Best ticket from Kent to Heathrow

[alex397]

Hi all,

I would have thought I’d work this out by myself, but I’m a little confused about what would be the best ticket to travel from Ashford International to Heathrow Terminal 3.

On the way there, I will have to travel at peak time unfortunately. Just typing in Ashford to Heathrow Terminal 2,3 on the Southeastern website quotes £93.60, and that’s with my Disabled Person’s Railcard. I’m really not sure I can justify that at all! Interestingly, it seems to be the same price whether I get the Elizabeth Line or the Heathrow Express, which I wasn’t expecting. There doesn’t seem to be an option to remove Heathrow Express from the enquiry.

It does however seem to be a bit cheaper at £81.65 if I buy Ashford-St Pancras separately, and use Oyster to Heathrow (£13.30 anytime single). It will also be even cheaper if I use the Piccadilly Line instead (£5.60 anytime single), but I was hoping to avoid the Piccadilly as I find that quite tricky with my disability while having luggage.

Any advice on a better way to get to Heathrow would be appreciated, although I think I’m just going to have to grin and bear it.

EDIT: This is a return trip, heading there on Tuesday 11th April, returning Saturday 15th April.

 

[Haywain]

Is this a one way or return trip and, if a return when would that be? I cant see the fare you mention so we perhaps need a bit more detail to be able to help you.

 

[alex397]

Is this a one way or return trip and, if a return when would that be? I cant see the fare you mention so we perhaps need a bit more detail to be able to help you.

Apologies. It is a return trip next week. Leaving Tuesday 11th April, returning Saturday 15th April.

The return journey is reasonable, as obviously it will be off-peak.

 

[island]

I still can't see any fare even approaching that high.

An anytime ticket bought at the station on the day from Ashford Intl to St Pancras would be £29.60 single or £59.30 return (more than double the single fare!) with a Disabled Railcard. Then it's £8.70 each way on the Elizabeth line or £3.65 each way on the Piccadilly line using an Oyster card with Disabled Railcard attached. I don't presume to know the effect on you of your disability but I would observe that the Piccadilly stations at Kings Cross St Pancras and all Heathrow stations are fully accessible with level boarding and lifts.

You can save £4.25 by buying separate single tickets out and back as you're returning on a Saturday and can use the super off-peak fare.

Depending on your tolerance for risk or waiting around, you can get an advance (train-specific) ticket for your journey back, these are mostly available for £9.55 all day, but if you miss the train your ticket is useless.

 

[BluePenguin]

Coincidentally, I was looking this up myself yesterday from Deal

To remove Heathrow Express from your results, use the “via” option to specify Ealing Broadway or Acton mainline

Remember that if you buy a ticket routed plus high speed, it is valid on Thameslink to Farringdon from where you can pick up Elizabeth line.

Depending on your mobility, getting off at Stratford to join the Elizabeth line there instead is an option. Although, you do have to change at Whitechapel.

 

[alex397]

I still can't see any fare even approaching that high.

An anytime ticket bought at the station on the day from Ashford Intl to St Pancras would be £29.60 single or £59.30 return (more than double the single fare!) with a Disabled Railcard. Then it's £8.70 each way on the Elizabeth line or £3.65 each way on the Piccadilly line using an Oyster card with Disabled Railcard attached. I don't presume to know the effect on you of your disability but I would observe that the Piccadilly stations at Kings Cross St Pancras and all Heathrow stations are fully accessible with level boarding and lifts.

Unfortunately my railcard is not attached to my Oyster. Reason being I lost my old Oyster which had it attached, so I now use a spare one. I just haven't got around to the faff of adding it again. I hadn't realised that King's Cross and Heathrow both have lifts now, so thanks for that info.

I now have a different price to you for Ashford Intl to St Pancras - £55.05 return, using an Anytime Day Single on the way there, and a Super Off-Peak on the way back.

Depending on your tolerance for risk or waiting around, you can get an advance (train-specific) ticket for your journey back, these are mostly available for £9.55 all day, but if you miss the train your ticket is useless.

Thank you for the info, but I rarely get an opportunity to buy an advanced train-specific ticket. Especially when travelling back from an airport with all the unreliability that comes with that.

 

[paul1609]

It really depends on the timing and your mobility but personally I'd go Ashford to Charing Cross (Walk 400 metres downhill to Embankment) or Canon Street. District Line to Hammersmith, Piccadilly Line to Heathrow 2,3. London to Zones 1 to 6 Anytime Travelcard (route not HS1)with railcard £50. You're looking at 1 hr 15 to Charing Cross, however long you need at the London Terminal plus just under an hour to Heathrow. In reality its about 30 mins longer than HS1 to St Pancras, Underground to Paddington and Heathrow Express.

 

[talldave]

Using my approach of buying a ticket from somewhere you're not coming from to somewhere you're not going to, I have a suggestion that could get you there using HS1 for £27.40 peak (no railcard).

When I lived in Kent I used this ticket all the time, but I left in 2019 so it would be worth a Forum fares expert confirming if it's still valid. I don’t want to post it here in case it is still valid and gets nobbled, but will message the OP.

 

[BluePenguin]

Using my approach of buying a ticket from somewhere you're not coming from to somewhere you're not going to, I have a suggestion that could get you there using HS1 for £27.40 peak (no railcard).

When I lived in Kent I used this ticket all the time, but I left in 2019 so it would be worth a Forum fares expert confirming if it's still valid. I don’t want to post it here in case it is still valid and gets nobbled, but will message the OP.

A lot of us use a few that and depend on them for cheap travel

 

[alex397]

There are four of us travelling, and I’ve been quoted £120 for a taxi, so we will be using that instead, as that equals £30 each.
If there wasn’t still unnecessary peak fares, we would have gone by train.

 

[paul1609]

There are four of us travelling, and I’ve been quoted £120 for a taxi, so we will be using that instead, as that equals £30 each.
If there wasn’t still unnecessary peak fares, we would have gone by train.

In all fairness all the recent peak HS1 services Ive been have been full and standing. One in the evening peak left people behind at St Pancras and Stratford.

 

[alex397]

In all fairness all the recent peak HS1 services Ive been have been full and standing. One in the evening peak left people behind at St Pancras and Stratford.

A few weeks ago I travelled on a morning peak journey to London, arriving at St Pancras at 08.43, and most carriages were half full on the 12-car set.
I’m not a regular, but a friend who commutes to London says the earlier peak trains, arriving in London around 8am and before are very busy. The later peak journeys tend to be relatively quiet, and then gets busy for the first few off-peak journeys.

Evening peak journeys are not considered ‘peak’. They are all Off Peak / Super Off Peak in terms of ticketing.

 

[BluePenguin]

A few weeks ago I travelled on a morning peak journey to London, arriving at St Pancras at 08.43, and most carriages were half full on the 12-car set.
I’m not a regular, but a friend who commutes to London says the earlier peak trains, arriving in London around 8am and before are very busy. The later peak journeys tend to be relatively quiet, and then gets busy for the first few off-peak journeys.

Evening peak journeys are not considered ‘peak’. They are all Off Peak / Super Off Peak in terms of ticketing.

They are all completely rammed in the morning peak, anyone from Dover onwards usually struggles to find a seat with none by Ashford.