Cambridge to LHR T5 questions

I would take the Piccadilly Line from Kings Cross to Heathrow T5.

Why insist on Heathrow Express when you can get the Piccadilly Line directly underneath Kings Cross station.

By the time you get a cab from Paddington, and then wait for the next departure of the Heathrow Express, I doubt you will save much time but you will be out a lot more money. And considering the time of day you're going, the taxii will hit lots of traffic. I know there are many posters here who make the Heathrow Express sound like the Orient Express but it's just a commuter train.

But if you insist on Heathrow Express, then Kings Cross is much closer to Paddington than Liverpool Street.

You want to arrive at Heathrow no later than around 10 AM especially on a Monday morning when it may be slightly more crowded. Give yourself at least an hour--more like75 minutes--to get from Kings Cross to Heathrow. I'd probably plan on a train leaving Cambridge at about 7AM.

With this tight schedule.......one slip up, one delay, and your goose is cooked. Personally, I'd stay near Heathrow the night before. Or take a much earlier train to give you some leeway.

Monday morning is always a bad time to be traveling into London. I was going to suggest perhaps the national express bus which would eliminate the need for changes and carrying luggage but looks like it leaves Cambridge at 0500 arriving at LHR at 7:30 A.M. Perhaps a little too early for you but you could relax on the journey, eat breakfast at LHR, and not be stressed about being late for your noon flight. Catching the 7:00 am train from Cambridge is during peak travel time. I would perhaps even consider staying up at Heathrow (premier Inn or Sofitel) on Sunday. BTW The National Express buses (coaches) are very nice. I use them all the time to go from Stansted to LHR.

Ok if we take Piccadilly line straight from Kings Cross, how long will it take? We have a full day of commitments in Cambridge the day before so want to stay there that night, yet I do know getting into London on a Monday morning leaving Cambridge early will be a nightmare. And, how early do we need to be? If it were a flight back to US of course I would be there about 3 hours ahead. Same here for Jersey? Thanks.

Also we will consider the coach though 5 am is tough for my family. Hoping we can leave Cambridge around 7?

Maybe we SHOULD take the coach at 5 am? You folk are right, one mess up along the line,eek. That being said I know bum squat about the coaches. Where do they leave from in Cambridge?

I can find tix on April 4 leaving Cambridge at 6:40 am arriving King’s Cross 7:33. Is this enough time to get the Piccadilly line out to T5 and get there by 9:30ish? We will have checked bags on this flight to Jersey (have to). Also the train schedules keep saying they can’t guarantee this line will be operating on this schedule or on time after February 28 due to engineering. Thoughts?

You could take this service directly from Cambridge to Heathrow. Just Airports, a car/van/limo service.
https://www.justairports.com/
(The driver would know to avoid the traffic of central London, therefore hopefully using roads way north of London, bypassing areas of congestion.)

Especially since it will be four of you traveling together; the cost would be shared, making it reasonable.
Especially since you said in your initial post that one person has a back problem.
This would save you from negotiating through the train, tube, taxi, etc. with roller bags and a variety of pieces of luggage.

"We would like for these various people and family not to have to navigate multiple Tube stops schleping all their stuff. Should we come into Kings Cross and taxi from there to Paddington or come into Liverpool Street and taxi from there to Paddington or do you have another suggestion?"

Yes, my suggestion is this service I have mentioned, or another if you find one you like better.

Rereading this thread, I can say, you must figure out which way would be best for you.

It's a domestic flight so two hours ahead should be OK. Rome2rio.com is a tool to help you figure out options. It's not a good way to buy tickets, do that through the actual carrier, but it gives you an idea what choices you have. You may have to enter specifics re date and time to get good info, for example right now it's showing an 8+ hour overnight bus time between Cambridge and LHR (90 miles) because it's midnight in the UK.

I like the Heathrow Express if I'm already in London but I agree with Frank about this one. Either the train to Kings Cross and the Piccadilly Line or the direct bus.

chapin100, yes I think the train-tube combo you identified would work for you. I don't have experience with the direct "Just Airports" service another poster mentioned but that seems worth looking into also.

Are you locked into LHR for your flight? There are flights to Jersey from Stansted Airport, a half hour from Cambridge by direct train. Use Rome2rio if you want to follow up on this.

