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Time required from flight touchdown at Heathrow to King's Cross

Hi friends. We (myself and wife) will be arriving at Heathrow T-2 by an 11:30 AM Air India flight on 9th June (Friday). Our plan is to take a tube from there to King's Cross and take a train to Edinburgh (we already checked flying option from LHR to EDI but nothing is suitable with the kind of luggage that we will be carrying so train is the best option for us).

We are wondering how much time do we budget for reaching till King's Cross including immigration, luggage pickup and the tube ride. Assuming about 2 hours for immigration and luggage pickup, then getting to the tube and reaching King's Cross, is 4 hours a good enough time to reach the station?

We want to be extra conservative and keep maybe an hour extra that what is normally required. We have not planned anything in Edinburgh that night so reaching there a little late is also ok.

There are trains from King's Cross at 3:30, 4, 4:30 and 5 and we would like to purchase the cheaper advance fare so have to decide the train time now itself. Which train do you suggest we take out of the above options?

P.S. We would like to take a few minutes to pay a visit to platform 9 3/4 as well while we are at King's Cross so kindly factor in that time too.

Posted by
14482 posts

After you finish Border Control, pick the luggage up, and then board the Tube to Kings cross from Heathrow (a direct ride), the ride should take ca. one hour. I've done it, it took 55 mins.

Posted by
533 posts

Four hours should be plenty, provided your flight is on time and nothing goes badly wrong. Thinking back to my last trip to London, my flight touched down at 6:30, and I was in the Kings Cross area well before 10:30, and that included dropping off my bag at my hotel along the way.

But it's always possible that your flight will be late or something else will go wrong. So the question is, if you miss your train and have to pay the walk-up fare for a new ticket, how badly will that ruin your budget? If the extra cost would be manageable, go ahead and book one of the earlier trains. If it would be prohibitive, I'd book the latest one of the day that you can.

Notice, though, that the trains on the hour are faster than the ones that leave at half past (because they make fewer stops). The 15:30 train, for example, gets to Edinburgh only 9 minutes before the 16:00 one. Given that, I'd opt for 16:00 instead of 15:30, and so on.

Posted by
6386 posts

I agree with the one hour tube ride. On a couple different trips it's taken close to 1.5 hours​ to get through passport control and get luggage. On another occasion my flight landed on time but we sat on the tarmac for 40 minutes before we got to a gate. Think positive but plan on things not going as planned.

Posted by
3119 posts

Is there some reason why you don't spend your first night in London and take the first morning train to Edinburgh? That way even if your incoming flight is very late, you won't be stressed about having to buy new rail tickets.

It's a bit mystifying to read that you're carrying some kind of luggage that cannot be put on a connecting flight to Edinburgh, but that you can haul onto a train. Explain?

Posted by
32519 posts

LHR to EDI but nothing is suitable with the kind of luggage that we will be carrying

That bit worries me. How much and how big would trigger that sort of an elimination of the easiest route?

Tube train doors are only open for a short time, and in that time you have to haul all that you are carrying, pulling, and pushing - and yourself - onto and off the tube train. Most routes through Kings Cross St Pancras station include stairs although there is possibility of step free which is a much longer route. There are three steps onto the train to Edinburgh too.

If you have that much luggage are you sure that you don't want to reconsider what might be an easier trip, a connecting flight?

Posted by
970 posts

There are departures out of King's Cross to Edinburgh after 5 pm on 9 June, as well as longer trips out of (next door) Euston. Be sure to click the "Later Trains" tab at the National Rails site.

Since you aren't concerned about arrival time in Edinburgh, the safe bet would be the latest departure you find acceptable. Better to wait at King's Cross than to miss a train.

Also, avoiding airline luggage fees is understandable but be aware that hauling large and/or multiple pieces of luggage on and off the Tube can be annoyingly cumbersome. You might consider booking a car service from Heathrow to the hotel. Will cost more, of course, but the driver will handle the luggage and take you directly to the station. Search the forum for recommendations.

Heathrow Express is the fastest way into town from Heathrow but it terminates at Paddington Station. Getting across town to King's Cross by Tube or taxi will essentially negate the time savings.

