travel time M1 / M25 to Heathrow during rush hour?
Discussion
I need to get from M1 J13 to Heathrow to be there by around 08:30 on Friday. M1 / M25 is the obvious route. If the traffic is light I'd allow for about an hour, but I've never tried this journey during the rush hour. Any idea how long it's likely to take to get down to the M25 and then round the M25 to Heathrow?
GreenV8S said:
I need to get from M1 J13 to Heathrow to be there by around 08:30 on Friday. M1 / M25 is the obvious route. If the traffic is light I'd allow for about an hour, but I've never tried this journey during the rush hour. Any idea how long it's likely to take to get down to the M25 and then round the M25 to Heathrow?
Possibly anything up to about 3 weeks.Tripple it to make sure, that section is a nightmare, took me 4 hours to get to work this morning, chelmsford to Basingstoke leaving at 6.30, thought it would be a bit quieter because it was mid week but it was worse. The last couple of weeks it's taken me about 2 and a half hours to get to the M1 junction from Basingstoke on a Friday
If you hit the M25 before 7 it shouldn't be in full swing, so I reckon an hour and a half is a safe bet.
To put it in perspective I could do Cranfield to Reigate (M25 J8) in 1.15 (including M1 roadworks) at night when it was clear, and up to 2.30 or 3 hours worst case on a Friday Afternoon during rush hour. Considering that the stretch from Reigate to Heathrow is worth 30 minutes in itself at the best of times and up to an hour if it's really bad, I reckon leaving more than 2 hours for the journey would be excessive unless there's an accident or somesuch, in which case it will take you a week anyway.
To put it in perspective I could do Cranfield to Reigate (M25 J8) in 1.15 (including M1 roadworks) at night when it was clear, and up to 2.30 or 3 hours worst case on a Friday Afternoon during rush hour. Considering that the stretch from Reigate to Heathrow is worth 30 minutes in itself at the best of times and up to an hour if it's really bad, I reckon leaving more than 2 hours for the journey would be excessive unless there's an accident or somesuch, in which case it will take you a week anyway.
Traffic will start to queue on the M25 around junctions 18/19 from about 6:30 in the morning, and you're bound to get stuck again on the M4 spur for Heathrow. If you really can't afford to miss the flight I'd aim to be a good way around the M25 before about 6:15, and accept that you'll probably have time to kill at Heathrow. All it takes is one accident to happen anywhere on route and your journey time could more than double in an instant...
Hyperion said:
Fridays are always the quietest day of the week as far as the mornings are concerned - to be honest, it shouldn't be too bad - unless someone crashes of course!!
True 
and have a back up route just in case an accident shuts the motorway whilst the wombles tidy up a few bits of bumper or similiar. Dropping off M25 at J17 and cutting down old North Orbital (A412) or J16 and then through Uxbridge and West Drayton to LHR - brings you out at top of LHR spur road - would be a suitable alternative route plan maybe ( but I haven't done it for ages and it might be hell itself now).
If the flight is really important to catch you could find a lodge or hotel at Heathrow, that if it offered free parking would offset some of the cost and guarantee you got your flight.
Which Terminal ?
I quite often travelled from Milton Keynes to Heathrow. Best time, 50 minutes, worst time 3 hours! Plus time to get parked and get bus to terminal.
I've always found it safest to allow 2 hours and be prepared to divert if there is a serious problem.
If you can, use Radio 2, traffic master or local radio (TP)
Good luck!
I've always found it safest to allow 2 hours and be prepared to divert if there is a serious problem.
If you can, use Radio 2, traffic master or local radio (TP)
Good luck!
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