Manchester to heathrow air port
Manchester to heathrow air port
Author
Discussion

nickcowen

Original Poster:

625 posts

193 months

Friday 29th July 2011
quotequote all
Me and my girlfriend are flying from heathrow in September and we live in manchester. I don't know the london areas at all. We are planning on getting the train down but have no idea what station to go too. Can anyone help. Driving down and staying at a long stay carpark maybe an option to if it works out cheaper. Any help would be great.

Super Slo Mo

5,374 posts

228 months

Friday 29th July 2011
quotequote all
On the train you need to go to Euston, then tube to Paddington, then the Heathrow Express. Tube is from Euston Square (not Euston itself), which is about 200 yards West along Euston Road.

Alternatively, get a drive/park/bus deal. Sometimes you can find deals where you stay the night before in a hotel and get your parking included. There are local airport buses that service all the hotels, costs around a fiver per person.

thetapeworm

13,879 posts

269 months

Friday 29th July 2011
quotequote all

We drove down from Leeds, stayed in the Hilton at the airport and bundled in the parking - it worked out cheaper than the train and wasn't much more than just paying to park. The hotel was a bit dated, rude staff and average and overpriced food in the restaurant but the bed was comfy enough and we could walk to the terminal.

LooneyTunes

9,468 posts

188 months

Friday 29th July 2011
quotequote all
Fly down from Manchester airport to Heathrow. Seriously.

It will usually be cheaper than taking the train and you don't have the hassle from getting from Euston across town and out to Heathrow.

Last time I did it it was ~£35 each way with BA. Heathrow express and Virgin Trains would have been several times that.

Just be aware that from MAN you'll end up in LHR T5 - so if your onward journey isn't with BA you'll need to allow time to collect your bags, change terminals, and then recheck in. (If you're flying with BA then they'll check you all the way through from MAN). Still takes a whole heap less time than the train journey, across London, out to Heathrow lark.

On the return leg, if it's not with BA remember to allow enough time EVEN if your inbound flight is late (BA won't rebook you for free 'cos of another airline's failure).

Done this a number of times and it works well. Even easier if you can change your flights to Gatwick as the terminals are closer together...

Nickyboy

6,825 posts

264 months

Saturday 30th July 2011
quotequote all
LooneyTunes said:
Fly down from Manchester airport to Heathrow. Seriously.

It will usually be cheaper than taking the train and you don't have the hassle from getting from Euston across town and out to Heathrow.

Last time I did it it was ~£35 each way with BA. Heathrow express and Virgin Trains would have been several times that.

Just be aware that from MAN you'll end up in LHR T5 - so if your onward journey isn't with BA you'll need to allow time to collect your bags, change terminals, and then recheck in. (If you're flying with BA then they'll check you all the way through from MAN). Still takes a whole heap less time than the train journey, across London, out to Heathrow lark.

On the return leg, if it's not with BA remember to allow enough time EVEN if your inbound flight is late (BA won't rebook you for free 'cos of another airline's failure).

Done this a number of times and it works well. Even easier if you can change your flights to Gatwick as the terminals are closer together...
This

Return flight is £70 with BMI and takes an hour whereas the train is a minimum of £80 and takes 3.5 hrs

The Leaper

5,720 posts

236 months

Saturday 30th July 2011
quotequote all
Note that if you are flying out of/in to Heathrow with BA, not quite all their non UK flights use T5. For example, their Barcelona flights are from T3.

R.

bull996

1,442 posts

239 months

Saturday 30th July 2011
quotequote all
Manchester to Heathrow shuttle is a pain the arse.

By the time you have got to Manchester airport, waited for an hour, flown for circa an hour (after circling Heathrow), got off in the wrong terminal and spent an exhausting hour walking round the airport, its best to drive there the day before. Not to mention the fact that if your shuttle is late and you miss the "main" flight, unless you have booked the whole thing as one trip, you will lose the "main" flight.

Really, it is easire and more relaxing to drive. From junction 16 of the M6 to Heathrow takes 2.5 hours (leaving at 6pm-I have doen to 5 times this year already). I book into a hotel-I usually pay £65-£85 for a double and that includes up to 15 days parking-and have a nice meal, get a taxi in the morning (£7)and off you go. A nice relaxing start to any holiday.

As for the train...forget that too.

