Liverpool to Heathrow

[Grumpy Git]

Looking at alternatives to flying from Manchester, by using Heathrow instead as I'm fed-up with paying premium fares for often awfully timed non-direct flights.

As I've yet to experience Avanti West Coast, I would welcome any tips for booking the above return journey.

N.B. I'm OK to fix any outward leg to a particular timed train, but not the return one.

 

[gray1404]

If I was making the journey I would get a cheap WMT/LNW Advance Liverpool to London Euston then use Oyster (if railcard held) or Contactless if not on the London Underground to Heathrow.

If you want some flexibility (perhaps for the return leg) then WMT/LNW Only walk up's are good prices. I'd look at the time restrictions of Super Off Peak Return first and see if this could work before looking at the Off Peak Return.

 

[Merseysider]

What are your proposed dates? Do you hold, or are you eligible for, any railcards? These reduce fares by a third.

Unless you are willing to build plenty of additional time into your journey, I would avoid booking any WMT/LNR fares as their reliability lately has been atrocious and Virgin/Avanti are not in the habit of accepting their passengers.

I would also avoid Heathrow Express as it’s ridiculously expensive, even using its new Advance fares.

Avanti fares to London can be had for approx £16, with a flexible Saver Half ticket (purchased simultaneously) back for £45.

Tube fare is around £3-£5 depending on time of day, with rush hour eliciting the higher fare, though this is a slow journey.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Which site is the best one to use for Avanti, bearing in mind their is no option to chose your seat on their own site?

 

[cactustwirly]

Which site is the best one to use for Avanti, bearing in mind their is no option to chose your seat on their own site?

Trainsplit.com has a seat selector.

 

[cactustwirly]

What are your proposed dates? Do you hold, or are you eligible for, any railcards? These reduce fares by a third.

Unless you are willing to build plenty of additional time into your journey, I would avoid booking any WMT/LNR fares as their reliability lately has been atrocious and Virgin/Avanti are not in the habit of accepting their passengers.

I would also avoid Heathrow Express as it’s ridiculously expensive, even using its new Advance fares.

Avanti fares to London can be had for approx £16, with a flexible Saver Half ticket (purchased simultaneously) back for £45.

Tube fare is around £3-£5 depending on time of day, with rush hour eliciting the higher fare, though this is a slow journey.

Personally I'd use TfL rail to Heathrow, with a 360 with luggage racks, plus the journey time is only 30 minutes from Paddington.
Contactless fares can be a lot more expensive than the Piccadilly line though, so a travelcard might be better value?

 

[paddington]

Get an Avanti train to Watford junction then take the 724 to Heathrow. It was £15 for a 90 day return a few years ago, and avoids Euston and the tube.

If you want to save money you could take bus 258 to harrow then x140 to Heathrow for £1.50 but it wouldn't save any time over going via london

 

[gray1404]

If you are boarding a London train at Liverpool Lime Street then it is worth remembering that you don't have to sit in your reserved seat and will have pick of any seats that are unreserved. I therefore wouldn't worry about the absence of a seat selector. Also, assuming they have carried it over from the Virgin Trains days, there is normally an unreserved coach (It is Coach U) in standard?

 

[paul1609]

Depends an awful lot on your timings and to a lesser amount what terminal you're at.
Consider going to Reading and getting the Rail Air Bus. Its an awful lot less faff than any of the London options (unless you can afford a cab from Euston to Heathrow) and will drop you outside terminal 2/3 or 5.
Off Peak return is about £88 spliting at Banbury, plus a period return on the bus is £28. There is a lounge (waiting room) at the front of reading Station and the bus leaves from outside.

 

[IslandDweller]

"Get an Avanti train to Watford junction then take the 724 to Heathrow. It was £15 for a 90 day return a few years ago, and avoids Euston and the tube."
A couple of tiny problems with that suggestion. (1) There is only one Avanti train per day from Liverpool that calls at Watford Jct (2) The 724 service only runs once per hour (on average)

 

[IslandDweller]

"Personally I'd use TfL rail to Heathrow"
But this only runs twice per hour versus every few minutes for the Piccadilly line.

 

[paul1609]

"Get an Avanti train to Watford junction then take the 724 to Heathrow. It was £15 for a 90 day return a few years ago, and avoids Euston and the tube."
A couple of tiny problems with that suggestion. (1) There is only one Avanti train per day from Liverpool that calls at Watford Jct (2) The 724 service only runs once per hour (on average)

Allow lots of time as well , its very susceptible to traffic congestion on the M25

 

[Bletchleyite]

"Personally I'd use TfL rail to Heathrow"
But this only runs twice per hour versus every few minutes for the Piccadilly line.

Sit and have a coffee while you wait for it.

Personally I'd book a Heathrow hotel (there are loads of them so they are cheap, unlike what you might expect) and stay overnight and you can be sure not to miss your flight, whatever public transport option you use.

 

[gray1404]

How cheap can you get them for?

 

[radamfi]

How cheap can you get them for?

Travelodge in Feltham can be had for about £30. The 285 bus goes to Hatton Cross where you can change for T4 or T5 if needed.

 

[boyaloud]

Travelodge in Feltham can be had for about £30. The 285 bus goes to Hatton Cross where you can change for T4 or T5 if needed.

Highly recommend MOXY hotel Heathrow, brand new, loads of (normal London red) buses outside the door to heathrow airport. Very luxurious 4star and starts at £34 a night!

 

[_toommm_]

How cheap can you get them for?

There's an EasyHotel about a 5 minute bus ride away from Hayes and Harlington (which of course is on the way from Paddington to Heathrow on NR). Normally £20 or £30 if booked a month or so in advance.

