70 minutes.

I think Central line to Holborn, then Piccadilly out to Heathrow
looks quickest and easiest.


Yes, definitely. You may get there marginally (and only marginally)
quicker
if you go to Paddington (Circle/H&C) and then the Heathrow Express,


How about Central to Ealing Broadway, then Heathrow Connect to the
airport? JP puts that at 60-65 min. Slower than the HX, not
significantly faster than the tube, but it works with travelcards and it
avoids a change at Holborn - you have to go over a bridge at Ealing, i
think, but it'll be easier than finding your way through a maze of
twisty little interchange passages, all alike, and should be less busy.
I'm not sure what the frequency of the HC is, though - that 60-65 min
might be based on an optimistic assumption about making a connection.

Travelcards are only valid on Heathrow Connect as far as to Hayes &
Harlington. The single fare from there on to Heathrow is then £4.90.
From Ealing Broadway it is £5.50:
http://www.heathrowconnect.com/default.aspx?pageid=44

Even though Heathrow Connect only takes 20 minutes to the airport from
Ealing Broadway it might take longer time than with the Piccadilly Line
from central London because the Heathrow Connect only runs every 30
minutes (11 and 41 minutes past hours from Ealing Broadway). If the OP
goes for this Ealing Broadway route I would certainly recommend some
kind of plan B if he arrives at Ealing Broadway and just misses a
Heathrow Connect train. I would then suggest any westbound train that
calls at Hayes & Harlington and then the 140 bus from there to the
airport. But this only in case of missed Heathrow Connect train.

--
Olof Lagerkvist
ICQ: 724451
Web: http://here.is/olof

Tom Anderson wrote:
How about Central to Ealing Broadway, then Heathrow Connect to the
airport? JP puts that at 60-65 min. Slower than the HX, not
significantly faster than the tube, but it works with travelcards and it
avoids a change at Holborn - you have to go over a bridge at Ealing, i
think, but it'll be easier than finding your way through a maze of
twisty little interchange passages, all alike, and should be less busy.
I'm not sure what the frequency of the HC is, though - that 60-65 min
might be based on an optimistic assumption about making a connection.

Unless something's changed recently, Travelcards are /not/ valid on
Heathrow Connect between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow.

And Heathrow Connect runs on 30-minute headways.
--
David of Broadway
New York, NY, USA

David of Broadway wrote:

Tom Anderson wrote:
How about Central to Ealing Broadway, then Heathrow Connect to the
airport? JP puts that at 60-65 min. Slower than the HX, not
significantly faster than the tube, but it works with travelcards and it
avoids a change at Holborn - you have to go over a bridge at Ealing, i
think, but it'll be easier than finding your way through a maze of
twisty little interchange passages, all alike, and should be less busy.
I'm not sure what the frequency of the HC is, though - that 60-65 min
might be based on an optimistic assumption about making a connection.

Unless something's changed recently, Travelcards are /not/ valid on
Heathrow Connect between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow.

And Heathrow Connect runs on 30-minute headways.

As has already been pointed out elsewhere David's statement above
regarding the limited validity of Travelcards on the Heathrow Connect
service is absolutely correct - nonetheless I feel compelled to
emphasise this point, as if people follow the earlier erroneous advice
they'll end up being the recipients of a £20 penalty fare (IME
Heathrow Connect trains have at least one enthusiastic conductor,
possibly two, who are very efficient in demanding sight of all tickets).

Just go for your original plan. One change, frequent trains, not
expensive, and other options are not going to be marginally faster.

"James Farrar" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 7 Jan 2007 17:08:04 -0000, "Brian Watson"
wrote:

Are you going to be carrying luggage?

One HUGE backpack.

In that case, the best advice I can give you is: When on trains, TAKE
IT OFF AND PUT IT ON THE FLOOR, please.

Oh, I will. I'm going to be carrying the darn thing for most of the
following two weeks so any opportunities to get it off my back will suit me
as well as my fellow-travellers on the Tube.

And yes, you should be best off changing at Holborn.

Still tempted to Circle Line to Paddington, then Heathrow Express...

--
Brian

On Mon, 8 Jan 2007 08:11:31 -0000, "Brian Watson"
wrote:


"James Farrar" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 7 Jan 2007 17:08:04 -0000, "Brian Watson"
wrote:

Are you going to be carrying luggage?

One HUGE backpack.

In that case, the best advice I can give you is: When on trains, TAKE
IT OFF AND PUT IT ON THE FLOOR, please.

Oh, I will. I'm going to be carrying the darn thing for most of the
following two weeks so any opportunities to get it off my back will suit me
as well as my fellow-travellers on the Tube.

And yes, you should be best off changing at Holborn.

Still tempted to Circle Line to Paddington, then Heathrow Express...

You have more spare money than I do, evidently. I don't believe it's
worth the £14.50-£17.50 fare [1] unless (a) one starts from a point
close to Paddington, and (b) one has multiple heavy bags.

[1] http://tinyurl.com/yded83

James Farrar wrote:
On Mon, 8 Jan 2007 08:11:31 -0000, "Brian Watson"
wrote:

Still tempted to Circle Line to Paddington, then Heathrow Express...

You have more spare money than I do, evidently. I don't believe it's
worth the £14.50-£17.50 fare [1] unless (a) one starts from a point
close to Paddington, and (b) one has multiple heavy bags.

You forgot: (c) one can claim it back on expenses or (d) one gets PRIVs,
so only has to pay £3.90 Single or £7.25 Return in "Express" Class

Cheers,

Barry

"Barry Salter" wrote in message
...
James Farrar wrote:
On Mon, 8 Jan 2007 08:11:31 -0000, "Brian Watson"
wrote:

Still tempted to Circle Line to Paddington, then Heathrow Express...

You have more spare money than I do, evidently. I don't believe it's
worth the £14.50-£17.50 fare [1] unless (a) one starts from a point
close to Paddington, and (b) one has multiple heavy bags.

You forgot: (c) one can claim it back on expenses or (d) one gets PRIVs,
so only has to pay £3.90 Single or £7.25 Return in "Express" Class

Urk! I am self-employed, so Expenses is self-defeatingvbg.

I'm going Central Line/Piccadilly.

But thanks to all who have offered advice and suggestions.
--
Brian

Tristán White wrote:

"Brian Watson" wrote in news:50cd01F1fjn7pU1
@mid.individual.net:

I have to do this trip on Thursday morning after 9am.

I think Central line to Holborn, then Piccadilly out to Heathrow looks
quickest and easiest.

Is that the best route, d'you think?




Yes, definitely. You may get there marginally (and only marginally) quicker
if you go to Paddington (Circle/H&C) and then the Heathrow Express, and for
some flights from Heathrow you can check your baggage in at Paddington and
get your boarding card there already, which may be less hassle than the
bedlam that airports have become as of late what with all the paranoia
about liquids and one item of luggage only (the queues to check in are
doubled in time, as people in front of you can't follow simple instructions
and insist on more than one bag, or try and pack liquids into their luggage
while checking their bags in).

However, it'll cost ya. And I'm not sure you'd save more than 20 minutes or
so, when you take into account the extra kerfuffle.

I thought the check in facilities at Paddington had all gone.
BA apparently closed theirs due to lack of use. Which is true but only
because they didn't publicise it enough.

Londoncityslicker wrote:

I thought the check in facilities at Paddington had all gone.
BA apparently closed theirs due to lack of use. Which is true but only
because they didn't publicise it enough.

They're all long gone. There were a few operating on 10/9/2001 - and if
memory serves me right, that was the very last time they were used
there.

D.