London Travel Answers

You have to know yourself on this one. We had a long stopover in London (12 hours) back in November and took the tube from Heathrow to Holburn Station (they are on the same line) and walked to the British Museum in less than 1o minutes from Holburn. It took about 45 minutes on the subway train.

It's really up to you whether you consider a direct transfer is best. It is certainly not the cheapest option. Public transport is safe and used by everyone. It won't be really dark at 8.30pm in June, but you might consider that public transport is too much hassle after a long flight, and with luggage? Trains from Heathrow are safe, convenient and quick but will arrive at Paddington station. The Heathrow Express is more expensive, and not much quicker then the Heathrow Connect. Train times, details and fares on www.nationalrail.co.uk From Paddington you will need to take a taxi or the Tube to your hotel (nearest Tube station to you hotel/hostel is Holborn). Buses from Heathrow are cheaper than trains. They arrive at Victoria. Again, you will need taxi or Tube to the Astor Museum. You can take the Tube all the way from Heathrow airport to Holborn without changing (the Piccadilly line). Tube map here: bbc.co.uk/london/pdf/tube_ma... This is the cheapest option, taking around 50 minutes. This page details and links all transport options from Heathrow: londontoolkit.com/travel/hea... So really, it's up to you. If you decide on a private transfer then do google and get quotes from several different companies before you book. Pre-booking will be cheaper than getting a black taxi on arrival.

Super information from Leics. Assume you are landing at LHR? Then what has been written is very informative If you land at LGW then you have the Gatwick Express which will take you into Victoria.Car similar cost

If your plane lands (hopefully) at 8:30, it's doubtful you will be out of the airport until past 9 and it will be a bit light but dark by the time you get to London. Personally, I think the money would be well spent to have someone pick you up and deliver you to the door of your hotel, especially if you've had a long flight.

VERY EASY, Heathrow to Russell Square by tube (1 hr) and a couple of minutes walk, maybe £7. Cannot possibly get lost.

In terms of ease, you can't really get more straightforward or inexpensive than the trip to that hostel. The Piccadilly line (blue) goes straight from Heathrow to the Holborn Station and their website gives you explicit instructions on how to get there. It's a 5-10 minute walk, the area is not dangerous even for a single female at night. The tube will cost you 2.90 if you decide to get an Oyster, 5.30 if you pay cash hostelworld.com/hosteldetail... Landing in London isn't like landing somewhere that you don't speak the language, everyone will understand you, stop in the station and ask someone who works there to point you in the right direction and bring the directions along. If you do decide that a car service is how you want to go, I've had good luck with simplyairports.co.uk. That will be cheaper than a taxi.

Your hotel is on Montague Street. It is not across from the British Museum MAIN entrance but rather round the corner. You go past the main entrance and turn left, if coming from Russell Square tube. As the BM covers a whole city block, technically it is across from the BM but by saying it is across from the BM, to a listener it would infer that it was across from the main entrance. I am sure that I have answered this question before from you? May be not, certainly there was a post re going from LHR to Montague Street.... it is really up to you and how you think you would cope. If you have the money and want a stress-free trip, then pay the £47 and use an airport transfer. I assume that at some point you will have to make the return trip, but perhaps by then you will be more confident. Otherwise, the tube is really easy and far less expensive and all you have to do is plot the route from the tube station to the hotel.......

Personally if I had the money I would take the airport transfer car. But when we flew into Gatwick we took the train - not the Express, but a train that had a couple of stops - cheaper and not much more time. Then of course we had to get from the station to the hotel. At that time of night, probably a cab. Is a train and a cab much less than a 47 pounds?

Depends on the traffic and the distance but, probably, yes. London taxi rates here: tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/... Gatwick fares on www.nationalrail.co.uk (from around 8.50GBP).

To get from LHR to that hotel, I would take the Piccadilly Line tube, unless you have loads of heavy luggage. It's a direct connection from Heathrow to Russell Square (which has a lift, not escalator).

Agreed that tube would be a better option than car. The traffic alone can be pretty stressful! The tube is direct and easy (I would suggest Russell Square as I think it's a little closer than Holborn and slightly less crazy). When you leave the only station exit, turn left. I estimate 5-10 minutes walk across Russell Square and round the museum. However, if you really want to be sure of not getting lost, walk to the main road and you should be able to hail a black cab fairly easily. This short journey should cost £2-3, but will deliver you stress free to your door. I do this quite often myself when I haven't got a clue where I'm going and don't want to be late. Cab drivers know London like the back of their hand, so we might as well use their knowledge :)