 

[stuart100100]

The holiday inns and premier inn on Bath Road are normally really cheap if booked ahead and you can get the red London buses for free between there and the airport

 

[Grumpy Git]

I'm looking at flying back to LHR on 28th Feb. landing approx. 18:00 at T4 if on time (and with hold luggage to collect).

This gives me a relatively generous 2 hours to jump on the 20:07 Avanti Euston to Lime St., which currently can be brought for £74.50 first class / £58.00 standard class.

My only concern is if my flight is delayed and I miss the 20:07, I'll need to buy a new ticket for the 21:07 at an eye-watering £129.50 / £91.10 extra.

Is there any way to mitigate the chances of being delayed without just opting for the 21:07 service in the first instance (but probably watching from the Euston concourse as the 20:07 goes without me)?

 

[Fawkes Cat]

I'm looking at flying back to LHR on 28th Feb. landing approx. 18:00 at T4 if on time (and with hold luggage to collect).

This gives me a relatively generous 2 hours to jump on the 20:07 Avanti Euston to Lime St., which currently can be brought for £74.50 first class / £58.00 standard class.

My only concern is if my flight is delayed and I miss the 20:07, I'll need to buy a new ticket for the 21:07 at an eye-watering £129.50 / £91.10 extra.

Is there any way to mitigate the chances of being delayed without just opting for the 21:07 service in the first instance (but probably watching from the Euston concourse as the 20:07 goes without me)?

Buy advances on the 2107 as well? Currently £23 standard / £47 first. Bad news - you are guaranteed to waste one ticket. Good news - you don't risk a sudden high fare.

 

[Wolfie]

I'm looking at flying back to LHR on 28th Feb. landing approx. 18:00 at T4 if on time (and with hold luggage to collect).

This gives me a relatively generous 2 hours to jump on the 20:07 Avanti Euston to Lime St., which currently can be brought for £74.50 first class / £58.00 standard class.

My only concern is if my flight is delayed and I miss the 20:07, I'll need to buy a new ticket for the 21:07 at an eye-watering £129.50 / £91.10 extra.

Is there any way to mitigate the chances of being delayed without just opting for the 21:07 service in the first instance (but probably watching from the Euston concourse as the 20:07 goes without me)?

Two hours to clear LHR and get to Euston is far from generous. On a bad day immigration control can take 45mins and luggage at least the same.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Two hours to clear LHR and get to Euston is far from generous. On a bad day immigration control can take 45mins and luggage at least the same.

So luggage can take another 45 mins after taking 45 to clear immigration?

I have no experience of T4.

 

[gray1404]

I would get tickets for the 21.07 and not even consider the 20.07. Even the 21.07 is rather tight. There is still a risk that you might miss the 21.07 National Express offer an overnight coach leaving at about 23:00 from Victoria.

Ways to mitigate it are to try to travel with hand luggage only so you are not waiting for luggage. Try to get seats near the front of the plane so you are one of the first off. Use the e-gates to clear passport control (assuming you are travelling on British or European Union issued passports). Do you really need to travel back to Liverpool that same evening?

Would you consider getting a cheap hotel for the night at Heathrow. I've managed to get these for £25 to £30 in the past followed by a cheap Advance the following morning after the peak period has ended.

There is a 09.46 from Euston on the Saturday 29 Feb with West Midlands Trains, changing at Stafford that gets to Liverpool for 12.43 with a journey time of just 2 hours 57 minutes for £19.

 

[Grumpy Git]

I'm always travelling with hand tools, so hand luggage only is not an option.

I'm also travelling back out of the UK on Sunday lunchtime, so the point of getting home Friday evening is to make it a worthwhile trip back home!

If you are saying a 21:07 departure from Euston could be missed after landing at LHR at 18:00, then it will be the first and last time I use LHR.

 

[Wolfie]

So luggage can take another 45 mins after taking 45 to clear immigration?

I have no experience of T4.

On a really bad day it can. I would allow a good hour from when you land (don't be surprised to be stuck in a stack in the evening and land late) to clear Heathrow. Perhaps just book the 2107 train and have a coffee/beer somewhere if you do get through faster.

 

[gray1404]

On the balance of probabilities you will make the 21.07. I would not even consider booking anything earlier. It would just take something to go wrong to delay you, such as a massive long que at immigration or waiting ages for your luggage. I have landed at 19:10, had a 15 minute wait at immigration, 10 more in the baggage hall and then caught the 21.07 with 7 minutes to spare at Euston having caught the Underground via the Piccadilly line.

So, all that considered, if you feel you want to then book it. However, just know what you are going to do if you miss it (your plan B).

 

[Grumpy Git]

What inclusive catering is provided in First on Avanti on the late trains out of Euston?

Last time I used the service it was still Virgin and whilst the breakfast was decent, the offering on the return on an 8pm out of Euston was a poor effort.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Looking at returning to Gatwick NORTH TERMINAL earlier in the afternoon (scheduled landing at 14:30 Friday).

Based on this, what is the earliest departure from Euston advised please?

 

[gray1404]

Do you hold a ticket already. Personally I'd say 17.00 onwards or 18.00 to play it safe.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Do you hold a ticket already. Personally I'd say 17.00 onwards or 18.00 to play it safe.

No, I have a non refundable flight to LHR (arriving 18:00), but annoyingly I overlooked LGW when I booked this (and its direct as well)! This means I'm already £90 out of pocket for the flight, plus the extra cost of earlier fares from Euston if I change my journey.

I think I'll take this one on the chin and stick with my original plan to fly into LHR and book the 21:07 from Euston. It would have been nice to get home 3 or 4 hours earlier but at least I know for the following week when I may have to make the same journey?