Airports

Not sure which train you are referring to. At Heathrow I’m aware of trains that

• Take you to or from the airport to say central London and elsewhere in the UK
• Allow you to transfer from terminal to terminal land side (outside of security)
• Connect the different parts of T5

Otherwise getting to or from gates involves walking and moving walkways. Even the different parts of T5 can be reached by walking.

Edit. Sometimes you have to get on a bus to the gate or plane.

On our trip this year, we departed from terminal 5 at Heathrow. The only way to get to our gate was
Via a tram/train. This resulted in a panic attack and delayed getting back to San Diego
I have a sick family member in the UK and need to go back. Don,t mind which airport I go to in the UK, just want to avoid Heathrow. Have to leave from San Diego. It’s all very illogical, but i am also very much a senior and I find it very difficult. I really appreciate any info.

On our trip this year, we departed from terminal 5 at Heathrow. The only way to get to our gate was Via a tram/train.

There is no tram/train that takes you to the gate in terminal 2 or terminal 3 in Heathrow. I have never seen a train/tram in terminal 5, but I haven’t used that terminal recently. There are sometimes buses that take you to/from the plane when your plane is parked on the tarmac and you use the stairs to enter the plane. Is that what you are talking about? You can’t always predict whether your plane will come into a gate or if it will be parked and they bring out a staircase. That being said, I have been shuttled to the plane multiple times when flying BA. I have never been shuttled to the plane when flying United. United flies into Terminal 2.

I think you need to be more clear about what you are asking. When you deplane at Heathrow you walk to exit the airport. It’s your choice whether you want to take a train, bus, taxi, etc. from there. If you are asking about leaving from Heathrow to return to San Diego this is what I found

“Terminal 5 is made up of 3 buildings: the main terminal building, known as Terminal 5A and two smaller satellite buildings, Terminal 5B and C. The three buildings are connected via a tunnel and you can either walk or use the Transit Train to travel between them.” Obviously, the terminal you need info on is the one that your airline is using. I believe BA is a terminal 5.

At Heathrow Terminal 5, you need to take the underground train to the B and C gates for departing flights, if I remember correctly from this last May.
Good luck!

At Heathrow Terminal 5, you need to take the underground train to the B and C gates for departing flights, if I remember correctly from this last May.

The Heathrow website indicates that you can walk instead of taking a train.
https://www.heathrow.com/content/dam/heathrow/web/common/documents/at-the-airport/accessibility-and-mobility/before-leaving-home/terminal-5-departures.pdf

Clarity please. You can fly from San Diego and not be claustrophobic in the airplane cabin but getting on a bus/train for transport between terminals at Heathrow causes angst?

All airports have walkways to gates.

Where exactly are you going?

My friends who recently flew from Heathrow to San Diego had the same experience Pat is recalling—taking a tram to the gate.

Claudia—some people are fine in enclosed spaces as long as there are windows, or are fine above ground but not below.

I’m thinking the information wanted is whether you can walk to the gates at another London airport like Gatwick (where I haven’t been for decades).

This link may be useful:

https://www.heathrow.com/at-the-airport/accessibility-and-mobility-help

If claustrophobia is a problem with any train, then the shuttle trams/trains between terminals, or between concourses would seem to eliminate Heathrow, unless you are willing to walk, which is the only other option.

Gatwick may be an alternative. However you need to pay attention to whether your flights are in or out of the North or South terminal. I believe there is coach service to and from London to both terminals, but train service only from the South Terminal. The only connection between the 2 terminals is by the shuttle train. But since the OP is claustrophobic on trains, I assume she will be using a coach service.

Anyone can skip the train and walk the the tunnel connecting the B and C gates to A at LHRs terminal 5. (I did this in March after arriving in the C gates. It was a haul!)

https://www.headforpoints.com/2023/04/16/walking-tunnel-between-heathrow-t5-t5b-and-t5c/

Claudia, thank you for your reply re: claustrophobia on the plane. I know that that claustrophobia is totally illogical. I hate it and try hard to overcome. At this point air travel does not cause me a problem

Claudia—some people are fine in enclosed spaces as long as there are windows, or are fine above ground but not below.

I agree that phobias are illogical. I have a bad fear of heights, but have no problem flying in a plane. You would think that because a plane goes so high, it would be a frightening experience, but it’s really not. However, I cannot stand on a ladder that goes up 5 feet above the ground or get in an elevator that is enclosed in glass. So I totally understand what the OP is talking about.

