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8 hour lay over in Heathrow

We have an 8 hour lay over in Heathrow. Is there any tour that picks up at the airport and returns to the airport? I understand an 8 hour lay over would actually be about 4 hours so there wouldn't be a lot of time. It seems a waste to sit in the airport that long. Ideas?

Posted by
6113 posts

I don't think there are any tours, but Windsor is your best bet, as it's closest. London will take too long to get in and out of, so you would have so little time there.

Posted by
1 posts

Why is an 8 hr layover 4 hrs?

Go to Windsor Kew Gardens - 30 minutes by taxi.

If you wanted to go into London, 15 minutes by airport express train to Paddington.

Posted by
8889 posts

178061t, Windsor and Kew are two totally different places, in opposite directions.
8 hours becomes 4 hours because:
1) 1 hour+ to get through immigration etc. and emerge at arrivals
2) 15 minutes+ to find transport. Maybe more depending on terminal. Heathrow express does take 15 minutes, but there is one train every 15 minutes, so you may have to wait that long for a train.
3) Get back to the airport.
4) 1½ to 2 hour check-in for your next flight.

Windsor is the only realistic option. I would suggest a taxi both ways (£££) to save time.

Posted by
7175 posts

I think this could be managed within four hours (at a brisk pace) ...
Heathrow Express to Paddington
Circle Line to St James's Park
View Buckingham Palace
View Westminster Abbey
View Houses of Parliament (Big Ben)
Walk Whitehall to Trafalgar Square
Then to Piccadilly Circus
Return by Tube to Heathrow

Posted by
4495 posts

There's no reason a walk-around as proposed above would not work. I'd think better to walk past several London landmarks than go to Windsor, at least for a first time visitor.

Kew Gardens, for someone cooped up for hours and about to get on another flight, also sounds appealing, depending upon the weather.