Traveling into London on June 24 after a 9 hour flight from L.A., we have the option to taking the Heathrow Express and the Tube from Heathrow to 3 Berners st, or a black cab for 70 GBP. We will probably be tired, and a bit disoriented because of the time change. How would you handle the trip?
Alan, I'm a local and also a miserly skinflint, so I'd use the Tube and then walk the last few hundred metres. However, if I was you I'd compromise. Either: 1. Heathrow Express to Paddington Station, and then get a black cab 2. Tube (Piccadilly Line) to Leicester Square, then get a black cab. It would be under a kilometre to Berners Street, but it avoids any changes on the Underground
We like the Heathrow Express to Paddingtonnand black cab from there to our hotel. The HE is faster and more comfortable than a cab frommthe airport. If there are two of you and you are also returning to Heathrow at some point for a flight,you can get a Duo ticket for £ 50, for Rt travel for two. That makes the inbound trip cost £25 plus cab fare for the short ride. Tube would be cheaper but we never use it when we have luggage and are tired.
I looked into this for our trip last month. A minicab for two people and normal baggage from Heathrow to Central London costs £36. That's about what the Express and a taxi would total for two, but even if it cost a bit more the small difference would have been worth it for not having to fool with baggage more than once. Ultimately we didn't do that. The car hire deal was so much better at LHR compared to London that we got the car at the airport and drove into London.