Yes we used part miles/part cash from some leftover BA miles I had so that’s why we are stuck with BA and T5.

You mentioned taking the coach from Cambridge...
National Express Coach Station; Cambridge City Centre:
Located in: Parker's Piece
Address: 319 Parkside, Cambridge UK
Website to search for routes and/or book tickets:
https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
It is not necessary to buy tickets ahead of time. You can walk up to the window in the bus station on the day and buy them.

You want a bus directly from Cambridge to Heathrow Airport (NOT going through London).
Look for one that goes into T5 bus station.
When you get off the bus, go through the glass sliding double doors and you will be inside Terminal 5.
Just get out of Cambridge early morning and arrive at Heathrow in plenty of time to prepare for your flight.

This would cost a fraction of what it would cost for a train to London plus Heathrow Express.
This would cost a fraction of what it would cost for a limo service.

Edit/added: Someone else mentioned: "for example right now it's showing an 8+ hour overnight bus time between Cambridge and LHR (90 miles) because it's midnight in the UK."

There is absolutely no way it's an 8 hour bus trip from Cambridge to Heathrow!
Something's wrong there.
I would expect it to be (but not guaranteed!!) more like 2 1/2 hours?
(Because I've ridden it before, and I think that's what it was.)
Going to check on that!!

Read again what Katy and Frank II wrote above.
Best advice.

I have put in a date on the National Express website to see how long the bus/coach from Cambridge to Heathrow would take. Currently getting the spinning wheel while the website does its search.
Waiting for quite a while now......waiting.....giving up for tonight.
I will try again tomorrow.

The National Express bus is 2 hours and 30 mins from Cambridge to London. It will take the M11 to M25 to LHR and go to Terminal 5. You can buy the tickets online. The price starts at £22.00 (I just put in a random date). These buses (coaches) are very nice, leather seats, outlets, nothing like a Greyhound (There is no comparison). I am 55 years of age and I would rather take the bus than deal with the trains in London on a Monday. Terminal 5 is very busy in the mornings and if you are checking luggage for your BA flight to Jersey I would get to the airport as soon as you can and drop the luggage off then eat breakfast and relax until your flight. If you take the trains, I would leave Cambridge soon after 6:00 am. Taxi from your hotel to the bus station in Cambridge. Your hotel will help you with that.
Also, I know it is a domestic flight but you have US passports, you may need to check-in at the airline kiosk/desk for your flight which will take extra time up. I can't recall the procedure for non-EU passport holders.

https://book.nationalexpress.com/

CAMBRIDGE Parkside (City Centre)
National Express
Service: 727
Departs: 05:00
Direct - non-stop
Mon 25 Apr 2022
HEATHROW Airport London T5 (LHR)
Arrives: 07:30

The problem with using Rome2Rio is that it isnt that accurate. I've seen way too many mistakes.

There are no flights from Stansted to Jersey on Mondays. Well, actually, there are. It will involve 3 changes and take 28 hours.

According to the Transort for London journey planner, it will take one hour and 9 minutes from Kings Cross to Heathrow T5. That includes the walking. However, in my experience, add about 15 minutes in case of delays. With busy trains there are delays. The Piccadilly line stops underneath T5. Just take the elevators up and you are there.

The cost of the tube is 5.30 pounds.

The flight to Jersey is not an international flight. Two hours should be fine.

The idea of a hire car might not be bad as the driver can bypass London. Figure 1.5-2 hours for the drive.

I doubt if coach or motorway is necessarily more reliable than railway.

In order to spot disruptions, it is best to check ahead of setting off.

Nationalrail and city mapper gives you a dashboard about rail and tube disruptions.

If you have to check the road traffic status, check Waze or highway England twitter.

Route between Kings cross and Heathrow
https://citymapper.com/trip/T8cut5i738i

If ticket hasn't been bought, maybe check if there are tickets departing Stansted? It is much closer to Cambridge.

BA also offers luggage pick up from your address. Maybe that makes the transfers to Heathrow easier.
https://airportr.com/en/ba/

Cambridge rail station to Heathrow t5 on Piccadilly line

Directions:
https://citymapper.com/trip/T4zggua2hvi

Cambridge rail to t5 on cross rail
Directions:
https://citymapper.com/trip/Tgj9s65p3gd

My personal opinion:

I personally prefer hammersmith and city line + cross rail or Heathrow express as both offer way fresher rolling stock. H&c line trains are also spacious. You'll definitely get a seat on cross rail as it departs from Paddington.

