Reading to Heathrow (t5)

[orpine]

Is there a cheap way of getting from Reading to Heathrow T5? (one way, offpeak)

So far I've found:
* RDG - Heathrow t1-3 - £18.60; change at Hayes & Harlington.
* RDG - Heathrow t5 - it's a bus on the NR enquiries results, £20!!
* RDG - Heathrow T5 - via padding and heathrow express - £40.10 (how much!!! )

Also, there's:
* railair.com, a bus for the also-not-cheap price of £17.
* National express - £13.70 - except it leaves from the edge of the city which is miles from where I'll be. :-/

It's a journey that's only about 30 miles, it shouldn't be *that* expensive. Is this some sort of hidden tax to try and gouge travellers more so they can charge less for the flights? (And I'm not even flying!)

 

[PermitToTravel]

Reading to Hayes & Harlington £11.30
350 bus £1.50 (Oyster or contactless only)

If there is a long wait for the 350 (these go direct to T5) you can get a U3 to T1-3 (same fare) and catch a train or tube to T5 for free

 

[Mojo]

Reading to Slough Off-peak single is £8.50
then either the 77 direct to Heathrow T5, or 75/76 to Heathrow Central (not sure of the fare) then LU/train (free).

 

[James Wake]

Use the route via Hayes and Harlington, I think the First route 77 is quite expensive, but if someone could confirm the fare then that would be good.

 

[bb21]

Surely from Slough, for cheap, you'd get the 81 to the Heathrow freeflow zone, and transfer to another bus for free.

 

[James Wake]

That bus on the national rail results is the railair, but it is more expensive than the ticket bought direct from them I think.

 

[hassaanhc]

Reading to Hayes & Harlington £11.30
350 bus £1.50 (Oyster or contactless only)

If there is a long wait for the 350 (these go direct to T5) you can get a U3 to T1-3 (same fare) and catch a train or tube to T5 for free

Did you mean West Drayton? As the U3 doesn't go to Hayes & Harlington (the 350 goes to both but no point going the extra distance).

 

[CatfordCat]

cheaper than the First bus from Slough - TfL bus 81 from Slough runs along the Bath Road (north side of Heathrow)

Aas it's a TfL bus, it's the same fare - and same deal that you need Oyster or contactless card - whether or not you board outside greater London

change at Bath Road (Compass Centre) cross the road and get a 423 - that's inside the free travel zone

(more or less what bb21 said, in less detail, while i was finding the right route number from bath road...)

 

[James Wake]

Good shout that, will only cost £10 in total with the 81 from Slough although you can get the free 441 from Bath Rd to T5 as well, run by Abellio Surrey.

 

[IainH]

I think its quicker getting off at West Drayton (£12.90 Peak Single, 11.30 OP + £1.50 Bus fare using Oyster) and getting the 350 which goes direct to T5 - Hayes & Harlington is the best stop for all other terminals. Journey time on the 350 is about 15mins from W Drayton. If you get on the 350 from Hayes it will take you back past W Drayton station... https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/350/?direction=outbound

 

[MarlowDonkey]

Good shout that, will only cost £10 in total with the 81 from Slough

Time your departure from Reading correctly and you might get one of the trains that only stops at Slough on its way to Paddington. For Hayes or West Drayton, you might have to catch a train calling at Twyford, Maidenhead, Taplow and Burnham as well or if Taplow and Burnham are missed, than Langley and Iver.


So changing to the bus at Slough route might be quicker.

 

[PermitToTravel]

The 81 from Slough is likely to be the absolute cheapest option. There is no pedestrian access from Bath Road to the Central Terminal Area so if doing that I would get the bus to the Bolton's Lane stop, dart across the road, and get any bus to the Central bus station (they're frequent and free). I agree that this could be the quickest way too - they're often driven extraordinarily "enthusiastically" through Colnbrook and Poyle
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Did you mean West Drayton? As the U3 doesn't go to Hayes & Harlington (the 350 goes to both but no point going the extra distance).

If carrying on to Hayes (a hypothetical train that doesn't stop at West Drayton or something) the 140 to T1-3 is also an option

 

[fandroid]

I have previously travelled from Reading to Hayes and Harlington ( to use Heathrow Connect) by getting one of those fast trains that stop at Slough only, and changing onto the stopping service that it has just overtaken. It's not fast (or actually cheap) to use Heathrow Connect in this way, as the half-hourly service connects badly with the eastbound GWR trains. I haven't tried the bus from Hayes and Harlington (yet), but probably will give some of the above bus options a go in the future.