Review: How easy is taking the Elizabeth Line from Heathrow to central London?

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• Tim P says:

  8 Nov8 November 07:48

  Unfortunately from T4 the frequency is only every 30 mins, so potentially an annoying 29 min wait if one just misses the train.

  From T5, one can buy an advance Heathrow Express ticket but the value is lost if travelling beyond Paddington and there is a Elizabeth Line in the station. Alternatively the full fare turn up and go is very expensive if one misses the Elizabeth Line.

  Another annoying thing (weekdays) is the last train from T4 for passengers travelling to Whitechapel is at 23.46. This terminates at Paddington (High Level) at 00.19 with an Elizabeth Line starting from Paddington Low Level at 00.22. Relying on a 3 minute connection for the last train is not convenient.

  Interestingly, the last through train from T4 to the Abbey Wood branch is at 20.46 with the later trains terminating at Paddington. Why is there no late through service from T4?

  All in all, a far from convenient timetable, in part resulting from Heathrow’s desire to milk the Heathrow Express rather than allow TfL to provide a simple and convenient “turn up and go” service.

  Of course one must pay Heathrow’s tunnel supplement for the pleasure of getting to the airport to then pay Heathrow’s massively increased passenger service charge.

• Barry cutters says:

  8 Nov8 November 08:15

  Not relevant but was anyone at Twickenham on Sunday . Is there a lounge in the fan village for gold members this series ?

  Wondering weather to go early for the Sa and NZ game and get a few free Guinness

  • Mikeact says:

    8 Nov8 November 09:24

    Should go in today’s chat forum, not here.

    • Barry cutters says:

      8 Nov8 November 10:12

      Sorry mike – I hope you can forgive me

      • Mikeact says:

        8 Nov8 November 13:43

        No problem !

• Silvia Turner says:

  8 Nov8 November 08:21

  Used it last month T5 to paddington.

  A novelty train ride not allowed to compete with heathrow express.

  2 trains per hour, no signage for elizabeth line, have to take escalator to underground platform then ask staff. Back up another escalator and then down again.

  Heathrow airport own the tunnels and the stations. They have deliberately restricted it 2 EL trains per hour and no signage so it doesnt compete with their heathrow express cash cow.

  And the seats are very uncomfortable.

  • Save East Coast Rewards says:

    8 Nov8 November 09:26

    Blame Boris Johnson he decided that he wanted Crossrail to sound like a tube line. The rail station is labelled ‘Trains’ with a blue background whereas the tube is labelled ‘Underground’ with a yellow background. As you want a train and not the underground you follow the signs labelled trains. When TfL Rail took over the then Heathrow Connect the signs at the airport were changed to generically refer to trains rather than Heathrow Express.

    • sylvia turner says:

      8 Nov8 November 10:30

      So trains dont run on the underground?
      If they are not trains what are they?

      • Rob says:

        8 Nov8 November 10:33

        The trains are called trains. However, on the underground the individual units are generally called cars by the staff (using the US term) not carriages.

      • memesweeper says:

        8 Nov8 November 12:01

        If a Londoner said “I caught the train” they don’t mean the tube.

    • Roy says:

      8 Nov8 November 11:18

      I really hope they give some thought to improving the signage. Granted, the problem is not new, bit its impact has increased with the opening of the Elizabeth line.

      Given there are only three types of service serving the airport, it wouldn’t be that difficult to list them explicitly, rather than putting up vague and confusing signs saying “trains”.

• Peter says:

  8 Nov8 November 08:58

  For anyone using city mapper the pricing is a bit shocking.
  Heathrow – Abbey Woods:
  1) Express + Elizabeth line £25.80 – 60 minutes
  2) Elizabeth line £12.80 – 64 minutes
  3) 278/X140 bus to Hayes & Harlington + Elizabeth line £5.05 80 minutes
  4) tube to Hatton Cross + Picadilly + District + Elizabeth £3.40 – 100 minutes

  Times really depend on when’s next train available though. But try to explain to a tourist what’s best option..

  • Chrisasaurus says:

    8 Nov8 November 09:33

    I’d argue that the one without changes is the best option to or from an airport – not quite at any price but damn near it

    • Peter says:

      8 Nov8 November 13:34

      Sure, probably for most that’s the case. I guess it’s different if you’re in a group of people on budget – for 4 people the price can vary by £100 depending on which option you choose :). But the idea of zone pricing + on/off peak times is so bad now.. it works in most cases outside of airports.

• Angelamc11 says:

  8 Nov8 November 08:59

  I’m not familiar with London, but going from LHR T5 to Kimpton Fitzroy this Saturday. Can anyone advise the best way to get there please? Will this Elizabeth Line be best? TIA

  • Noel C says:

    8 Nov8 November 09:19

    Tube (Picadilly Line) to Russell square. 2 minutes walk from there.

  • memesweeper says:

    8 Nov8 November 12:04

    … or a Lizzy line to Tottenham Court Road and a longer walk. It will be quicker, and if it isn’t raining, much nicer than the slow, uncomfortable tube.

    • Angelamc11 says:

      8 Nov8 November 23:36

      Thanks

• Jeff says:

  8 Nov8 November 09:06

  Why do they make it so difficult for passengers with suitcases?… surely this is their bread and butter customer? (The Piccadilly line is no different)

  • Stu says:

    8 Nov8 November 09:26

    The Piccadilly line trains are from the 1970s, approaching 50 years old, so they weren’t made with airport travellers in mind.

    • RussellH says:

      8 Nov8 November 10:19

      They were made with air travellers in mind, but suitcases then did not have wheels. The seatless area just inside the doors were intended as the place for luggage, but most travellers were never that keen on leaving their bags there and taking a seat further down the car.

    • riku says:

      8 Nov8 November 11:42

      Those Piccadilly line trains WERE designed for the extension to Heathrow in the 70’s. They are different to the other deep level tube trains as RusselH points out.
      Why do you think passengers to LHR are the “bread and butter” for the Elizabeth line? Not everyone moving around in London is going to/from Heathrow

• Andrew. says:

  8 Nov8 November 09:06

  This is one of the reasons why I really hate spinner luggage.

  They bounce around like a pinball if left unattended on the underground. On Edinburgh trams the the hosts are absolutely no-nonsense instructing that luggage must be put on a rack – sadly not an option on these services.

  Give me a 2 wheel duffle or cabin bag any day.

  (Anyone else find that the Elizabeth line is uncomfortably smooth in the tunnels?)

  • Rhys says:

    8 Nov8 November 09:45

    Are you complaining that the Elizabeth Line is too comfortable for you?!

    Go hop on the DLR to detox 🙂

• Matt says:

  8 Nov8 November 09:20

  Great article, except you left the US behind so you actually used the T2 & T3 railway station 🙄

  • Paul says:

    8 Nov8 November 10:56

    Well the mainline station is called and signposted as Heathrow Central by HAL Rail who operate the station, TfL label it as Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 to match the tube station. Heathrow Express still calls it Heathrow Central. Both work.

    • BlueThroughCrimp says:

      8 Nov8 November 11:34

      It’s still a Railway Station. Not what the colonies call it.

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