mapping a London tube trip

St. Stephens Gardens is a bus stop. When you use the journey planner, enter the exact address (or name) of your hotel instead of a tube station. This way you'll get the most accurate directions to the front door of your hotel...including walking directions. Sometimes it's quicker to use a bus.

If you want to stick with the Tube all the way, take the Piccadilly line from Heathrow to Green Park. Transfer to the Victoria line and take it to Warren Street.

I don't know how familiar you are with using subways. You can be very confused when you come out of the station onto the street as to exactly where you are and which direction is which. We have found that having a compass is a lifesaver.

With any tube map, this is very simple. As suggested, transferring at Green Park is your best bet just through logic - you could also transfer somewhere like Leicester Square, but that means going two stops farther, then the three more stops.

Transfer at Green Park, get out at Warren, then walk over and down to C-S.

Thanks for all the helpful advice, everyone!

Like one poster said - it can be confusing when you step out of the station.

And be wary of directions people give you as they may not be telling you which exit to use as there is usually more than one and if youre not familiar with the streets, you might not know which exit to use.

I was told to take a left out of Paddington Station to get to my hotel in Norfolk Square, but apparently they must have came out of the other side because I walked for a mile to the left and it was really the other direction (I should have really taken a right) so I had to walk another mile back to get to the hotel. Thats when I saw there is another Paddington station exit across the street-apparently thats where my "direction giver" took a left....

i just got back from London, be prepared for very, very crowded tubes from Heathrow. Hot and stinky too. I would pay for a car service if i had it to do over. Lots of stairs and Londoners are either walking briskly or running through the tube stations. Not much fun after a long overnight trip.

The crowds and running in the tube station is usually what happens during rush hour (8 - 10 am, 4- 6 pm).

I hated that as well. Horrible when youre tired and being jostled around. I actually got my camera knocked out of my hand and down the stairs (didnt break luckily!!).

That is the only thing I do NOT love about London. I prefer to take a bus during rush hours.

I have done all three options (Express, Connect and Tube). I would really recommend the Heathrow Connect.

It was by far the best option, cheaper than the Express, faster and more comfortable than the Tube. The Tube would not be bad without luggage but it was not fun hauling the bags around it.

The Connect at £7.40 is my preferred way. The Tube fares for the same route range from £2.20 to £4.00 depending on the date/time of travel, for me the extra cost is well worth the convenience.

Hope this helps.

I would avoid the subway and take the Heathrow Connect train. We did this last November and again this past April. The trains are clean, quick, and reasonably priced. A mere five stops from Paddington Station and you're at Heathrow. Who could ask for anything more?

Please take a second look:
http://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/heathrow_connect_train.htm

:)

Every tube station has a neighborhood map posted right around the turnstiles. Look for that - it can save a lot of wrong turns. Also - look for a map that has the tube map on one side and a bus map on the other. Great way to really capitalize on their great transportation system!