Heathrow Express questions

Why not take the Elizabeth Line. It goes from Heathrow to Paddington on the same line as the Heathrow Express. It takes 15 minutes longer but costs a lot less. No changes.

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/elizabeth-line/

It sounds like you have found the early bird £15 fares each way, which are £2.80 more per person each way than the £12.20 on the Elizabeth Line.

But if you use the Elizabeth Line you will also have the benefit of the £15.60 Zone 1 to 6 day cap each on your fares.

So you can go to Paddington and back to Heathrow and do any number of trips in Central London for £15.60 each on the same calendar day if you use the same payment method each time.

You can use the Heathrow Express or the Elizabeth Line. Depends on how quickly you desire to get to your accommodation and what you are willing to spend.

I’m a math atheist so not helpful in providing an answer.

I’m old school and take the Express after an overnight flight from LAX. Book the ticket 3 months prior. However, in 2022 did use the Elizabeth Line to return to LHR for my flight home.

Hopefully someone who has been to Paddington recently ( like this year ) can clarify if all the construction that was happening there in 2022 has been completed making it an easy stroll from the station to your accommodation.

That benefit looks good Stuart. We are getting in pretty early, so being able to maximize the ticket looks like a bonus. 15 minutes isn’t much to add onto the journey in. It’s weird, bc I did look at the tfl site and put in the departure and arrival place on their “plan your journey “ function and only the HE came up. That was why I thought the regular tube lines were not as doable. The Elizabeth Line looks like the best plan. Thank you both so much!

Claudia, thanks for the input. Yes, I hope someone can give any feedback on that area, too. It’s an area my daughter hasn’t spent much time in. Do you have any good restaurants or pubs that you like around there?

“Math atheist” lol lol I am definitely going to steal that phrase for myself!

We just took the Heathrow Express from Heathrow today, and it was a comfortable, fast, very pleasant ride to Paddington, Only one other passenger on our car, so no crowd, and it was easy to get on and off, with our luggage in tow. The Elizabeth train pulled away on the left track just as we were reaching the scanner gates, but the Heathrow Express (HEx) was waiting on the track to the right, and left a couple of minutes after that.

We got on a 2nd Class car, a short walk beyond the two 1st Class cars that would’ve cost a LOT more. There was a promotion for rides in August, so our Early Bird round-trip tickets for two were less than £27 ($34), but if you go with the HEx, getting the Early Bird price now is your best deal. After a long flight today with delays, we weren’t going anywhere else in London by Tube today after we reached our B&B.

To the northeast of the station, along the canal, things have been spruced up
nicely, and you will find restaurants and pubs. If you wander a bit farther
towards Warwick Castle/Maida Vale, you'll get into a neighborhood with
some local pubs and dining.

If you're on BA, you'll go into Terminal 5, but it really doesn't matter as T5
and T2/T3 have stations for both HEX, regular Tube, and Elizabeth Line.

The trick to get the Elizabeth Line route in the TfL journey planner (which will by default give the fastest route) is to put in your to and from stations, Then on the next screen select 'edit preferences'. Then un-tick 'National Rail'. That gets rid of HEx.

If you just wanted a tube route un-tick every box except the Underground.

Or for an all bus route (if you were that daft) un-tick all but London buses.

Etc

If no-one else answers about Paddington I am in London on a 7 hour visit this Thursday, for two very special services at St Paul's Cathedral (Evensong and Compline). Unusually I am arriving in to London from Cumbria at Marylebone (not Euston) with a spare hour before I am due to arrive at St Paul's so might try to nip down to Paddington for a quick look.

Straight after Compline I leave from Victoria overnight, bound for Glasgow

Thank you for the tfl tutorial Stuart, that really will help going forward. Once we get there I hope to be like a member of a tour group with her leading the way this trip, but it’s always good to learn about how to use these apps/sites!

Shoeflyer, that’s good to hear. Did this area go through a rough patch recently?

I would really like to go to St Paul’s for an Evensong service. We were able to go to a service At Westminster Abbey last summer and it was so moving. Stuart, if you are over in that area and see anything you want to comment on, I would love to hear about it! Thanks toe everyone who is taking time to respond:)

OP favorite spots to dine in the area are Tudkin Flavors of Malaysia ( probably need reservations these days).

