Central London to Heathrow: taxi or car service?

With most of the airport car services (e.g., Blackberry, Just Airports), the price is fixed. If you use a black cab, it will be metered.

Typically, the fixed price is less expensive.

In April 2024, I took a London black cab from Heathrow to my hotel near Waterloo train station. It was about £112. I had my hotel arrange for a car to take me back and it was a little cheaper at £90. South Kensington is several miles closer to the airport. I really liked having the private car on the way back to Heathrow.

Neither are cheap but a car service will be cheaper. I used Blackberry from Heathrow to the Kew area, all good.

We had 5 in our group in November and so booked ahead using Corporate Black Cabs. That way we knew all 5, plus luggage would fit, and the driver met us in the terminal.

Ride the Circle line to Paddington Station where you can catch the 15 minute Heathrow Express

The Elizabeth Line also takes you to Heathrow cheaper--but with more stops

If you book an Advance Heathrow Express ticket it will be £5.50 cheaper from Paddington than the Elizabeth Line.

I agree with the others that a car service is probably a better choice. You know the fare ahead of time.

More than likely, your hotel works with a car service and may be able to offer a great price.

Car service, I normally use Addison Lee, although your hotel will have a recommendation.

That being said South Kensington tube is on the Piccadilly line that goes to Heathrow, unless you are massively burdened with luggage it is very easy to get there by public transport.

I use a car service if I have a very early flight. If work is paying for it I use Addison Lee, and have always been happy with the service. If I'm paying for it myself I use a prebooked Uber which is less expensive.

The decision as to whether to use a car or public transport is of course entirely yours but if it were me, from South Kensington, I would take the direct tube and use what I save over a car for a good pre-flight meal at Heathrow or some nice comestibles to take home.

You might consider taking the Underground Circle Line from South Kensington tube station to Paddington station… 15 minute ride. Then having booked far in advance to secure a cheaper fare hop on the Heathrow Express… another 15 minute ride.

Just another option.

EDIT: Thanks ian31c

The TFL site shows the tube + HEX route to take 49 minutes and the Piccadilly line tube to take 51. I don’t think a 2 minute saving is worth about double the price even with an early bird HEX ticket let alone the need to change lines at Paddington.

I'd add that I have a fondness for Addison Lee, going back to when I'd use them daily many years ago when they were just a bike courier company, and having an account with them at my previous employer in London to get me home late at night. Blackberry Cars has long been the favourite with many forum members here though.

You might consider taking the Underground Central Line from South Kensington tube station to Paddington station

In any event it is the Circle line from South Kensington to Paddington, as opposed to the Central Line (which doesn't serve Paddington)