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What time to expect to book t he 1st train out of Heathrow?

EDIT: I did end up booking a flight from LHR to Newcastle once I deplane at Heathrow so the train issue is now solved. :) Thank you to everyone for helping me make good travel decisions. :)

I am arriving at Heathrow at 6:30 a.m. and trying to book the train. I have put it off and the cost keeps going up and I wanted to book the train now before it gets any more costly-$246 /each right now. If I land at 6:30, what is the earliest I would expect to be through customs and get to a train out of Heathrow ? Is 9 a.m. much too late? I am trying to get to Hexham and there is one at7:47 am -8:17a.m. - 8:47 and 9:02

Side note: my only experience with public transportation/ trains is the great experience I had in December in Germany on their system. I don't think the England trains/transporation system looks quite as easy to navigate but I may be panicking prematurely.

Posted by
743 posts

Just to be clear, you are not going to get a train from LHR to Hexham. You need to go to Kings Cross and get a train to Newcastle upon Tyne and change there.

Get the Tube to Kings Cross. No need to book pay by contactless. That takes 56 minutes more or less, plus allow 2 hours for immigration, baggage retrieval etc. so book a train from Kings Cross about 3 hours after landing.

Posted by
311 posts

What date are you travelling. That fare seems very high.
I'm not sure why you find the system more difficult than DB.
It's difficult to estimate how long it will take to get through immigration and customs - quite a lot of aircraft arrive about then.
Someone with recent experience will be along shortlyl.

Posted by
81 posts

Camborne2018--

Just to be clear, you are not going to get a train from LHR to Hexham. You need to go to Kings Cross and get a train to Newcastle upon Tyne and change there. Yes. I knew I would need to be on multiple trains. It shows anywhere from 3-4 different switches all the way depending on which time I leave, but I didn't realize the first one out was the Tube to King's Cross so I appreciate your telling me this.

Get the Tube to Kings Cross. No need to book pay by contactless. That takes 56 minutes more or less, plus allow 2 hours for immigration, baggage retrieval etc. so book a train from Kings Cross about 3 hours after landing. Gosh! 3 hours? Okay. Thank you for that information. I am sad to hear that because it seems that as the day goes on, the time for travel gets longer. Thank you for letting me know all of this. Very useful! Is that what the National Rail page is actually telling me to do when it is giving me the cost of $246/each? Is it starting me at the Tube and then Kings Cross,etc. and booking me for the Tube? It is called a Super Off-Peak Single ticket and I don't have the option to choose a seat.

Posted by
743 posts

I am seeing a random date in June giving prices from £64. I don’t know what sort of $ you are quoting but ii don’t think it equates to more than 200 of them. Is the price you see for a group? A return ticket? First class?

Posted by
81 posts

by Lin C
What date are you travelling. That fare seems very high. June 18th
I'm not sure why you find the system more difficult than DB. It looks like the trains sometimes are at different stations to get to different points. As an American, it always seems so much easier to rent a car and drive it so public transportation/planning time between trains and also the fact that if I goof I don't have the luxury of just getting on the next train like I did in Germany. I had booked 2 trains too close together and one stopped for 30 minutes for a medical emergency with a passenger at an earlier station and made me late for my next train. The conductor told us to just get on the next train and show our pass for the earlier train and the next conductor would know that ours was delayed and it worked. Actually, I think that was the train where no conductor checked our tickets, now that I type that out.
It's difficult to estimate how long it will take to get through immigration and customs - quite a lot of aircraft arrive about then.
Someone with recent experience will be along shortlyl.
I kind of was thinking this was the case that it would be too hard to tell. I appreciate your confirming my thought!

Posted by
3787 posts

Heathrow is not the most efficient airport in the world.
It’s huge, sprawling and very busy.
If you land on time at 06:30….if…. you may get out of there in under an hour, but I would give yourself two hours at least , especially if you checked luggage.
Then, as you are unfamiliar with the transport system, make your way to the Underground “Tube” station in the airport….about 30 minutes.
Get your ticket…or you can “tap” your credit card to pay if you want.
Each person, if tapping to pay, needs their own card.
Find the platform.
The tube train takes around an hour to King’s Cross Station in central London……it will be rush hour and busy so may be longer.
Within the station, come up to the surface , to get from the Tube area to the trains area, find the platform for Newcastle trains…..another 20 or so mins.
You need a ticket to Newcastle , then change there for a Hexham train.
I would not book a train any earlier than 11:00 am from King’s Cross.
Better to take your time, don’t get flustered, and find your way without rushing.
Lots of places to get some food there before boarding if you have to wait a little bit.

