I'm trying to get to out Air BNB near Covent Garden Station Monday night. But our flight lands at 8:30pm at Heathrow and by the time we get through customs and pick up luggage I think we will miss the last subway on the Piccadilly line. Will I have to take a taxi or should I go to Paddington Station and get a cab from there? Is there a bus that will take us to Trafalgar or Leicester Square which wold be closer?
Posted by
Royaume-Uni
2719 posts
simply book a car service if you think you will not make the tube - it will remove all of the hassle
Posted by
OP
12 posts
If I had unlimited money to spend, I gladly would. I can't believe everyone who arrives later in the evening has no other option.
Posted by
UK
1015 posts
Check the tube timetable on www.tfl.gov.uk. It looks as if the last tube from Heathrow to Covent Garden is 23.45 on Mondays to Thursdays. You should have no trouble making that.
On Fridays and Saturdays they run right through the night.
Posted by
OP
12 posts
Thank you . Just want to be prepared especially since I"m traveling with my son . I typed in directions from Heathrow to Covent Station and kept getting a rather convoluted route which made me think the tube stopped before we could access it. THis is a definite relief esp. since our Air BnB is only a block form the station. And I'd rather save the cab fare for food and the sights.
Posted by
UK
1015 posts
TfL defaults to the quickest route, which is nominally the Heathrow Express, which would then result in the convuluted route that you're seeing.
Far simpler just to search for the tube timetable for the route you're doing - or to play around with the search filters to rule out all forms of transport rather than tube.
Posted by
OP
12 posts
We are traveling with other people who will be checking into the airbnb earlier so no one will be waiting for us with a key.
Posted by
Paris
2466 posts
You had better be prepared to call someone who will have the key.
Some AirBnB's charge extra for late-night arrivals.
Make sure that you call the person who owns the apartment in advance to make everything clear - arrival times, etc.
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5582 posts
How exactly you get a ticket for it isn't clear, Transport for London aren't very interested in people who can't vote in London.
Bit puzzled by this as there seems to be plenty to me on the TfL website about how to pay on the bus; being at night makes no special difference and many of the routes are the same as during the day. Key thing is no cash - Oyster or contactless payment or travelcard only.
Posted by
OP
12 posts
Plane landed early, and even if it had not, catching tube to our station was piece of cake. Helpful signs and station employee and we were on the train in no time
Posted by
Paris
10941 posts
Excellent! Enjoy your time in London!
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5582 posts
card at Heathrow after the TfL Visitor Centre shuts at 8:30PM
There are vending machines which can be accessed 24/7.
The situation where buses do not accept cash (but would visitors necessarily have that either?) cause problems all day but allowing some to travel free apparently is cheaper than handling cash.