Mizter T wrote:
On 13/06/2015 22:43, Clank wrote:

phil88 wrote:
Hello,

My sister and her 16-year-old daughter, both from Newcastle, are
stopping over briefly at mine in Croydon before departing for Heathrow -
their plane leaves at 12:30pm on Tuesday 16th June 2015 from Terminal 5,
and they need to arrive 2 hours beforehand. Not being Londoners, they
don't have any relevant travel passes.

Which route would you recommend for speed and/or cheapest tickets?

1] Tube: Piccadilly Circus to Heathrow. Also, why does everything on the
internet say depart from Piccadilly Circus for Heathrow? They'd be
arriving at Victoria Station from East Croydon, so getting the Tube from
there to South Kensington would get them on the route, surely?

2] The X26 express bus from Whitgift Centre. How reliable is this? Does
it get packed? Does anybody know the typical prices for one way: Croydon
to Heathrow?

3] Tube from Victoria then train from Paddington. This sounds to me the
most circuitous route, but I could be wrong. Possibly the most expensive
too?

The bus is fine for getting from eafrow to Croydon, but it's a brave man
who relies on a bus to get them TO the flight on time...

I've taken night buses (or crack of dawn buses) as part of a journey to
get to an airport several times without a problem. I've taken coaches at
a similar time to get to Stansted and Luton for horror-o-clock
departures. But yes, this isn't a horror-o-clock departure!


East Croydon/Victoria/Oxford Circus/Paddington is actually pretty easy
because of the cross-platform interchange between Vic and Bakerloo at OC,
and avoids the horror of the Picc.

The Piccadilly is alright.


Alternatively, East Croydon/Victoria/Hammersmith/Piccadilly Line. Much
easier (cross platform) interchange at Hammersmith than South Ken.

Or change at Barons Court for the same effect - a less busy station, and
more interesting in my reckoning.

Yes, Baron's Court is better for the change, just as Blackfriars is much
better than Victoria, with its dozens of steps down to the platform, and
huge rush hour crowds.