Book K. Cross to Newcastle to Hexham as one ticket.
The Tube from LHR to K. Cross is a completely separate system and ticket.
Trying to book it all as one is maybe why it’s so expensive.

I just looked for June 12th and it’s showing about 75 pounds pp one way.

Posted by
81 posts

Camborne2018--

Eeek! I didn't even pay attention but it is also 246 in pounds and not USD.

Posted by
81 posts

SJ-

Well, that sounds like a LOT less panic than what I was thinking I was seeing on that National Rail page.

Thank you for typing that up. I really appreciate that. It calmed me down!

I generally have to do all of the planning of everything and my husband doesn't help so public transportation sends me into a mental downward spiral. He prefers to show up and wing it and that isn't my style. I need to know what I am doing and what to expect or I need to be following someone who does know. I honestly should use a travel agent that does all of this, but they can't ever use our hotel points and such.

Posted by
743 posts

Eeek! I didn't even pay attention but it is also 246 in pounds and not USD.

Well 1) it isn’t and 2) that’s not even possible.

And we still don’t know your travel dates or what kind of dollars you are talking about. Australian?

Posted by
743 posts

honestly should use a travel agent that does all

From this forum it clear that travel agents know less about this stuff than my cat.

Have you got your ETA authorisation?

Posted by
81 posts

Camborne2018--Sorry. I had posted the date of June 18 on Lin's response. I wish that the link I posted worked. It shows the entire trip at 246.80 pounds and not USD. I am locked in USD mindset on pricing because I am in the US.
This is what that page shows for $331/each.

Route Details - 3 changes
•Train Service
o 08:17On time
Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3Platform 2
o 08:32On time
London PaddingtonPlatform 7
• 15m • Heathrow Express • towards London Paddington
• Transport method is London Underground Service
o 08:47Information unavailable
London Paddington
o 09:02Information unavailable
London Kings Cross
• 15m
• From London Paddington take the Circle Line or Hammersmith and City Line (Eastbound, Platform 16) which is direct a service to Kings Cross St Pancras Underground Station.
• Transport method isTrain Service
o 09:30On time
London Kings CrossPlatform 4
o 6 stops
o 12:35On time
NewcastlePlatform 3
• 3h 5m • London North Eastern Railway • towards Edinburgh
o 12:57On time
NewcastlePlatform 7
o 8 stops
o 13:40On time

Posted by
34999 posts

if you scroll around other questions you'll see that to get to Kings Cross station you have a number of choices.

You don't really know when you will arrive at Heathrow (from presumably either DFW or Interplanetary?), there can be delays or tailwinds or changes to routing, and you don't know how long it will take you to get off the plane and into the terminal and then the lines for immigration (will the e-gates be working, are you eligible, etc.,) and then from there to you transportation into town.

If you're on time, first off the plane into a jetway (none of those 3 guaranteed) and nobody is in front of you from another flight, and the e-gates work like a dream, and you have no luggage, and you have no issues finding the transportation, and you don't need the bathroom or food, and the timetables are exactly matching you, and you are arriving at Terminal 3 or 2, you might be getting on a train in 20 to 30 minutes. If not, well I could only guess.

If you take the Piccadilly Line Tube you can pretty much expect one hour from Terminal 3 to Kings Cross St Pancras unless something untoward arises on the track or in the system and the Tube goes frequently. You haven't said which day or month so don't know but 7 or 8 am going into London is the peak of the rush hour. You and your luggage will start out at Heathrow with a seat for you and a place for your luggage but unless this is Saturday or Sunday or August, or two weeks before Christmas the tube train will fill as you approach central London. Most predictable for time, cheapest.

Next fastest is the Elizabeth Line from any terminal, significantly more expensive, less frequent, change at Farringdon for one stop on the Tube (easy change within the station) to Kings Cross St Pancras, same as above. Fewer stops, more train like (it is in fact a main line train). Still have the rush hour to deal with.

Much more of a faff is Heathrow Express. It does not serve Terminal 4 at Heathrow requiring a change at Terminal 2/3. Every 15 minutes or so, most expensive unless bought far in advance, faster to Paddington station where you then have to change to tube, a fairly difficult connection, you'll be getting a tube at peak rush hour when it is most chaotic and overcrowded, or bus, slower and very crowded at rush hour, or taxi, very expensive and not always easy to get at rush hour and significantly slower to Kings Cross.

