Londoners: What's the best public transport option from Heathrow to Kings Cross?

[Dogtrousers]

Sounds like a more expensive way to add complication to the journey and save perhaps a few minutes.

That's exactly what the Heathrow express is now. The Elizabeth Line has completely undermined its main selling point. I used to use it cos it is quick & frequent. But only if you happen to be at Paddington.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Well, this is turning out to be the complete nightmare I expected: Now I can't get a Britrail pass. I'm eligible, I have a MasterCard, I have the funds, but my banks' confirmation app "doesn't work on your phone".

Why don't I trust mobile phones with my banking and tickets? Ah, yes that's why...

 

[accountantpete]

Via Green Lane, Oxford Circus, Latimer Road, Piccadilly and Mornington Crescent.

 

[markemark]

Piccadilly takes forever. The correct answer is Lizzie line to Farringdon then change to circle etc to kings X. This will be much quicker. The Lizzie line train itself is lovely, air con, spacious, newer and cleaner. No Londoner would take the Piccadilly by choice any more.

Only issue is Lizzie line is often shut for engineering at weekends or has issues at the Heathrow end if the line.

Do not get the Heathrow express. It’s pointless, expensive and drops you off in the arse end of London. It’s main draw is unwitting tourists who think it’s any good.

 

[sungod]

Thanks for the thoughts. Looks like it's a Piccadilly Line then.

I'm working on a Britrail pass now, so I'm flexible if/when the plane is late. Because life can't be simple, the seller is trying to force me to use a cell-phone ticket.

i live in central london and have used lhr/lgw/lcy airports a lot over the decades

if you're at terminal 2 or 3, that's the best one for all services, t4/t5 are split (lines converge at t2&3)

piccadilly line is the simplest option for kings cross and trains run every few minutes - i'd sit in the rearmost carriage, then at kings cross you'll be at the end of the platform for the escalators up to the front of the mainline station

the heathrow express and elizabeth lines don't run as often, if you just miss one you'll have a longer wait, and then have the same risk wherever you change, which can kill any nominal advantage vs. the tube

before travel, have a peek at the status page on https://tfl.gov.uk/tube-dlr-overground/status/ to check for any issues

 

[steverob]

Have done all three methods (Heathrow Express, Piccadilly, Elizabeth line) in the past, both with and without luggage.

Was I to do it again, it would be the Elizabeth line, 100% hands down. Once you get to Farringdon, it's one stop on the Underground (Circle, Metropolitan, H&C) or Thameslink, doesn't matter which, basically whichever looks like it's going to arrive first according to the display boards.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I think there's a majority view here that the rapid, spacious, air conditioned, Elizabeth line is the nicer experience (provided it's running). Changing at Farringdon can be a bit of a faff and it can be extremely busy. If you don't mind changing, this is the way to go. Note that being nicer doesn't necessarily mean it will be nice. Just less un-nice.

But @Andy in Germany wants to avoid changing trains.

The cramped slow Piccadilly wins in this respect. There are no changes. So board the train, get out a book and it will soon be over. Well, soon-ish. And the time difference isn't enormous. 10 or 20 mins max maybe. Depends how long you wait for the train in the first place, which is a lottery. The dice are loaded in favour of the Piccadilly here as I think it's more frequent.

Both should cost the same as they are both TfL. The barriers don't know what route you took. This isn't true.

 

[markemark]

Both should cost the same as they are both TfL. The barriers don't know what route you took.

I agree with the rest of your post but this bit isn’t quite right. There’s a surcharge of using the Lizzie line from Heathrow. The system knows as they’re not the same barriers at Heathrow you go through - they’re separate.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I agree with the rest of your post but this bit isn’t quite right. There’s a surcharge of using the Lizzie line from Heathrow. The system knows as they’re not the same barriers at Heathrow you go through - they’re separate.

I'll defer to you on that as I don't pay (off peak). My Old Git Oyster card gets me through the barriers for free after 9am. So my knowledge of fares can be unreliable.

 

[mjr]

20 miles on a Boris Bike... 2 hours and loads of sights to see 😂

You ain't gonna hire one of those at Heathrow. Central London only.

 

[mjr]

Well, this is turning out to be the complete nightmare I expected: Now I can't get a Britrail pass. I'm eligible, I have a MasterCard, I have the funds, but my banks' confirmation app "doesn't work on your phone".

Why don't I trust mobile phones with my banking and tickets? Ah, yes that's why...

If you do manage to get a BritRail pass, then the Elizabeth Line to Farringdon and Thameslink to KGX/StP would be included. The Piccadilly tube would not. But it's understandable if you still prefer the fairly cheap slower but direct tube.

Use the exit near the back of the platform at Kings Cross if you do. On the platform I think it's signed as the route to the circle line only but don't worry as there's more signs to the National Rail station upstairs. The route signed from platform level may be good for crowd control but it's a flipping long walk!

And I thought cities were supposed to have better public transport...

Better than what, though? Most of England is a transport disaster zone, so simply still having a functioning network means the cities are better.

 

[PeteXXX]

You ain't gonna hire one of those at Heathrow. Central London only.

What about a Lime Bike? 🤔

 

[steveindenmark]

Just to make this more complicated: Could you fly from Memmingen (aka Munich West)? Gets you to Stansted or Manchester and you could then avoid London.
The downside: it's Ryanair....

Ryanair is not a downside when you take the time to read their rules. Its like getting on and off a bus. Why don't I have trouble with Ryanair, even with a bike. Yet KLM and Lufthanse are a nightmare?

The problem with landing at Stansted is that if you want to go North, it is often easier to go to London first. Otherwise you can find yourself zigzag zagging across the country at great expense.

 

[mjr]

What about a Lime Bike? 🤔

I don't think any bike hire has expanded even to T4 (the closest to London) yet. Maps from late 2023 are in HumanForest Vs TIER Vs Lime: Which London Electric Bike Is Best? (Updated October 2023) – https://biketips.com/humanforest-tier-lime-electric-bike-london/
but I use a folding bike for outer London so I may have missed news of one expanding.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I don't think any bike hire has expanded even to T4 (the closest to London) yet. Maps from late 2023 are in HumanForest Vs TIER Vs Lime: Which London Electric Bike Is Best? (Updated October 2023) – https://biketips.com/humanforest-tier-lime-electric-bike-london/
but I use a folding bike for outer London so I may have missed news of one expanding.

I bet there are a few lime bikes dumped on the pavements round Heathrow. They get everywhere.