Also, while rail staff may appear at King's Cross to help you board with that luggage, I would not count on that happening. Most passengers carry their luggage on board and store it in overhead bins or at the special sections at either end of the car.

If it's still daylight while you're on the train out of King's Cross, the best views, especially the last hour or so as you approach Edinburgh, are from the right.

Posted by
17 posts

Thanks for all the valuable suggestions.

I realised that taking the 3:30 PM and 4:30 PM trains would not make much sense as they are 20 minutes slower than the other ones so effectively will reach only 10 minutes earlier than the 4 PM and 5 PM trains. I think 4 PM should be easily manageable but I'm still leaning a bit towards 5 PM time to make absolutely certain that we get there well on time and get sufficient time for lunch and platform 9 3/4 as well. What do you feel would be the right option for us?

What I mean by not suitable luggage is that the total weight of check-in luggage will in all likelihood be more than what is allowed on flights and hence extra charges would be applicable. Flight is anyway turning out to be more expensive than train (roughly 160 pounds for two tickets with 20kg baggage allowance vs 110 pounds for train) and taking additional luggage allowance will push it close to 200 pounds. We would much prefer to utilise that part of our total budget over something else! :)

We have traveled with the same amount of luggage through bus / metro services earlier also (through most of Europe) and are comfortable with it. And hopefully the tube would not be extremely full considering that we will be going well past the morning rush hours. Also we love traveling by train and relaxing watching the beautiful scenery around so would definitely enjoy the experience more than taking another flight.

Posted by
17 posts

@j.c.:

Had not seen your message before I posted my last comment. I think we can go by the 5 PM option. Seems reasonable time to make it to the station using the best possible route (tube or taxi). Maybe we can finalise that once we are packed up and exactly know how much luggage is there - essentially it will be two medium sized bags and one smaller bag along with a couple of backpacks.

Thanks for your suggestion regarding the train seats. Do we get to choose the seats while booking the tickets or are they randomly allocated? Would definitely love to get the right hand side window seat and taking the 5 PM train would mean that we will still have daylight even during the last hour of the journey.

Posted by
17 posts

I am getting a bit worried by an update that I got on another forum - that Friday evening trains (between 4:30 to 6:30) going out of London are extremely packed and it is at times difficult to get to even your own reserved seats and get space on luggage racks.

I fail to understand this part - can someone else actually sit on our reserved seats and refuse to get up when we show out tickets and ask them to? From our side, we will be ready at the platform even before the train arrives and will board it as soon as it comes, could it still get difficult to get luggage space and to sit on our ‘prebooked‘ seats?

I checked for airfares also and realised that most cheaper airlines (except Flybe) do not fly out of Heathrow. The only doable option I found is a 6:20 PM Flybe flight which reaches EDI at 8 PM and costs around 193 pounds including extra luggage. And we will end up reaching our hotel room at around the same time as we reach by train, and that too after spending an annoying 7 hours on the airport (Don’t think we can go out of the airport as our luggage will not be checked through as our base BOM-LHR-BOM tickets are already booked). And both of us love train travel and would prefer it anyday over taking a flight, especially if my time of arrival is remaining the same and the train being cheaper doesn't hurt either.

One more question - does it help to reserve the seat in a 'quiet' coach? As in, are there normally less people traveling in that coach, especially the ones who don't have a seat reservation or are standing?

Posted by
8889 posts

Karan, Partial answers.

Friday evening trains (between 4:30 to 6:30) going out of London are extremely packed and it is at times difficult to get to even your own reserved seats and get space on luggage racks.

True, they are packed. True luggage space will be short as a result. "difficult to get to your seat" just refers to the number of people trying to get on and find their seats at the same time.

I fail to understand this part - can someone else actually sit on our reserved seats and refuse to get up when we show out tickets and ask them to?

Reserved seats are marked with a card on the back of the seat, which says "Reserved King's Cross to Newcastle", or similar. So someone getting on at Newcastle can use it.
There are sometimes a number of "no shows", businessmen whose meetings overrun. So if it is getting near departure time and the train is full, someone may sit in a seat and "hope" nobody turns up. Just ask them politely to move.

ready at the platform even before the train arrives and will board it as soon as it comes, could it still get difficult to get luggage space and to sit on our ‘prebooked‘ seats?