Then you need a train from Kings Cross to Hexham, way up north. If you buy a walk-up ticket it will be expensive. Advance tickets are much much cheaper but require you to use that exact train and time. Hence all the timing concerns above.

Understand that there simply is NO train from Heathrow to Hexham or any northern station. You need to break down the steps.

Sounds complicated but when you look at each step you have a limited number of choices, and they all depend on time.

Don't think of taking a taxi or car from Heathrow to Kings Cross at that time of day. It will cost you the earth and be the absolute slowest.

Posted by
81 posts

Camborne2018--

honestly should use a travel agent that does all

From this forum it clear that travel agents know less about this stuff than my cat.

Have you got your ETA authorisation?

I am sorry. I laughed out loud on that one. I guess that is why the one travel agent I consulted wasn't working for me. She wanted me to use all of her hotels that she got credit for is all I could figure out and wasn't able to really help me with scheduling or anything so I gave up on her.

Yes! I got the ETA this morning. Fast and Easier than I thought it was going to be. Done and approved in less than 10 minutes.

Posted by
743 posts

Route Details - 3 changes
•Train Service
o 08:17On time
Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3Platform 2
o 08:32On time
London PaddingtonPlatform 7
• 15m • Heathrow Express • towards London Paddington
• Transport method is London Underground Service
o 08:47Information unavailable
London Paddington
o 09:02Information unavailable

Forget all of this.

Tube to Kings Cross. Train to Newcastle. Train to Hexham.

Posted by
1532 posts

edit - Cross-post with above good advice

Nigel's answer is very thorough. To simplify:

1) From Heathrow, take the Piccadilly Line to King's Cross. Tube/Underground line - no booking required. Any other method such as the HEX your link mentions is less direct and more expensive. Piccadilly Line will take around an hour to King's Cross. Follow signs at LHR - well marked but you may walk a distance.

2) From King's Cross book your train on to Hexham - many options for time, 1 change, all tickets I'm seeing on National Rail are well under 100 GBP.

General advice I've always received is to allow 3 hours from arrival at LHR to distance train departure from King's Cross. That is if you expect your plane to arrive on time and expect no disruptions on the tube. Book a slightly later time if you are conservative - restaurants at King's Cross, you can step outside the station for fresh air. I recently gave myself 4 hours from plane stated arrival to departure from King's Cross - I had a lot of time to kill at the station. It all depends on how you want to play the odds. Next month, I've taken a three hour option.

Posted by
9262 posts

Or, here is an alternative idea. Fly to Newcastle from Heathrow..... You are already at the airport, why not take advantage of it. I see a flight for about $155 on British Air. There is a tram that goes from Newcastle airport into the central train station there.

Posted by
2667 posts

Just go to this site and book a train from London Kings Cross to Hexham

https://www.lner.co.uk/

Your starting point for the purpose of booking tickets is Kings Cross.

At Heathrow, take the Tube to Kings Cross

For future reference, fly to Newcastle with a connecting flight. No local would take a train from Heathrow up to Newcastle - they'd fly

Posted by
81 posts

Nigel-
Yes. Coming from DFW :) Landing June 18 which is a Wednesday so rush hour times for sure.

"Something untoward arises"--well, that is generally my day summed up right there in 3 words. Which is why I like to pad extra time into my public transportation if I can do it at all.

I did understand that there wasn't going to be a direct route from LHR to Hexham, but was more concerned by that cost that is popping up on the National Rail page that someone recommended on here from another thread. I was then trying to just book the entire route to Hexham.

The taxi, I understood was more of a "nostalgia" thing and only if you are taking the black cab, but otherwise never worth it for any reason.

As always, Nigel, you are the calming voice in the storm raging in my noggin.

I did have to look up the meaning for "faff" though. And it made me giggle. I take it to mean, "don't bother with the Heathrow Express" unless I knew what I was doing, which I don't.

Posted by
81 posts

Carol now retired--

Or, here is an alternative idea. Fly to Newcastle from Heathrow.....
You are already at the airport, why not take advantage of it. I see a
flight for about $155 on British Air. There is a tram that goes from
Newcastle airport into the central train station there.

That is genius and sounds like it may save me some time, too. I wonder if the 8:50 gives me enough time though? We don't check bags, but I would need to go back through security again. Otherwise, it bumps me down to 3 which doesn't save me time. ha!

