Christmas Eve travel from Heathrow to Manchester

Definitely book Advance tickets now

https://www.virgintrains.co.uk/travelling-at-christmas

Allow 4 hours from your arrival at LHR

Absolutely book your train tickets NOW.

HUNDREDS and Hundreds of travelers will be vying for those seats. You are a month away.

Hopefully you'll find something and definitely take the above posters suggested 4 hour time factor.

As a precautionary concept keep a flexible state of mind. Weather could totally affect your travel time so have a plan B and make it NOW!

Euston, and Virgin at Euston, often don't post the platform numbers much in advance of the train leaving.

In mid afternoon on Christmas Eve expect the concourse to be a mass of humanity all staring up at the departure boards, and the number of seats on the concourse can be counted on one hand, with some fingers left over. If you are well ahead of time (probably not but you can hope) there are seats on the mezzanine, to the left of the restaurants looking from the departure board back up to the mezzanine. Up and down escalators on the left and a lift on that side too, and that's where the Virgin First Class lounge is. Escalator up only (no stairs) on the right, although there are stairs right at the very far right out of sight. Stairs to the centre left.

That afternoon might be the one and only time that I would pay for First Class tickets. You may find more luggage space in First, but there are no guarantees.

Too bad your flight isn't direct to Manchester.

Be sure to have a plan-B if the tube becomes a problem. The Piccadilly Line is suffering with labour problems at the moment and there has been talk of another strike around Christmas.

Don't plan on getting to Manchester too late either, with everything shutting down early.

Your arrival time at Heathrow is a little late for a comfortable onward journey to Manchester on that day. Sorry.

And emma may have a point about the Mondayness.

Thanks, everyone! Train tickets purchased. Fingers crossed for on time travels and safe weather. On to setting up Plan B!

Or perhaps a plan-C.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but Heathrow Express is out on Christmas Eve.

The link to the Christmas alterations is http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/204081.aspx

To quote an excerpt from it for the HEX and the Euston - Manchester / Wales routes

Engineering work is taking place between London Paddington and Slough.
All lines to / from London Paddington will be closed on 23, 24 and 30
December and 2 out of 4 lines will be closed on 27, 28, 29 and 31
December.

Heathrow Express:

Sunday 23 to to Wednesday 26 December

No trains will run between London Paddington and Heathrow terminals.

Throughout this period a shuttle service will run between the terminal
stations within the airport.

...

Virgin Trains:

Monday 24 December:

Services to / from London Euston will be reduced, with two per hour
running between London Euston and West Midlands / Manchester
Piccadilly.

Services to / from Holyhead will run between Crewe and Holyhead only.
Services to / from Blackpool North, Shrewsbury and Wrexham General
will not run.

The 16:40 London Euston to Edinburgh service will be diverted to run
to Glasgow Central instead of Edinburgh.

Sorry

Nigel,
Would you recommend an Uber or cab from Heathrow to Euston?

A cab from Heathrow to central London is slower than the train, except in the early hours of the morning. It is also a lot more expensive. The only advantage is luggage carrying capacity and if you are a group. Plus door-to-door, but that isn't relevant if you are going to a major transport hub like Euston.

My initial though when reading "Christmas Eve travel from Heathrow to Manchester" was don't. Everybody will be travelling on Christmas Eve (though I agree with Emma's comment about it being a Monday), and they will have bought their tickets a month ago.
The usual advice is don't pre-reserve trains if coming in from an intercontinental flight, too many variables. But in this case you are between a rock and a hard place.
is there no way you can fly direct to Manchester?

I just looked on the National Rail site ( http://nationalrail.co.uk/ ) for trains from ~13:00 on 24th December, There are still some tickets at £23. Maybe Emma is right.

Tube if its working, strikes must be announced prior so there won't be a "wild-cat" one.

I don't ever recommend Uber on philosophical grounds, others may.

Black cabs will cost an arm and a leg, maybe nearly as much as Uber surge pricing.

Minicabs is the way if you know there will be a strike and can make arrangements.

Uber aren't allowed to pick up at the airport except under special rules which others will know about.

I think the 'Christmas Eve being a Monday' effect is why engineering work is starting on it, as well as thinner services.

Not sure if the air option to Manchester has been mentioned, but all are now in excess of £100, some considerably more so.