Taxi Or Other Transportation From Heathrow To Kensington Area Hotel

We are in our 60s too, but would not think of taking a taxi from Heathrow. Yes, it will be expensive - depends what the "experience is worth to you! You can always take on in London itself if you really want to ride in one.

We usually take the coach to Victoria Coach station, but we stay in that area at the Limetree. If you have luggage, you probably do not want to take it up and down stairs in the tube, though we have not found that to be too much of a probllem when we have done it.

I recommend taking the Heathrow Express from the airport which brings you into Paddington Station. From there you are directed to a line of taxis outside, where you can take a much shorter, pleasant taxi to your hotel. (some of the taxis may be black, others may be brightly colored!). You should have the opportunity to catch a black taxi sometime while you are in town for a much shorter and less expensive ride.

It is very expensive to take a cab from the airport to your hotel. (about $80-100)

The "Black Taxis" are easy to hail in London and I would suggest getting your rides in there where the fares wont' be too high.

I don't know how much luggage you have but, if you are packing light, the Piccadilly Tube line runs from Heathrow and stops at Gloucester Road station which is across the street from your hotel.

If not, take the Heathrow Express or Heathrow Connect to Piccadilly Station and grab a cab there.

Unless you have lots of luggage, no need to take a shuttle.

For door-to-door service, a car service will be a lot cheaper than a taxi. Many people on the Fodor's board recommend Just Airports. They offer a sizeable discount for paying cash. Your hotel is in postal code SW7 which means the cash fare for a saloon (sedan) is £30.

The Piccadilly line goes from Heathrow directly to South Kensington tube stop. It takes 25 minutes. That would be your cheapest option. Maybe you could get a cab to your hotel from there!

Thank you all for your quick responses. Elaine

You will have ample opportunites during your London stay to take a black cab when moving from one place to another. It is much cheaper for you to save your black cab ride for one of these journeys rather than the one from the airport which will easily set you back at least 50 pounds.

One other thing - the etiquette in London is that you have to tell the cab driver where you want to go before getting into the cab as he/she has the right to refuse you. Also, you are not expected to add 10/15% as a tip - it is normal to just round up the fare to the nearest pound.

As Frank said, the Gloucester Road Tube station is the one closest to your hotel. Travel time from Heathrow is just under 40 minutes. The fare is £4.

Adding to the other comments ... I generally stay near the Gloucester Road tube station and take the Piccadilly line from Heathrow to Gloucester Road and then walk to the hotel. There are some stairs in the station (perhaps 15 or so) so be aware if you choose this option that you will have to manage your luggage up these stairs.

A more expensive option is to take the Heathrow Express to Paddington and then get a taxi from there (follow the signs to the taxi queue). This is very easy and you won't encounter stairs.

Like the others, I would skip a black cab ride from Heathrow as the journey is not terribly scenic and quite pricey.

I plan on trying Dot2Dot next week. I will report back after I return.

Hi all, my name is Tatiana, I work in the PR department of Dot2Dot. I understand your concern in taking a shuttle, but from my point of view it is worth a try. We are a door to door service, we are cheaper than the taxi or taking the Heathrow Express and then a cab (our price is now £19 per person). Also, our shuttles are spacious, and much more comfortable than the tube. You won't have to pay the taxi fare and won't have problems with your luggage. If you decide to try it, let me know your thoughts.
Kind regards, Tatiana

I just returned from London, and am reporting on Dot2Dot. They were great! The vans/mini buses were new, spacious, and comfortable, and I only waited 5 minutes, as I had reserved earlier. I totally recommend them, and am surprised that they aren't mentioned as an alternative in the travel books.