I finally tried the new Elizabeth Line (with family in tow) from Heathrow Airport into London (and back) and it worked out flawlessly…this is a great way to travel, even with large baggage. Elizabeth Line Review: Heathrow – London...
I finally tried the new Elizabeth Line (with family in tow) from Heathrow Airport into London (and back) and it worked out flawlessly…this is a great way to travel, even with large baggage.
Elizabeth Line Review: Heathrow – London
We had two checked bags and three carry-on bags–we were not exactly traveling light on this trip–and in the past I’d just get a taxi (using the Free Now app) to get my sister-in-law’s house in the Bermondsey neighborhood of London. But while the price is fine (about 45GBP) for the ride, you are looking at a minimum of 90 minutes (often pushing two hours) just to go about 20 miles during rush hour. It’s an arduous way to travel.
If I am traveling solo, the London Underground Piccadilly Line has always worked well…a bit slow with all the stops, but easy enough. However, traveling with young children and luggage makes the rather compact carriages on the Piccadilly Line too difficult.
There’s always the Heathrow Express, but that’s rather expensive and since my sister-in-law’s home is not near Paddington Station, the time savings are limited.
> Read More: Heathrow Express – Too Much For Families?
We picked up the Elizabeth Line outside Terminal 5 (lowest level), simply tapping our phones to get through the turnstile (and we each took a kid with us…children under 11 travel free with a fare paying adult).
The carriages are quite roomy and we traveled to Bond Street (nine stops; one station beyond Paddington), before transferring to the Jubilee Line to catch our connection to Bermondsey.
The total fare (to Bermondsey) was £13.30 each (again, the kids were free). Not bad at all considering the journey only took one hour.
We traveled back to Heathrow the next morning the same way, this time alighting at Terminal 2. The trip was just as smooth.
CONCLUSION
Even though a taxi is easier for families and reasonably priced considering you can drop your bags in the boot (trunk), we prefer the time savings of the Elizabeth Line and will now use this method going forward for transport between LHR and Central London.
