One of the ironies of modern travel is that you can enjoy a stress free, comfortable and speedy plane journey bringing you thousands of miles to the UK from some other part of the world, and then suffer hours of frustration and difficulty making what you assumed was going to be the quick and simple trip from the airport to your final destination. For many millions of the people who journey to the UK every year, this final destination will be London, which is the largest tourist draw in the country as well as being the most important commercial and business hub. All too often, getting to the centre of London from an airport such as Gatwick or Stansted can leave you feeling exhausted and annoyed, creating the worst possible first impression of this fantastic city.
There is an exception to this rule, however, and the exception comes in the form of Heathrow airport. Heathrow is an airport which lies just 12 miles to the west of the centre of London. It is by far the busiest airport in the UK and, when measured in terms of passenger numbers, is the busiest in Europe. The fact that it is so close, in geographical terms, to London, makes it the most convenient airport to fly into, and this convenience is bolstered if you take the opportunity to book into a London Heathrow airport hotel. The transport links between the airport and the city mean that staying there still allows for full enjoyment of everything London has to offer, and also reduces the risk of having to undertake a stressful last minute dash to check in for your flight home. For many visitors, however, finding accommodation which is actually close to the heart of London is an integral part of the enjoyment of their stay, with walking back to their hotel through the night time streets after a meal in a restaurant or the pleasure of a West End show being one of the most enjoyable and memorable parts of the trip. For visitors such as these, the journey from airport to city centre becomes all important.
The fastest way of travelling from Heathrow to central London is on the Heathrow Express. This is a non-stop train service which runs from the airport to Paddington station, running every 15 minutes from 05.10 in the morning to 23.58 at night. The journey itself takes just 15 minutes and the train can be taken from terminus 1, 2, 3 and 5, with a free transfer train running from terminal 4. Tickets can be booked in advance or bought on board the train, and a one-way journey costs between £21 and £26. A cheaper option, though not as speedy, is to take the Underground directly. The Piccadilly line runs out to the airport, and Tube trains can be boarded at roughly 10 minute intervals throughout the day, from just after 5 in the morning to just after 11.30. The journey, which costs £5.70, takes less than an hour. Throughout the night, the airport runs the N9, a bus which takes passengers to central London.
There is an exception to this rule, however, and the exception comes in the form of Heathrow airport. Heathrow is an airport which lies just 12 miles to the west of the centre of London. It is by far the busiest airport in the UK and, when measured in terms of passenger numbers, is the busiest in Europe. The fact that it is so close, in geographical terms, to London, makes it the most convenient airport to fly into, and this convenience is bolstered if you take the opportunity to book into a London Heathrow airport hotel. The transport links between the airport and the city mean that staying there still allows for full enjoyment of everything London has to offer, and also reduces the risk of having to undertake a stressful last minute dash to check in for your flight home. For many visitors, however, finding accommodation which is actually close to the heart of London is an integral part of the enjoyment of their stay, with walking back to their hotel through the night time streets after a meal in a restaurant or the pleasure of a West End show being one of the most enjoyable and memorable parts of the trip. For visitors such as these, the journey from airport to city centre becomes all important.
The fastest way of travelling from Heathrow to central London is on the Heathrow Express. This is a non-stop train service which runs from the airport to Paddington station, running every 15 minutes from 05.10 in the morning to 23.58 at night. The journey itself takes just 15 minutes and the train can be taken from terminus 1, 2, 3 and 5, with a free transfer train running from terminal 4. Tickets can be booked in advance or bought on board the train, and a one-way journey costs between £21 and £26. A cheaper option, though not as speedy, is to take the Underground directly. The Piccadilly line runs out to the airport, and Tube trains can be boarded at roughly 10 minute intervals throughout the day, from just after 5 in the morning to just after 11.30. The journey, which costs £5.70, takes less than an hour. Throughout the night, the airport runs the N9, a bus which takes passengers to central London.
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