What is the most efficient and expedient means of traveling from Heathrow into central London?

Question

What is the most efficient and expedient means of traveling from Heathrow into central London?

Answer 1

The Heathrow Express is the quickest way...its also the most expensive.  The tube is cheaper but its much slower! Don't even think about getting a taxi!

Answer 2

Take the Tube... easy and much easier than taking a bus or taxi... less expensive and quicker.

Answer 3

The Heathrow Express is touted all over the airport as the fastest way to central london. Fifteen minutes travel time every fifteen minutes from terminals #1-#3. Just keep in mind that mile for mile this is the most expensive train in the world. After you get off the train, you will take one of the most expensive taxis in the world to your hotel. Round trip is about 28 GBP, and you will probably spend at least 10-15 GBP each way to get back and forth to Paddington station from your hotel. Also the queue is long to get a taxi.There are shuttle buses, which take you to some nearby hotels, but you lose the time you bought at great expense coming on the train.

   In comparison it is dirt cheap to take the Underground. Trains leave every 5 minutes and are 30 minutes to Earl's Court, and 60 minutes to King's Cross (the closest and furthest stop in Central london). You can often walk from most stops on the Piccadilly Line to your hotel. Between the faster headway, and the short walk at the other end you often get to the hotel faster than taking the Express and a taxi.

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Get an account online before you go so that you can purchase an Oyster Travel card (and save a lot of money on your trip). If you don't want to do it online, buy the card at any tube station, but you may have to wait in line. If you get an automatic top-off option (refills from a credit card or bank account every time the balance goes below 5 GBP) then you won't have to pay an initial 3 GBP for the card. You also don't have to figure out which is the best fare for your trip. Just wave the card by the electronic pass, and it will calculate an honest fare for you.

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  Keep in mind there are serious downsides. These cars are designed with extra floor space to accomodate luggage, but there are no racks. When you get closer to central London more and more people crowd into the car, they are often sitting on your luggage, and you have to be careful about thieves. Offloading under such crowded conditions can be difficult, and then you often face stairs to get to street level.

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  If you don't want to face slugging your luggage up stairs in thick crowds then the National Express shuttle buses are an in between option. They have shuttles that go to a maximum of four hotels per trip. They will assist you with your luggage and you won't have to walk far.

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  The price of taxis are difficult to estimate.The Transport for London site will only estimate 30-60 GBP each way. That's because there are three different rates for different times of the day and there is a timer so that if the taxi is stuck in traffic you will still be gettting charged. On your return trip, sometimes your hotel will be able to arrange a pre-paid fixed price return leaving at a set time. Only then can you get a trip for around 30 GBP.