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national rail service

Posted by (Baltimore, MD, USA) on

Is Heathrow Connect or Heathrow Express a part of the National Rail System? And if so, would it make sense to book a round trip from Heathrow to London (we're landing Christmas Day)? Could we then use the 2 for 1 coupons to London attractions and purchase an Oyster card instead of a London Travelcard? I've attached the statement from the Days OUt Guide website. How do you interpret it?

"If for example you buy Return tickets to London, outbound on a Monday and returning on a Friday, you will be able to use the vouchers throughout the Monday-Friday period, provided you show both outward and return portions of your tickets (remember to tell the train company staffs that you need to keep your outward tickets!).

If for example you are buying single tickets, e.g.Advance tickets to London for a one-way journey on a Monday, and Advance tickets for departing London on a Friday you will be able to use the vouchers during the Monday-Friday period, provided you show both outward and return tickets (remember to tell the train company staffs that you need to keep your outward tickets!)."

I've tried unsuccessfully to contact the National Rail and Days Out Guide. Can someone shed some light?

Posted by
4684 posts

The Heathrow Express and Connect are National Rail: National Rail in Britain is a brand name for all the rail services that are not local city routes operated by a municipal organisation.

There is no discount for booking the Heathrow Express or Connect in advance, so really you might as well ask these questions face to face to a person when you arrive.

Oyster Cards and Travelcards cannot be used on Heathrow Express or Connect: you need to get a specific rail ticket to Paddington and get your main travel ticket for London there.

My big worry is that you are landing on Christmas Day: apart from the railway lines from Heathrow to Paddington there is NO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION on Christmas Day in London, apart from taxi cabs which you should book well in advance.

Posted by
3 posts

Landing on Christmas Day is my big worry also. There will be 5 of us, each with one suitcase. Will we be able to fit in one taxi from Heathrow? How would I book that in advance? Once we get to Bloomsbury, our day is planned around walking.

Posted by
291 posts

Heathrow Express this year will be running a half-hourly train service between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport on Christmas Day from 05:30 until 14:00. After 14:00 a half-hourly bus service will run. Previous years they only run the bus replacement service.
This will only get you to Paddington, there will be no public transport to get you from Paddington to Bloomsbury

For 5 people, a taxi is going to be cheaper than the very expensive Heathrow Express anyway. Only thing is the black taxi's in front of the terminals will charge probably double/treble normal rates.
Just Airports and Simply Airports are two of the larger and more reliable private taxi companies that are normally half the price of the black cabs, you'll find them on the web.

Regards the 2 for 1 travel you need to have a valid ticket for the day of your visit, your return trip idea won't cover this. If you're staying in Bloomsbury walk up to Euston Station on Boxing day (26th) first thing and get a 3 day Travelcard from the rail station ticket office (not the Underground)

Posted by
8700 posts

Like Bob, I think your best option is a private car service from Heathrow to your hotel. The cash fare for a Just Airports MPV (minivan) from Heathrow to anywhere in postal code WC1 is £50. (I don't know if it will be more on Christmas Day.)

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