Getting from Lewes to Heathrow

Heathrow has no direct access from anywhere on the rail network except London. The best plan is, as you said, to return to Victoria and then get the underground to Heathrow (preferably District to Hammersmith followed by cross-platform interchange to Piccadilly).

Goodness me, I have been in such a tizzy that I totally misread the Southern rail line's web site. Thank you for letting me know I was trying to do the impossible.

(I'll try to keep the Nervous Nelly posts down to a minimum).

Search on National Rail and it will route you via the Heathrow Express - so ignore it ....

British Airways will let me fly into Heathrow and out of Gatwick. However, back in the US, I would be at two separate airports too! I find these decisions hard to make. I'm glad I have some time to think about it.

Someone on another forum advised that to get back to Heathrow, I should take the train the Clapham Junction and transfer to the Tube from there, then catch a bus (I think I've got that correct). Apparently not too difficult to do.

Everyone in and around NE Pennsylvania tells me driving to JFK is utter hell and to avoid it at all costs. Plus $32 in tolls and the possibility of being stuck on one of the city's highways and/or bridges.

It boggles my mind that a local bus company does not run an express from here to JFK and EWR. Seems like it could be a money-maker.

Problem with that is there is no tube at Clapham Junction!

What is an option would be to change to a train at Clapham Junction going to Feltham, and take the 285 bus to Heathrow from there, but I can't really see that as being any more convenient really.

Yes, of course you are correct--when I went back and re-read the post on the other forum, that's exactly what they said.

How complicated is this, honestly? It doesn't actually sound too bad but of course when one hasn't done it already...

Thanks, Marco!

Oops--Marco--what did you mean by it not being more convenient? Not being more convenient than a couple of Tube transfers from Victoria to Heathrow?

The train to Feltham is less frequent, it is a slow commuter train, then you have to get to the bus stop and wait for the bus which isn't designed for luggage, and then get into the terminal from the bus.

Via Victoria it is down the new escalators into the tube station, one tube train a few stops to a cross platform change to another which takes you right into the terminal.

Whichever you prefer really. They both work.

From Lewes get yourself to Brighton Coach station and there are direct buses every hour to Heathrow. Saves faffing about in London.

http://www.nationalexpress.com/en/airports/heathrow-airport.aspx

Yes, I was thinking about suggesting the Brighton connection. There are both buses (about 30 minutes) and trains (more like 15 minutes) running between Lewes and Brighton. Since the Brighton rail station is a good distance from the coach station (though the walk is slightly downhill), arriving by bus would simplify matters. Bus service is provided by the Brighton and Hove Bus Company. I took a look at their website, but there are tons of stops listed in Brighton and I'm not sure which one is closest to the coach station.

Edited to correct misleading wording. The walk from the Brighton RR station to the coach station is downhill.

It's looking like six of one & half a dozen of the other. The National Express from Brighton should take about 2 hours and 25 minutes. Seems like a "wash" against going back to Victoria and navigating the Tube, etc. Thanks for the help!

Edit: Although Nigel's solution looks very very easy...

Just to complicate matters, a pen pal suggested I take the train from Lewes to Gatwick, then the National Express bus to Heathrow.

Any thoughts on that? Thanks!

That would probably be the quickest way and involve least luggage handling. National Express buses go from Gatwick's South Terminal. Takes about 75 minutes, but can be longer if it's a busy time of day. Worth the extra $5 to be able to board whatever bus is the first available.