All Aboard!

Heathrow Express is the fastest and most convenient way to get to and from London Heathrow Airport and Central London. With no traffic jams, taxi queues, or multiple stops to slow you down, you (along with an average of 16,000 other passengers a day) can be in the very heart of London, or inside your terminal at Heathrow, within only 15 minutes. Yes, the mere quarter of an hour train journey connects all of Heathrow Airport’s terminals to London Paddington Station. However, it should be noted that you’ll spend an extra 10 minutes or so getting to Terminal 5 and that Terminal 4 is reached by a quick, regular and free shuttle train from the other terminals.

Express trains to the airport leave Paddington Station every 15 minutes. The first train of each day takes off at 5:10 a.m. with the last one leaving at 11.25 p.m. There’s a similar service every 15 minutes heading back to Paddington each day as well.

Tickets prices for the Heathrow Express aren’t exactly cheap, but considering that without your own mode of transportation, the only other travel option for this journey is a much more expensive cab or hired car and that the range of less expensive options to/from the airport takes much longer, riding the Express usually makes the most financial sense.

If you are planning to take the Heathrow Express, it also makes a lot of sense to book your tickets online. A single one way ticket cost £16.50 (that’s about $26.50) if purchased via the Heathrow Express website. However, if you buy your standard fare ticket from a machine or from the office, you’ll have to pay £18 (roughly $29). For the convenience of purchasing your ticket once onboard and seating, the price is £23 (about $37).

Of course in most cases, if your flights to London are landing into Heathrow you’re probably going to be flying back out again to return home. Standard fare round trip return tickets cost £32 (around $51) if bought online or from a ticket machine or office and £37 (approximately £59) if purchased onboard the train.

There are first class tickets (very comfortable – but it’s only a 15 minute ride) and children’s fares available as well.

For more discounts and deals, smartphone mobile ticketing, and group ticket purchasing information, visit the Heathrow Express site.

With 98% reliability, a “Best Rail Operator” award received at the 2011 Business Travel Awards and free Wi-Fi along with live Sky international and domestic news and weather via Express TV onboard the train, the Heathrow Express has a lot going for it. And if it’s going your way, it’s well worth considering hopping aboard.

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Photo: mattbuck4950