Not possible, the train has ~30-40 minute turn-around, during which time they clean the train. They do not post the platform number until the cleaners have finished (~15-20 minutes before departure). By the time they post the platform number, the train is already there.

does it help to reserve the seat in a 'quiet' coach? As in, are there normally less people traveling in that coach

"Quiet" just refers to no mobile phones, it will be as crowded (or not) as the rest of the train.

Posted by
17 posts

Thanks Chris F for all the answers. This is really very helpful.. :)

I have another question - I read about there being a checked baggage service if you are traveling between the first and the last station on some of the busy routes where you can put your larger bags near the guards van at the end of the train and collect them from the platform on arrival. That would be really helpful in case we are unable to find luggage space in our coach. Any idea if there is any pre-booking required for availing this service and are there any extra charges for it?

Not possible, the train has ~30-40 minute turn-around, during which time they clean the train. They do not post the platform number until the cleaners have finished (~15-20 minutes before departure). By the time they post the platform number, the train is already there. <<

When I am looking at the train details on nationalrail.co.uk it is showing both the departure and arrival platform numbers (in case of 5 PM train, it shows Platform 2 for both KGX and EDB, for 4:30 PM train, it is 0 and 19). Can it get changed when the train arrives?

Posted by
8889 posts

Karan, Platform numbers can and do get changed if there are any problems. One late train can mean it is still sitting in a platform when the next train arrives, which then has to go to another platform and it all cascades. They don't post the platform on the departure boards, and don't let you onto the train until the cleaners are finished.

Posted by
32519 posts

Trains are planned to use certain platforms far in advance (by Train Planners and Operations Specialists in conjunction with Network Rail) but are always subject to change. Even when you know which platform is planned you can't gain access to the train until it is called. The barriers - where you present your tickets and gain access to the train - aren't staffed until the train is called. There is still the chance that the train can be replatformed, too.

It doesn't seem to me that the luggage you are speaking of, around three bags for at least two people plus a rucksack isn't a lot more than many people have. When you said you said that you couldn't fly because of luggage I expected you to say trunks x 5.

The details about East Coast luggage are at https://www.virgintrainseastcoast.com/rail-travel/your-journey/luggage/

Posted by
5311 posts

The one-way fares from Heathrow to Edinburgh are always higher on a Friday - note if they were part of a return they would be £30 or so less each. On the other hand the charge for a bag is only £10.

This is not a particularly special weekend, so although the trains would be pretty full, they won't be completely packed in standard class.

Posted by
17 posts

Thanks Nigel and Marco for your replies.

When I said flight is not suitable, I meant that the weight of your baggage will be much more than what I included in a flight ticket so significant additional charges will apply. More importantly both wife and I are big fan of train travel and usually always prefer taking a train over a flight especially if no overnight travel is involved.

In this case it makes even more sense because the only good (and reasonable) flight option I'm getting at Heathrow is the 6:20 PM Flybe flight by which we will reach our hotel in Edinburgh almost at the same time as the 5 PM train. Also it will be very grim to wait at the airport for almost 7 hours towing all the luggage along with us.

Posted by
5311 posts

Flybe only start operating from Heathrow this week incidentally. If anyone prefers slower planes with propellers these are for you. This is why they aren't so time competitive.

Posted by
32519 posts

There is a British Airways flight from Heathrow to EDI at 15:20, arrives 16:50. It is £100 per person with 2 pieces of cabin, a carry on and a laptop case or handbag. Add £10 per person, make it a Plus ticket instead of basic and you now have 1 piece of hold baggage each, too. So 2xhold + 2xcarry on + 2 underseat bags for a good price and not too much waiting around the airport.

Posted by
17 posts

Thanks Nigel. I had also checked that flight. The problem if that we will be having 3 bags that will need checking in. And additional price of an extra check-in luggage is 60 pounds.. :-o

Posted by
130 posts

Please check your email. I am sending you a PM regarding my recent experience with similar situation.

Posted by
5311 posts

Note that technically speaking you may be over your free bag allowance for rail as well by one bag, unless your 'backpacks' are very small as you are only allowed two bags each plus an incidental item such as a handbag or briefcase that can be carried on your lap. Not that you are likely to be challenged over it anyway, but I thought it right to point this out.