We are arriving at Heathrow at 6:20 a.m. After reading several options on how to get to Newquay beach, I am still confused as to which is the most economical way. Which terminal are the trains to Newquay? Which terminal or where do we get the bus if we decide to talk the bus? Which is best after a long flight from Toronto? Also, Please comment on:
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Posted by
Kirn, Germany
331 posts
As far as I am aware there is no direct bus service from heathrow to Newquay. The train would be a better, and quicker, option. Cornwall is a long way from London (by British standards! Great Western introduced new services last month with connections to Cornwall, but I still think you have to get yourselves to London Paddington by train from Heathrow. Economically the bus should be cheaper, but you'll still have to get to central London for the connections.
Posted by
Cary, NC
687 posts
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk wants you to go via Paddington on the expensive Heathrow express, but you could take the train to Reading and pick up the train from Paddington to Penzance there, which will also be cheaper. You have to change at Penzance as well.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
There is a direct National Express coach (highway bus) that leaves Heathrow at 08:50 and arrives in Newquay at 15:25. The fare is €40.50. Coaches leave from the Heathrow central bus station which is between terminals 1 and 3. See www.nationalexpress.com for timetables and fares. There is a direct train from London Paddington to Newquay which leaves at 09:06 and arrives at 14:29. The next departure time is 12:06 with a connection at Par and an arrival time of 17:02. You can get advance purchase discount fares for the train, but you have virtually no chance of getting to Paddington in time to catch the 09:06 train. Unless it's worth it to you to wait until noon to have a comfortable ride on a train using a discount fare ticket, it looks like the bus is your best option.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
I just did another timetable search and discovered that train times are different on Saturdays and Sundays from weekdays. If you arrive on the right day of the week, you could take a 10:06 train from Paddington. Whatever train(s) you take, if you have to make a connection it will be in either Par or Plymouth. No connection in Penzance. In fact, you wouldn't go anywhere near there.
Posted by
shrewsbury, PA, USA
1 posts
Its a pity you are not flying into Gatwick you could fly from there to Newquay, only one hour vs gettting on a bus for 6 hours..... and i think its 46 pounds ($144) roundtrip.. definately worth it.... the train can be confusing for a foreigner and takes just about as long as the coach (bus). at least the coaches are pretty comfortable and makes a few stops.... maybe get the bus from heathrow to gatwick (frequent and about 20 pounds), then fly into Newquay... (flybe airline). i am originally from Newquay and you will love the town.....
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32813 posts
46 pounds ($144) roundtrip That exchange rate seems a bit steep. I just googled the exchange and £46 is closer to $76. Saves even more money.
Posted by
OP
kansas, us
33 posts
Those flights are non-existent. The cheapest I found was close to 400. USD... I suppose we will take the bus.
Thanks, all.
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
Just to make clear, the direct route from Heathrow to Reading is a bus, not a train. See www.railair.com. Unless there are heavy traffic delays, it will probably save you some time compared to travelling into Paddington and out again.
Posted by
OP
kansas, us
33 posts
Ok. We arrived at Heathrow. After going through customs, we walked towards the signs for trains. We picked up the Heathrow Connect free to the first stop. Got off and bought ticket at stand alone booth for 8 pounds or so and less for teenager under 15. There are two trains on the same line. An Express (more expensive) and the regular (which I bought) that run every thirty minutes intermittently. We got on the Paddington train for about 35 minutes. We got to Paddington, which is totally chaotic and unorganized... We walked towards the back to First Great Western trains , to the very end where there were train agents at booths behind glass windows. We got a super nice agent named Chris Mendoza who got us a good deal by having us buy a family card for a year, which reduced our tickets by 33 percent. We got train tickets and return and bus ticket for Newquay as well for two adults and one child for 166 pounds. Our trip here was long, the train was almost empty. We got obnoxious teen-aged males who were rude and loud the whole way...we think they are natives. We got to Newquay about six hours later.