New RailAir route from Watford to Heathrow, and improved Woking times from today

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

• Expat in SJC says:

  20 Aug20 August 04:27

  Have used it for both Reading and Woking always been impressed. Funnily enough I’m using it in Nov to Woking and the timetables were showing a two hour wait at LHR- clearly that’s wrong given the above.

  Not sure when the Woking service became operated by First. Back in the day it was operated by Speedlink (remember them!) branded as rail air and then National Express. Last time I used it in early 2020 it was still National Express. I might be wrong but Speedlink (branded as Jetlink) also operated Stansted- Luton- Watford- LHR in the late 90s also.

  The Airline from Oxford Bus Company is another impressive operation.

  • Mark says:

    20 Aug20 August 14:43

    First started RA2 before the pandemic but went from Guildford to Heathrow via Wisley & not Woking.
    National Express stopped when the pandemic started & never returned however RA2 already by then served Woking.

• ChasP says:

  20 Aug20 August 04:38

  That brings back memories
  Nearly 40 years ago with three heavy cases and a pregnant wife at Woking
  Humping 3 suitcases one by one up the stairs then one by one across the bridge and down the other side and dashing in the rain to catch the coach

  I assume it has improved as I believe there is now a lift but its still not a pleasant experience with luggage

  • Mikeact says:

    20 Aug20 August 08:05

    +1 !

• youngtraveller says:

  20 Aug20 August 05:12

  Used the Reading service plenty of times coming from Bath, Bristol and Cardiff by train. Very convenient and when I took it was never busy or full, even during the Christmas holidays. And they drop you just at the entrance of T4 and T5 as well as the bus station of T2&T3. I remember taking it to T4 but I could be wrong as the article points out they only take you to Terminals 2, 3 and 5.

  • Johnny5a says:

    20 Aug20 August 05:17

    T4 is not served by Railair anymore.

    • G says:

      20 Aug20 August 07:40

      Just get a tfl bus to Richmond pools in the park – i think its the 690 bus. Goes from the stand just before railair direct to t4 via a few internal stops (only used by lhr staff anyway).

      • John says:

        20 Aug20 August 09:06

        490, and also 482

  • acewoking says:

    20 Aug20 August 09:24

    They do not stop at the Central Bus Station. This has also recently changed and caught out many people including me. They stop outside Terminals 2 and 3, and 5, but not the Bus Station. And also not Terminal 4, you have to get the free Tube shuttle to one of the other terminals.

• Johnny5a says:

  20 Aug20 August 05:17

  I’ve used Railair from Reading, I’ve never had an issue. It is useful for T2,3,5 (not T4). The Railair doesn’t serve T4, you’ll need to take the HEX/EL free transfer.

  Rob, you omitted to say Railcards (apart from 16-17 Saver and Network Railcard) can be used to obtain a discount.

• Brussel Sprout says:

  20 Aug20 August 05:51

  The problem is that it is hideously unreliable. I am writing from this mornings 0528 service from Guildford which has just left Guildford at 0544. You always need to allow an extra hour if you have a flight to catch to take account of their frequent problems (several services were cancelled Friday morning for example). Once the coach broke down just outside Guildford so I got my other half to pick me (and the other 2 passengers) in the car. They would not give me a refund because the next bus in 1 hour would have picked me up! Total joke of a service but better than nothing. Note there is no onboard toilet which can be a bit much on a 2 hour journey after a flight..

• John says:

  20 Aug20 August 06:02

  There is a new bus 710 from next weekend, which goes from Chesham and Amersham to Heathrow twice in the early morning in one direction.

• Franchie says:

  20 Aug20 August 06:23

  Look at their Twitter feed if you want to see how reliable this service is. 3 cancellations to Guildford in 1 day

• Grumpy Chicken 81 says:

  20 Aug20 August 06:50

  It came as news to me that there wasn’t a railair link from Watford Junction to Heathrow, I recall using it once way back in 2001, got stuck on the M25 and decided in future I’d just take the train all the way to Euston and get the tube to Heathrow.

  • Nick says:

    20 Aug20 August 09:13

    There’s a local bus from Watford, just not an express coach. Will be interesting to see what happens with the new coach, given the bus fare is much lower (£2) and few long distance (Avanti) services call at Watford anyway.

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.