Posted by
81 posts

ORDtraveler--
Yes. Nigel always brings me back from the brink of a mental meltdown with the steps. I tend to see the whole pic and descend into freefall and can't come back from it. Thank you for lining up the steps as well. It is helpful for me to just see that in print from people who know what they are doing. I don't have a lot of confidence in myself on these things.

Posted by
81 posts

ramblin' on--
I think I may be doing just that. Taking a plane from LHR after customs if I can make the 8:50 flight. I am afraid to book it and get stuck waiting for the 3 pm flight though. I have the points so I could book it now using points and just learn a lesson. I didn't even know there was an airport there until Carol now retired mentioned it in her comment above.

Posted by
2667 posts

If you arrive at 6:30 a.m., you'll definitely make the 8:50 flight—I've done it myself a few times. Follow the signs for UK flight connections, go through the e-gates for border control, then security, and hang around Terminal 5 for your flight to Newcastle.

Metro from the airport to the Central Station, then train to Hexham

Posted by
3787 posts

No one has mentioned the website:

https://www.seat61.com/

Not for booking, but just to get a look at the trains and tube transport in the UK, so that you’ve seen what you will be heading for.
Lots of good info that is kept up to date.

Posted by
81 posts

ramblin on - booked! If I miss my flight, I am coming back on here after you! LOL! Just kidding. It is all part of the journey, right?
Thanks for the vote of confidence that I will make it for the 8:50 flight!

Posted by
81 posts

S J- Thank you for this as well. I knew about it but I had forgotten about it already. I think I can use it to look at routes and then book through the site of the train line he recommends. I just learned last month from my sister that he also has a YouTube channel.

Posted by
1472 posts

Forgive me if you have but I don’t see that you have said which terminal at LHR that you arrive at?

The fact that you are carry on only will help. On arrival you will go through immigration in your arrival terminal, although assuming you can stay airside and you have your boarding passes for the BA flight, this will be a different and quieter location than main arrivals. Then you will need to take a bus to T5 if you aren’t arriving there.

You will do customs at Newcastle (although I doubt that you will notice it).

Posted by
9485 posts

If you leave Kings Cross after 0930 the maximum you could pay on the day to Hexham is £95.40. Because of last minute on the day Advance Fares you probably wouldn't even pay that.
Also the above fare of $246 assumes you take the Heathrow Express route then the over priced tube add on.
Landing at 0630 you probably wouldn't get to KX much before 0830 so personally I would get breakfast at KX if I was there early then the 0930 train.

Posted by
81 posts

Johnew52-

Forgive me if you have but I don’t see that you have said which terminal at LHR that you arrive at?

The fact that you are carry on only will help. On arrival you will go through immigration in your arrival terminal, although assuming you can stay airside and you have your boarding passes for the BA flight, this will be a different and quieter location than main arrivals. Then you will need to take a bus to T5 if you aren’t arriving there.

You will do customs at Newcastle (although I doubt that you will notice it).

I wasn't sure which terminal I come in at. I believe it is Terminal 3 for American Airlines arrivals, but I may have that wrong. I think I have to go through and do the customs and security check all over again though at Heathrow before I get to t he other terminal/flight, don't I? Even though I am just carry on luggage, I thought I would need to deplane for customs then catch the 2nd leg of my flight. I will need to move over to the other terminal which I am hoping isn't a great deal of time since I am landing at 6:30, going thru customs, security again at another terminal plus transit time to that terminal.

isn31c--

If you leave Kings Cross after 0930 the maximum you could pay on the day to Hexham is £95.40. Because of last minute on the day Advance Fares you probably wouldn't even pay that.
Also the above fare of $246 assumes you take the Heathrow Express route then the over priced tube add on.
Landing at 0630 you probably wouldn't get to KX much before 0830 so personally I would get breakfast at KX if I was there early then the 0930 train.

That must have been why it was showing the extra cost with added expensive transportation on there. I am not sure why it was showing that high of cost. I was able to book the flight using miles so it ended up not costing me anything but miles which is ok and better than having to figure the time I would get to the train station. Now I hope I make the connecting flight! :) Thank you!

Posted by
1472 posts

Wilde - as long as you have no checked luggage and you have your BA boarding pass you can use the bus transfer from T3 to T5. As I stated you will do immigration in T3, transfer to T5 by bus, pass through security and move to your gate, almost certainly an A gate and not from the B or C satellites.

You will do customs at Newcastle. If you do check luggage you will have to collect it in T3 and go landslide before you can transfer to T3. I would doubt that you would make the connection in that case.