Piccadilly line trains are very old. Pretty noisy.

A research about air quality of underground.
https://airqualitynews.com/2019/11/29/air-pollution-on-london-underground-four-times-worse-than-above-ground/

With no wriggle room on your journey, I would opt for train and underground options over taking a coach or car, as you are less likely to be severely delayed at that time of day.

Have to agree essentially with Frank and Jennifer. Train and tube combo is what I would do. Travelling by road during Monday am rush hour is potentially fraught with problems. My immediate thought on seeing ‘M11’ and ‘M25’ was ‘parking lot’ (actually being a Brit I thought ‘car park’ but you get the picture!).

Not being a London resident the Tube rolling stock is not something I’d give much consideration to (sorry Jeff, it’s all relative and the Piccadilly line rolling stock seems fine to me!) and most of the journey to Heathrow is overground once central London has been cleared.

I think if you left Cambridge about 7.00 am you’d make Heathrow by 10.00 am OK which is about the latest you should arrive there. Actual tube journey Kings Cross to Heathrow is a tad over an hour.

Ian

Don't bet on the Crossrail/Elizabeth Line yet. Parts are due to open some time this year - TfL says "first half of 2022" but who knows what that really means - there have been constant delays and there is still no fixed date, and the bit to Heathrow will open even later..

It is nice to wish for and will eventually be nice but don't count your little chickies yet...

I did say in the other thread about an hour for each leg, An hour Cambridge to Kings Cross, an hour Kings Cross to Heathrow, and add a few minutes' walking time.

No way unless the trains burp I'd want to be on the M11, M25. It is a LONG way around the M25 from the M11 to the M4. Regular hiccups around the Waltham Abbey tunnels, the A1, M1, Maple Cross, M40 all before the M4.

Thank you everyone for the help! Please tell me people are good about mask wearing on trains and Tube. We have the sword of Damocles hanging over us (especially brother and wife who HAVE to get back) needing testing to get back to the US.

nope not at all

This isn’t great. Though triple vaxxed I am at slightly elevated risk. Two others have hard deadlines (though insurance too), my SIL is a hospice nurse. They have to leave after Jersey, nephew and I are returning to London for 5 days. On my trip with spouse to Switzerland and Austria last year every single train or subway or bus everyone was not only masked but most wearing KN95s. Ran into two slightly scary times and just moved to end of rail car. Tested negative fine BUT as above—public transit people wore masks. Now what to do. I hate to haul my family at 5 am to the bus BUT if people on the bus are more likely to be masked and we’re not packed in like sardines maybe that is the better way? Or try the car service even if it means traffic? Want to minimize risk for everyone. Advice please? Everyone triple vaxxed and we do trust vaccines but not around a bunch of unmasked people in close quarters. Don’t want any political stuff or comments that will get posts smashed, just want to know opinions that knowing the above, are we better off doing the bus then or the car service?

Be aware....there are no mask rules in England except for public transportation in London and certain health care settings. You will be hard pressed to find too many people wearing masks indoors or out. Here's a rundown of the rules:

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51205344

sorry but that's what I mean. Even though a few fines have been doled out in London to tube and bus travellers the vast majority ignore even that.

One good sign is that the numbers have been gently decreasing for the disease at the moment, but if you are coming to England you will need to be prepared to see that during your whole stay here, no matter the county or city.

I believe they are considerably more strict on the Channel Islands.

Ok we decided to do the car hire from Cambridge to T5. I am also guessing that if people have basic bailed on mask wearing on the Tube we will be walking, taking Thames boats and taxis more. Glad I asked about this and thanks to all of you for telling me the truth. We like to walk anyway. Cheers.

When you hire the car, make sure you tell the company you want the driver to wear a mask.

Leave Cambridge very early morning.
Make sure the Just Airports limo service people know the time of your flight at Heathrow, so they and you can plan a very early journey to make sure you'll get on the flight.

If leaving Cambridge at 5 AM is what it takes to make it through before rush hour, then that's what it takes.
I wouldn't be happy about getting up this early, but I would be less happy about missing my flight.

Best of luck to you on your trip.