Your problem might be solved by this announcement. It states the BA flight to San Diego will use Terminal 3 beginning October 3rd

From Tuesday 3 October 2023, several British Airways flights, currently in Terminal 5, will begin operating from Terminal 3. Flights affected include BA274 and BA275 (Las Vegas), BA272 and BA273 (San Diego) and BA246 and BA247 (Sao Paulo).

It is posted here:
https://www.heathrow.com/at-the-airport/terminal-guides/which-terminal

In Terminal 3, you can walk to the gates.

Maybe fly somewhere else in the UK and take a train to London? Edinburgh? Manchester? Gatwick?

At Heathrow, it's only Terminal 5 (British Airways) that has train/tram to "gate" as it takes you to the satellite buildings.

All the other terminals at Heathrow have you walk to your gate.

The only nonstop from San Diego to London is on British Airways. It now flies into Terminal 3. However, it could move back to Terminal 5.

Your alternative is to take a different airline with one stop. American, Virgin Atlantic, and Delta operate from Terminal 3. United and Jet Blue are from Terminal 2. Both T2 & 3 have walkways.

For those who are reasonably fit, the walkway route at T5 to/from the satellites is on average quicker than taking the train because of the wait times. The walk to the furthest-flung gates of T3 is broadly comparable.

Hannah,

Where in the UK do your friends live?

Would it be practical, especially if you can connect from San Diego somewhere in the US to another non-stop, to another UK airport such as Manchester?

Or are there flights from San Diego to a European hub, for connections to a UK regional airport close to your final destination.

For London you could consider London City, Stansted, Luton and Southend as potential hub connections. Southend is as fast to London from a connected station as Heathrow is. Luton I don't know if you would be OK with the DART connecting train from terminal to rail station.

Hopefully from LCY you would be OK with the short underground section of the DLR.

At Manchester there are no rail connections within the airport, and main line rail connections leave from a station within the airport.

If you're coming soon, and I assume you are if you are coming to see a sick relative, then you should be fine with the direct BA flight coming into T3. It;'s only just moved to T3 so is highly unlikely to move again quickly.
But, if your relative is elsewhere in the UK it may make more sense anyway to fly into somewhere else. You will be able to get to most UK airports with one stop from LAX, be that via a US or European hub. According to the SAN website there is also a direct flight to Munich from SAN from where you will be able to get to many UK airports.
I'm sure there will be a direct flight from LAX to Dublin as well and again you can get anywhere in the UK from there. The advantage of that route is that it will give you US pre-clearance on the way back.

It does not matter which airport we land in. My relative lives in the Midlands. We rent a car and driving is not an issue

If I was flying in from California, 12+ hours overnight whichever way you come I would not be getting in a car and driving for a couple of hours even if I was used to driving in the UK. I did it once coming back from Florida and finding myself in Manchester and my car in Gatwick (long story) I flew down to Gatwick to drive the car back, Never again.

Then you could fly to Dublin, connecting to Aer Lingus or Ryanair to Birmingham Airport.

Aer Lingus fly LAX to Dublin, with a 4 hour connection to Birmingham, 2020 from LAX, arriving Birmingham 1955.

If you are heading to the Midlands, depending on West or East, you can get closer by flying to Birmingham Airport.

Aer Lingus goes via Dublin, and on the way home you pre-clear in Dublin so no Customs in the US.

I see that while I was typing Stuart has pipped me to the post with the same suggestion.

thinking of your claustrophobia - I can't think of any issues at Birmingham. Even the people mover from the terminal to the train station has windows all around and arrives in a light and bright area after its 90 second journey if you wanted to hotel overnight and return.

I’m sorry that your relative is ill and that you must face these challenges. If you are going to London, Gatwick might be the better choice. There is an above ground(elevated) train that joins the two terminals or you can take a bus.

Completely possible to be dropped off at the correct terminal and just walk to the gate.

Nigel brought up East or West Midlands, which hadn't crossed my mind. Ryanair also fly Dublin to East Midlands Airport.

At BHX you can come straight out of the terminal to taxis/pick up/buses (almost a 24 hour service to Birmingham or Coventry) without taking the people mover to the railway station.

EMA is a small airport but good bus connections.

Yes Pat, it was the underground train that takes you to gate C in terminal 5 that caused the problem. I am trying to avoid this happening again on my next trip