Also enjoyed a meal at the Victoria Paddington Pub. Dine upstairs. Really nice pub with etched glass.

I took the Elizabeth line from Heathrow to Tottenham Court Road two weeks ago but did go through Paddington.

No construction on the line. Very easy. Very comfortable. Had a seat the entire way.

The Elizabeth line trains are bigger and more comfortable than your standard tube trains.

The construction work is largely complete around the main entrance but the Paddington Square building with the associated new ticket hall for the Bakerloo line doesn't open until some time in the autumn.

@Mustlovedogs- There is Choral Evensong at St Paul's every day at 5pm (3pm on a Sunday) just like at Westminster Abbey. Although my Parish Church in London is All Saints, Margaret Street my own "Cathedral" has always been St Pauls, rather than Westminster Abbey.

What makes a 900 mile or so round trip worthwhile this week is the Choir who are singing the Office, and the very rare chance for the late evening service (or Office) of Sung Compline at St Paul's.

The Choir have travelled 5.000 miles for this residency, so the least I can do (as a weekly member of their on line congregation in the US) is to travel 1/5th of that distance to hear them.

If you are spending some time in London the Citymapper app is useful. Has little tips like which end of the train to use.

Have a fun trip.

Rocket, thank you. I have read on here about that app and plan to add it. Claudia mentioned the google maps walking icon on another thread. I am so directionally challenged, I may use both - or just hold onto my girl’s bag strap and follow her wherever lol!

Mustlovdogs-I went to Paddington on Thursday afternoon. The new PI could not be better placed. Take the elevator all the way up to street level from the Elizabeth Line and it is literally across the road.
Also buses 36 to Victoria and 23 to Trafalgar Square stop there. Which is what I did - the 36 to Victoria changing to the 26 for St Pauls. Simply because it was the first one.
The construction work is the opposite far side of the station. I 'd be more than happy to stay there.

I must admit I got diverted by the canal. For a price there are now electric hire boats there, the fuel barge was passing. And there was a line of 8 or 9 vintage food trucks offering many different world cuisines. No idea if that was a one off.

Thanks so much Stuart for checking it out- yay! Your report makes my day. We’ll have to see the canal and maybe a boat ride is in our future. And a food truck visit. We are already getting so excited! October is coming soon! I hope you enjoyed your St. Paul’s concert!

I think they actually open this PI next week. We’ve heard so many positive reviews from the RS community.

Yes thanks. Both services were deeply meaningful and spiritual occasions. far more so than I can enunciate or than is appropriate to do so here.
Actually the first in person Church service I have been to since the pandemic.
The slightly odd thing, after Compline when you are meant to be in silence, was cutting down through the back streets to Blackfriars Station and all the loud city boys are spilling out onto the pavements from the bars and pubs- a huge juxtaposition.

I was impressed with how many non pilgrim visitors from the PNW were there.

Just going to bed now after 45 1/2 hours.

We got home from London two nights ago. The peaceful silence on the Heathrow Express back to the airport, even during very busy August (albeit on a mid-week train at about 10:00 AM) was a huge juxtaposition with the loud, pushy throngs at both Paddington and at Heathrow.

Finally got to bed in Colorado after just 22 hours after waking up in London.

Cyn, I went ahead (while the early bird price was still available) and secured two return tickets for us on the HE. My daughter reminded me that when we left last summer I had between 5-10 pounds worth of travel on my Oyster card that I can put toward anything that first day, so with that consideration, it made more sense to go ahead and take it. A British friend from our church also recommended we take it as she always does when she stays in Paddington, so that is settled, or should I say “sorted”. :)

Stuart, I must apologize for the use of the word “concert” in my reference to your St Paul’s journey. Right before I replied I had been thinking about and researching the St Paul’s Organ Recital Concert series that occurs on particular Sundays at 4:30 and my mind went there - with the word concert instead of service-ugh- as I was typing. We hope to be able to attend the Evensong service and maybe stay for the concert as well.
When we were there last summer, an organist was simply practicing and the way the music filled brought me to tears as I sat there, so yes, I can understand.

Mustlovedogs, I wouldn't say that the area around Paddington had gone through a
rough patch, it was just a bit old and ungentrified. Much less so now. Little Venice is
also a nice place to wander around.