Looking for advice about bus vs. train for getting to our flight home out of Heathrow on a Saturday morning at the end of March
The National Express bus from Swansea seems speedy enough and would take us direct to Terminal 5 at about one-third the price of the GWR, which would require a transfer at Paddington. But since we do have to catch a mid-afternoon flight, I'm wondering if one is more reliable than then other. Any advice appreciated.
If taking a bus to the airport my only advice is to ensure you leave considerable extra time, as traffic can be unpredictable. We have almost missed flights a few times just taking busses to the airport within London and with a longer journey there's more opportunity for disruption.
On the last two weekends in March there is engineering work at Swindon, so all trains from Wales and Bristol are diverted via Bradford on Avon and Newbury, adding pressure to already busy tracks.
There is also a line closure on the diversionary route between Swansea and Cardiff- the route which would be used if there was a problem on the main line.
It is a matter of debate whether you would change at Reading for the Rail Air Bus to Heathrow or Paddington- there is little time difference in it, so it is personal preference. Or the 3rd choice is change at Reading for the Elizabeth Line to Hayes and Harlington, change again for Heathrow.
Given that the train takes 4 hours to Paddington those weekends, compared to 4 hours ten minutes (and only half the normal train service is running from South Wales due to the diversion, so the trains will be busy) my choice would be National Express. Less moving parts to go wrong.
nobody else has said it but I will - are you absolutely sure that whatever path you choose you will actually have enough time to easily make 3 hours ahead check in at Terminal 5? There are so many opportunities for clangers to drop and stress to build.
Saturday is football so whatever route you choose may have quantities of footie supporters who can be a touch raucous on the way to a match. Traffic, accidents, breakdowns. Maybe nothing will happen and you will be singing everything is Golden.
I was taking my wife to the dentist an hour from home on this Thursday morning 2 days ago. The A14 and M6 were closed due to an overnight truck accident where they meet with the M1. I need to go that way because he is on the outskirts of Birmingham. I needed to be away no later than 10 am and the road reopened 15 minutes later. Whew! But the traffic left over was atrocious and it was raining and blowing hard. As I drove towards the M6 on the A14 I saw a broken down National Express coach on the opposite side of the highway, passengers in the rain milling about and it was protected by a single Highways England flashing lights SUV. Traffic was backed up at least 3 miles. At least I was going past in the opposite direction. This isn't made up - it was all part of my fun Thursday. Not to scare you, just to inject a little reality. (we got to the dentist 15 minutes early, taking 2 hours for a 1h05 normal journey)
But you will be coming from all the across Wales and then most of the way across England, to make a flight home in the early afternoon the same day.
Good luck, i hope it all works out for you. I think you are brave and courageous.
