Tube from Heathrow to Victoria at 8 am

You also have the Heathrow Express train getting to the Paddington Station quickly. that is a couple of tube stops northeast of Hyde Park and Kensington Station. You can transfer to a could of lines from there.

Emma,

By less frequently do you mean every 10 min instead of every 5 min, or do you mean every 30 min instead of every 10 min? Also, the reason why Hammersmith was recommended was that the switch was easy with luggage because the District line train was just across the platform from the Piccadilly train (i.e. no stairs, elevator, etc as it was all the same level). What is the platform layout at Acton Town?

Why not just take the coach and be done with it? 75 minutes isn’t an outrageous amount of time, your luggage is in the hold, and you can have a niice little nap.

What Norma said. You will be much more comfortable on the coach than a crowded tube car, and you will not have to make a transfer.

I did this some 20years ago and loved the ride. We sat on the upper level in front and had a great view. ( But I do not know if the National Express coaches are still double-deckers).

The only reason we are trying to get in early is that we have a reasonable amount of time before our train. We would like to get to the Changing of the Horse Guards (there is currently no Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace scheduled for Thursdays). The Fun London Tour for this leaves at 9:45 am from Green Park.

I also want to get a SIM card (Carphone Warehouse) and have lunch before we catch the train. There is a left luggage service that we will use.

At this time I am leaning to play it by ear. If the next bus is a 1/2 hour away I would take the Tube. Ten or or 15 minutes and then I would prefer the bus.

changing at Hammersmith to the District Line to Victoria Station at about 8 am on a Thursday (Our plane gets in at 7 am)?

You expect to be IN London, changing tube lines, 60 minutes after scheduled landing?

Or am I misreading what you are saying?

Take the Piccadilly line to Hammersmith and change for a District Line train to Victoria station. If I remember, Hammersmith should have a very easy across-the-platform transfer. Just as important, at Hammersmith, you have a better chance of getting a seat than at Barons Court, Earl's Court or later. You could change earlier at Acton Town if you have the time as that will give you a very good opportunity to get a seat.

Don't take the Heathrow Express (or Heathrow Connect) to Paddington as a way of getting to Victoria. With luggage, that is nightmarish.

Joe

I meant we would be getting on the Tube at Heathrow "about" 8 am.

Emma

I am aware of the distance from Victoria Coach Station to Victoria Station and that time is being accounted for in my decision. Believe me, we have taken our luggage much farther than that in other cities. Both of us will only have a two wheeled carry on bag.

To me the bad parts of this trip are the change at Hammersmith or wherever to the District line - crowded platform/crowded train with luggage AND when you finally get to Victoria Station which always seems to be a crush as you try to exit up the stairs to get out of the station. At that point both the District/Circle lines and the Victoria line dump together in the entrance hall to exit. Getting on at the airport is no problem - lots of empty space there!

I would go for the coach. I will say that I've never gone from the Heathrow Coach station to the Heathrow Underground station but it feels like the Coach station is kind of out on it's own at the end of a corridor. That may be a mis-interpretation as I've only done the coach once and I've done the Tube/train several times. BUT, I don't think it will be efficient to check on the coach times and if too long to double back to the Tube Station if that is your intent.

If you do take the Coach, when you head back to the rail station, stay on the sidewalk on the coach station side of Buckingham Palace Road and cross the street by the Starbucks/Pret a Manger. The sidewalk on the other side of the road is always congested at that corner. This still puts you in to some crowd as there are tour buses and regular bus stops lined along this side of Victoria Station but not as bad as trying to thread thru the corner crossing of Elizabeth Street. I hope that makes sense?

It may be a moot point anyway as it may take longer to get thru Immigration than an hour.

"It may be a moot point anyway as it may take longer to get thru Immigration than an hour."

That is why I said "about".

Emma

And I appreciate your help.

To me the bad parts of this trip are the change at Hammersmith or
wherever to the District line - crowded platform/crowded train with
luggage AND when you finally get to Victoria Station which always
seems to be a crush as you try to exit up the stairs to get out of the
station.

I've never experienced any kind of crush changing to the District Line at that hour. Sure there are crowds at Victoria Station. But you can still walk with your pullman carryon; it's nowhere near as packed as Grand Central.

OK, We have traveled with luggage on the Circumvesuviana at the afternoon rush hour from Naples to Sorrento. How does the Tube at morning rush hour compare?

David,

Looks like I was being a bit optimistic about Heathrow. In our travels a 1 hour delay through immigration was about the longest we have seen and that includes coming in at JFK (we beat the checked luggage by a long time). We will be in business class (first time, a BIG splurge) so that will give us a jump on those in our plane. Just do not know how busy Heathrow is at that time of day.

David has pretty much hit what I was going to say. If you land at 7 and are on a tube train by 8 you are like the old ad of OJ Simpson (not my fav dude) running through the airport - or our own Ed from Pensacola. It may happen but boy would I be surprised.

If you are the train at 8:30 I will be surprised - 9 is what I would budget for. Little things add up, like the interminable Heathrow walk through the various levels of Heathrow before you get to Border Control. Then it is often a fair hike to either the bus station or the tube stop. Then getting your Oyster cards from the machine, and topping them up. Anybody need the toilet?

Then add 45 minutes and you won't have much rush hour to worry about.

I just did this trip but arrived at 11 am- and it took well over 2 hours to go thru Immigration. It was very easy once through to purchase a “Oyster” Card, and then use it .
Take the Piccadilly line to Hammersmith and change for a District Line train to Victoria Station. It is very easy to change. I also only had a carry on- but I found London to have a amazing public transportation system!
Happy Travels!✨💫