Into London, underground, another train etc etc. All dragging heavy bags, getting very hot and sweaty in a crampt train/tube all before you get on a plane? No thanks.

Puggit

49,821 posts

278 months

Saturday 30th July 2011
quotequote all
There is an alternative to the (Disney priced) Heathrow Express:

http://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/heathrow_conne...

An even cheaper (and even slower) alternative is the Picadilly Line which runs from Kings Cross direct to all Heathrow terminals.

Puggit

49,821 posts

278 months

Saturday 30th July 2011
quotequote all
Fair points, Tonker.

If the OP wants to drive down, make sure to pre-book parking. If on business I always prebook and pay to park in the T1 carpark. Since BA moved out of T1 the deals are there.

http://www.heathrowairport.com/portal/page/Heathro...__/448c6a4c7f1b0010VgnVCM200000357e120a__/

MATTP77

697 posts

225 months

Saturday 30th July 2011
quotequote all
Certainly look into flights.... but as the above posts are saying, the transfers etc will cost as much as a shuttle to/from lhr/mcr.

I work at LHR and am from the lakes, so get the train from LHR to Oxenholme, which is on the west coast main line and is ok, but the Heathrow Express is devilishly expensive. I think Staff get something liek 75% discount on it, and its still £16 RTN.

If train is the way you're going though, get the train to paddington, and heathrow express. It is very easy, if still a little expensive.

LooneyTunes

9,468 posts

188 months

Monday 1st August 2011
quotequote all
bull996 said:
By the time you have got to Manchester airport, waited for an hour, flown for circa an hour (after circling Heathrow), got off in the wrong terminal and spent an exhausting hour walking round the airport, its best to drive there the day before.
I can honestly say that I've never had the MAN - LHR shuttle work out like that. Yes there is some walking involved in a transfer between terminals, but wouldn't class it as "exhausting". IMO it's less stressful than hotel shuttle buses... And I LOVE the fact that after a 8-12+ hours flying I don't need to get in the car and drive.

BUT you're right that you need to be careful about leaving enough time (and booking with the same airline/alliance as your main flight is always a good call - they can often check your bags all the way through from MAN).

F i F

48,903 posts

281 months

Monday 1st August 2011
quotequote all
All the most aggravating, stressful and tiring, nay, exhausting journeys I have had through the LHR terminals have all involved:-

either a connecting flight from MAN or somewhere in the UK,

or a train journey involving getting into K-X, Euston, Liverpool street or only marginally better Paddington due to elimination of cross London travel.

Two of you plus luggage, car no question. Any other answer is just plain wrong.*

Dependant upon timing you can go the hotel plus parking bundle, personally I always pre book BAA parking usually the short stay.


  • * There is a slight caveat, that if you miss your flight due to problems with pubic transport your inurance will cover you, if it's a problem with your own transport or traffic delays then less likely you are covered.
Also depends on timing of arrival back, driving up M40 etc after a red eye from wherever is no fun.

ImpossiblyDaft

399 posts

211 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
If you dont fancy flying down or going via London, National Express do a connecting coach from Woking which is actually pretty good - and I'm fairly sure they do one from Reading too. Either one is pretty simple to get the Manchester-to-Southampton train to, as it stops at Reading and Woking only takes a change at Basingstoke and 20 minute 1 stop journey.

Puggit

49,821 posts

278 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
ImpossiblyDaft said:
If you dont fancy flying down or going via London, National Express do a connecting coach from Woking which is actually pretty good - and I'm fairly sure they do one from Reading too. Either one is pretty simple to get the Manchester-to-Southampton train to, as it stops at Reading and Woking only takes a change at Basingstoke and 20 minute 1 stop journey.
Only if you've got all the time in the world. That train takes 4 hours from Manchester to Reading!

F i F

48,903 posts

281 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
Puggit said:
There is an alternative to the (Disney priced) Heathrow Express:
hehe Spot on!!

It's the same with the Arlanda Express into Stockholm. Yes it's fast, it's nice, but if there are two of you or more far cheaper to take a fixed price taxi, plus the taxi drops you at your hotel. With the train you still have to get from the station.

Slight caveat, weekends and summer families get huge discounts, but rest of the year. nono

Puggit

49,821 posts

278 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
As long as the railink bus doesn't ignore the 'M4 closed' signs and then end up in the jam instead of diverting elsewhere - making you miss your flight.

Oh, and for a single it costs more than the HEX mad