• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Heathrow Express Slashes Fares

Status
Not open for further replies.

kevin_roche

Member
Joined
26 Feb 2019
Messages
930
On the Independent Web Site:
https://www.independent.co.uk/trave...-fares-airport-crossrail-travel-a9165661.html
Now the premium rail link is cutting the lowest fare to £5.50 on every day of the week. Once the cheapest tickets have gone, the fare will increase progressively to £16.50, depending on availability.

On test bookings made by The Independent, there were no cheap tickets a week ahead. One or two months ahead, fares of £7.50 are available. The lowest fare, £5.50, is guaranteed to be available three months ahead.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Failed Unit

Established Member
Joined
26 Jan 2009
Messages
8,857
Location
Central Belt
They are scared. I will personally never use it again when Cross Rail opens. I always need the tube to continue my journey. But now I can change at Moorgate / Farringdon why pay more for a worse journey. I suspect cross rail will really hurt them.
 

Djgr

Established Member
Joined
30 Jul 2018
Messages
1,638
Doubt if there will be much sympathy for Heathrow Express but its way of doing things is coming to an end.
 

hkstudent

Established Member
Joined
11 Nov 2018
Messages
1,357
Location
SE London
Well, it depends on the level of promotions at the airport. They are always tourists from wealthy areas being "fooled" by the massive adverts at the airport, especially at the immigration hall.
 

Ianno87

Veteran Member
Joined
3 May 2015
Messages
15,215
Well, it depends on the level of promotions at the airport. They are always tourists from wealthy areas being "fooled" by the massive adverts at the airport, especially at the immigration hall.

Yes - there'll still be ample people turning up at Heathrow having not even thought about onward travel who'll still be happilly paying the full whack. Or just want a fast train to Zone 1 then taxi.

No need for HEx to get that concerned by Crossrail.
 

hkstudent

Established Member
Joined
11 Nov 2018
Messages
1,357
Location
SE London
True, but if anyone does their research...

I think it'll last maybe 5 years after Crossrail, if that. Those EMUs will soon be back with GWR.
Well, loads of tourists don't do their research, especially for those with families. Solo/youth travellers are generally "smarter".
Until today, I can still see loads of tourists using LU paper ticket instead of the oystercard.
 

sprunt

Member
Joined
22 Jul 2017
Messages
1,156
Maybe on the way out it would be okay, but who on earth would book an Advance for their journey from an airport after a flight? That seems like a ridiculous risk with a huge number of ways the booked train could be missed. That or play it very safe, then end up hanging around the airport for ages.
 

Bletchleyite

Veteran Member
Joined
20 Oct 2014
Messages
97,532
Location
"Marston Vale mafia"
Well, loads of tourists don't do their research, especially for those with families. Solo/youth travellers are generally "smarter".
Until today, I can still see loads of tourists using LU paper ticket instead of the oystercard.

LU paper tickets aren't that expensive when you are making a longer journey. Oyster is actually quite a complex thing to get your head around.
 

hkstudent

Established Member
Joined
11 Nov 2018
Messages
1,357
Location
SE London
LU paper tickets aren't that expensive when you are making a longer journey. Oyster is actually quite a complex thing to get your head around.
Well, only applies if it is at peak hours.
Off-peak oyster fare is way cheaper than paper tickets.

It all about research work on fares before visiting a place.
 

Ianno87

Veteran Member
Joined
3 May 2015
Messages
15,215
Maybe on the way out it would be okay, but who on earth would book an Advance for their journey from an airport after a flight? That seems like a ridiculous risk with a huge number of ways the booked train could be missed. That or play it very safe, then end up hanging around the airport for ages.

I think HEx advances are only day-specific, not tied to a particular train. They just need to be bought several weeks before travel.
 

Tetchytyke

Veteran Member
Joined
12 Sep 2013
Messages
13,305
Location
Isle of Man
Until today, I can still see loads of tourists using LU paper ticket instead of the oystercard.

For Travelcards, it makes sense, the cap on Oyster/Contactless often isn't a lot cheaper, once you've factored in foreign currency charges or the deposit/fee for the Oyster card.

They are always tourists from wealthy areas being "fooled" by the massive adverts at the airport, especially at the immigration hall

HEx is a dedicated non-stop train with fewer commuters and ample luggage space. Paying the premium to catch it isn't "being fooled", it's a cost/benefit analysis. I normally use HEx when I go to Heathrow because it's quick and comfortable. Last time I went out of Heathrow I'd spent five grand on my honeymoon, so saving a tenner by using Connect is neither here nor there.

Off-peak I'd probably be tempted by Crossrail, but not if I'm trying to elbow onto a crush-loaded peak train with all my bags.
 

hkstudent

Established Member
Joined
11 Nov 2018
Messages
1,357
Location
SE London
For Travelcards, it makes sense, the cap on Oyster/Contactless often isn't a lot cheaper, once you've factored in foreign currency charges or the deposit/fee for the Oyster card.



