Is it crazy to spend the night in Bath if you have a noon flight out of Heathrow the next day?

When you say “early January”… one thing to be aware of is that rail engineering work is often scheduled over Christmas and the New Year, and it has been known to overrun, causing delays in the first week of January.

I don’t know if there is any work planned on that line, or how early exactly you mean by early January, but personally I wouldn’t be comfortable with this. Also weather might be a factor if there’s snow.

If I wanted to be at Heathrow at 9am, I’d be spending the night in London near a tube or Elizabeth line station (eg Paddington) for a quick commuter ride out to Heathrow in the morning. Or indeed at Heathrow itself.

I guess my personal risk-adverse attitude would be that a two-stage journey on the morning of a flight, with potentially poor weather, would be one-stage too much.

Others may have different attitudes.

Your attitude is pretty much mine .. it just seemed nicer to stay in Bath for our last night than to run all around outer and greater London the night before we leave and spend our last night at the airport hotel, but safer is better than sorrier. we are talking very early January.

You could just stay at Paddington for your last night? I’d definitely feel comfortable getting to Heathrow for 9am from Paddington - but at that time of the morning I’d prefer public transport to a cab.

I wouldn't stay at Paddington ... I would just add a night to my existing reservation in London. I booked the airport hotel before I made the Bath plans, and probably will just stick with it if spending the night in Bath is too risky. I didn't book the airport hotel bc I didn't think I could get there in time from Central London .. just thought it would make for a less rushed morning and I would save a few dollars.

I'm not super excited about it due to the packing/unpacking/bedbug check, etc. (FYI the bedbug check is not due to current news. I have bedbug checked every hotel for the last 13 years, since I stayed at a Ritz and was eaten alive. Very luckily they did not invade my home, as I figured it out on the plane home and was able to take precautions, but one close brush with this is more than enough.)

There are buses direct to Heathrow from Bath at 0400 and 0545, arriving at 0605 and 0755.

0755 gives you a healthy buffer, BUT what happens if there is winter weather- unusual but not unheard of.

Personally I think I would take my bags to Bath, find a left luggage for the day (stasher or equivalent), then an evening bus or train Bath to Heathrow.

reason for the airport hotel was...ease the next morning... like to be three hours early...might be nice not to do so much traveling the night before...really evaluating in terms of fun/convenience/safety of making my flight...

Sounds like the airport hotel will achieve all of the above. Just food for thought.

@TC, well yes it accomplishes all of those things, except for the traveling the night before. But if we go straight from Bath to Heathrow, that cuts it down. My original plan was to go back to central London to get our bags. It's six of one, half-dozen of the other, as the trip to Bath will all of our luggage will be more annoying and expensive, since I'm more likely to need a taxi to get to the train.

People have explored several options already so I am going to say that staying in Bath the night before worked for me. I took a 6:35 am National Express Bus that arrived at the airport at 8:50 am. I had plenty of time before my flight at 1:05.

It all gets down to your risk comfort level. The further you are from the airport, the more risk associated with same day travel. I enjoy coach travel in the UK. I can reserve a seat and the driver deals with loading and unloading my luggage. It is also usually fairly economical, especially as a solo traveler.

@Carol -- it is me and my teenage son, but it is still cheaper. The reviews on the coach company have me a bit worried though.

what about the reviews?

just some very cranky reviews on TripAdvisor.

ust some very cranky reviews on TripAdvisor.

National Express coaches are the sort of thing that people don’t bother to write reviews for if everything goes okay. They’re fine. But - just be aware of the risks of winter road travel if it turns cold or if you’re travelling at rush hour.

I’ve lost track of whether you’re planning to go to Heathrow in the evening or the morning but there’s nothing wrong with National Express coaches.

Most of us who actually use National Express, especially on a fairly short haul journey like this, on the first duty of the day, would say that the TA reviews are a load of whingers. Who ever posts a review on TA for a good coach journey.

Let me take one as an example of the utter garbage posted from Paula G-

TERRIBLE!!
Aug 2023 • Solo
Ticket Clearly stated RIPON to TELFORD return. However, the coach did not turn up as, apparently, they do not pick up in Ripon. I should have picked up the coach in LEEDS which would not have been an issue had I known. Had I not been a driver my holiday would have not happened.
After several emails to National Express, they take NO responsibility.
They have now taken £15 from my Credit Card for a rewards scheme also the rewards scheme company have taken £15.00. From experience, I know that there will be no refund and am now £70.00 out of pocket for a coach journey which never happened plus £37.00 in taxi fares.
Be careful when considering using Nation Express and DO NOT sign up for the rewards scheme!! The small print is smaller than small!!

My response to that- grow up and be an adult. A five year old child can read that you have to purposely opt in to the rewards scheme. It simply doesn't just happen. Secondly read your ticket- it will have very clearly read to catch the Bus #36 from Ripon to Leeds as a codeshare. Anyone who is standing at Ripon's tiny bus station, and can't see a route branded double decker bus with a huge route number 36 on the front, or read their booking or their ticket isn't fit to be allowed out of the house.

Review after review is of that calibre.

Of course things go wrong sometimes, but really.

If I was going by train I would want to build in buffer time and be on the first train at 0535. 0643 is way too risky.

I am also very surprised you can find a hotel in Bath cheaper than a Heathrow Premier Inn for instance.

If I was deciding, I'd spend the last night at Heathrow.

Stuff happens. Trains have problems. Weather--especially in early January--can cause delays.

Remember, if you don't show up, the airline is not obligated to get you on another flight. You will be obligated to buy new tickets at the last minute going rate. And right after New Years, the planes are crowded. I've been flying back to the US from London days after New Years for years (Pandemic excluded) and the flights are busy. )

‘Stuff’ did happen for us a few years back. We were on Heathrow Express but sadly there was a fatality on or near the tracks. The station we were left off at (can’t remember which one now) was not the easiest to navigate to Heathrow from. We eventually got a taxi there but it was a close call.

just some very cranky reviews on TripAdvisor.

Take any review on any forum with a grain of salt. Do your own diligence when planning a trip.

After a couple of close calls in traveling, we stay at an airport hotel the night before we return home. Our hotels of choice are the Hilton Garden Inn in terminals 2 & 3 or the Hotel Sofitel in terminal 5. No worries, no stress.

@Ed - I'm booked at that Hilton Garden Inn. I think I researched which terminal I was leaving from and that's how I picked.