HEx is a dedicated non-stop train with fewer commuters and ample luggage space. Paying the premium to catch it isn't "being fooled", it's a cost/benefit analysis. I normally use HEx when I go to Heathrow because it's quick and comfortable. Last time I went out of Heathrow I'd spent five grand on my honeymoon, so saving a tenner by using Connect is neither here nor there.

Off-peak I'd probably be tempted by Crossrail, but not if I'm trying to elbow onto a crush-loaded peak train with all my bags.
In a fantasy world, it would be best for the HEx to get into Crossrail Core section to serve Paddington, Tottenham Court Road and Canary Wharf. But sadly, there aren't any extra capacity for that...
 

Bletchleyite

Veteran Member
Joined
20 Oct 2014
Messages
97,532
Location
"Marston Vale mafia"
In a fantasy world, it would be best for the HEx to get into Crossrail Core section to serve Paddington, Tottenham Court Road and Canary Wharf. But sadly, there aren't any extra capacity for that...

It wouldn't. A very high frequency stopping service is better than a lower frequency slow/semifast arrangement.
 

Grumpy Git

On Moderation
Joined
13 Oct 2019
Messages
2,125
Location
Liverpool
I'm sure I could think of something else better value for £55 that maybe wouldn't last 15 minutes "each-way" though!
 

hkstudent

Established Member
Joined
11 Nov 2018
Messages
1,357
Location
SE London
It wouldn't. A very high frequency stopping service is better than a lower frequency slow/semifast arrangement.
Not really, Heathrow T5 will only get 2tph, while T4 will get 4 tph.
Heathrow Central, of course, gets 6tph.
Mind that, HEx is running 4tph, which is not a great difference from Elizabeth Line
 

VT 390

Established Member
Joined
7 Dec 2018
Messages
1,366
In the peak hours especially is it not important to have fast Heathrow services even if not for the speed of the service, as if Crossrail was the only option the trains could be quite full from Heathrow leaving less room for commuters from the local stations, also the luggage space is not good on the 345's. For these reasons I think it is very good that there are cheaper Heathrow Express tickets.
 

packermac

Member
Joined
16 Sep 2019
Messages
543
Location
Swanage
In the peak hours especially is it not important to have fast Heathrow services even if not for the speed of the service, as if Crossrail was the only option the trains could be quite full from Heathrow leaving less room for commuters from the local stations, also the luggage space is not good on the 345's. For these reasons I think it is very good that there are cheaper Heathrow Express tickets.
You only have to look at the luggage chaos on the Piccadilly Line to see how it could go without the Hex. I got on a Picc on a Saturday evening after a CME, so I guess around 2300, could barely get in the carriage for mammoth size suitcases. Did wonder why so busy that late but I guess they were all going for early morning flights and planning on spending the night in the terminals.
 

VT 390

Established Member
Joined
7 Dec 2018
Messages
1,366
Perhaps they will upgrade the luggage capacity of the 345s?
But the 345's would then have less standing or seating space on the other routes they operate and in the central section which I think is more important on Crossrail for the peak time services.
 

bionic

Member
Joined
8 Nov 2013
Messages
883
HeX is a two-bob TOC that has been ripping people off for years. Even their drivers only went there to get their key and then legged it as soon as they could. No sympathy whatsoever for them.
 

Ianno87

Veteran Member
Joined
3 May 2015
Messages
15,215
I'm sure I could think of something else better value for £55 that maybe wouldn't last 15 minutes "each-way" though!

Lots of people *do* consider it value for money. Which, compared to a Taxi to Zone 1, it is.
 

Ianno87

Veteran Member
Joined
3 May 2015
Messages
15,215
HeX is a two-bob TOC that has been ripping people off for years. Even their drivers only went there to get their key and then legged it as soon as they could. No sympathy whatsoever for them.

Nobody is forced to travel on HEx or pay their prices. But they do. HEx are not ripping anybody off - they simply know their market.
 

matt_world2004

Established Member
Joined
5 Nov 2014
Messages
4,504
If it's £16.50 is the highest fare on the service that's not much more than the £12.50 that the TfL rail charges to Heathrow. It might work with that and offering a moderate speed premium
 

island

Veteran Member
Joined
30 Dec 2010
Messages
15,979
Location
0036
HEX has been rinsing tourists and ill-informed passengers for years and it’s starting to get its comeuppance. No sympathy.
 

Kite159

Veteran Member
Joined
27 Jan 2014
Messages
19,155
Location
West of Andover
So the "buy in advance" fares when holiday makers are sensible & book in advance have decreased. Seems a sensible move as I dare say the bulk of users will be business folk who will claim the cost of the train fare back on expenses.

Certainly £5.50 for a 90+ advance will be cheaper than standing around Paddington low level, waiting for the correct Metro-Spec 345 to roll in with minimal dwell time and minimal luggage racks.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top