Basingstoke - Heathrow Airport

[skatering]

If I were to travel from Basingstoke to Gatwick, Luton or Stansted via train, the National Rail website usually offers me a very reasonably priced return ticket. However, this seems to go out the window completely with Heathrow.

I've been looking at routing options, and I can either go SWT Basingstoke-Woking, and then a National Express Railair Coach, GWR Basingstoke-Reading, and then Railair, SWT Basingstoke-London Terminals and then pick up the Picadilly line, or (and this is only offered by the website if I tell it I'm starting at Reading) Basingstoke-Reading and then Reading-Hayes and Harlington-Heathrow Airport.

Considering it's one of the world's busiest airports, and the closest London airport to me, it certainly isn't straightforward to get to. Is there a service that's not being advertised anywhere? Assuming no significant price difference, is there a route that's preferable? (I'm aware Reading Railair tickets shouldn't be bought inside a train ticket as it's more expensive.)

 

[swt_passenger]

Is there a service that's not being advertised anywhere?

Don't think so. There might be a direct service within the next ten years, but they still have to design and build the "Western Access" infrastructure...

 

[greatkingrat]

There is a direct coach but it is not very frequent.

http://www.nationalexpress.com/assets/uploads/pdf/timetables/R033.pdf

 

[Bookd]

How about Basingstoke to Clapham Junction, then to Feltham, and a short journey on the 285 bus. Since it was rebuilt Feltham is described as for Heathrow, and for a while had a dedicated railair link bus which stopped through lack of use, but it would be the quickest route from most places to the south of London.

 

[bb21]

The railway line to the airport is not part of the National Rail network. It is a private line, which explains in part the lack of integrated ticketing with the national network.

 

[telstarbox]

Are you travelling alone? If not then a prebooked minicab might work out a similar price.

 

[skatering]

Thanks for the replies. The National Express would be great if it wasn't such a rarity, as you say. The Clapham Junction-Feltham-Bus looks perfect, actually...quick and only £19.95 return with a railcard plus the bus journeys. Thanks for spotting it!

I have a few solo trips coming up, so a taxi isn't viable at £50 each way.

 

[wibble]

The railway line to the airport is not part of the National Rail network. It is a private line, which explains in part the lack of integrated ticketing with the national network.

There are through tickets to Heathrow via Heathrow Express....

 

[James Wake]

Its more expensive to go via Paddington, £10 more roughly, whereas the bus fares are £1.50 each on Contactless. I would also say if you got a fast BSK to Clapham Junction train, it is quicker to go that way then Feltham/bus than it is to go via Hayes and the 140 or Paddington/Hayes then Express or Connect.

Exit Feltham on the platform 1 exit, bus 285 serves Heathrow Central for T2 and T3, bus 490 serves Heathrow T4 and T5.

 

[bb21]

There are through tickets to Heathrow via Heathrow Express....

.. as an add-on fare mostly.

 

[wibble]

.. as an add-on fare mostly.

...like all through fares.

 

[hantsman1205]

Thanks for the replies. The National Express would be great if it wasn't such a rarity, as you say. The Clapham Junction-Feltham-Bus looks perfect, actually...quick and only £19.95 return with a railcard plus the bus journeys. Thanks for spotting it!

I have a few solo trips coming up, so a taxi isn't viable at £50 each way.

Don't forget plusbus if buying a rail ticket, although using contactless or Oyster may be cheaper.

 

[fandroid]

This is a journey I do regularly. I have tried just about all routes, but never the Feltham one! I will give it a go. Some TOC journey planners don't seem to appreciate that Reading Railair exists! (It was the old East Coast site. Perhaps VTEC is better). If wishing to use the Feltham route, it's very much worth remembering that trains from Basingstoke don't stop at Clapham Junction in the morning peak. Although it's often shown as quickest route on journey planners, also be very wary of the Woking Railair route. I have given up on it. Twice I have had buses from Woking cancelled on me, and one other time, my bus was so badly delayed getting to Woking that the next service turned up before it! For Reading Railair, as well as being consistently more frequent, First Group keep a spare bus and driver at Reading so that they can keep the service to timetable even when traffic delays are delaying incoming buses. Also, they give national Railcard discounts at all times of day. National Express give no Railcard discounts. I agree that it's an overcomplicated situation, and WRAtH would be nice, if it were more than just a plan!

 

[LexyBoy]

Basingstoke-Hayes & Harlington is similar, or slightly quicker, than Basingstoke-Feltham, and £11.50 (Day) £18.40 (Period) return (Off Peak) (Minimum fare may apply). Again a short hop on the bus to Heathrow.

 

[fandroid]

Basingstoke-Hayes & Harlington is similar, or slightly quicker, than Basingstoke-Feltham, and £11.50 (Day) £18.40 (Period) return (Off Peak) (Minimum fare may apply). Again a short hop on the bus to Heathrow.

Does the bus to Heathrow pass close to H&H station? I have used Heathrow Connect from there many times, but with my oldie's pass, I can save the rather high fare that Heathrow impose on train travellers.

 

[James Wake]

Does the bus to Heathrow pass close to H&H station? I have used Heathrow Connect from there many times, but with my oldie's pass, I can save the rather high fare that Heathrow impose on train travellers.

Yes the 350 runs direct between Terminal 5 and Hayes and Harlington, or you can catch the 140 from Heathrow Central (Terminals 2/3).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Or there are buses on First Berkshire every 15 minutes from Heathrow Central on route 75 or 76 to Slough Bus Stn, right across the road from Slough Station.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

Yes the 350 runs direct between Terminal 5 and Hayes and Harlington, or you can catch the 140 from Heathrow Central (Terminals 2/3).

Or there are buses on First Berkshire every 15 minutes from Heathrow Central on route 75 or 76 to Slough Bus Stn, right across the road from Slough Station.

Doesn't West Drayton advertise bus connections to Heathrow as well? All the stoppers call there as well as Hayes.

Slough, traffic and connections at Reading permitting, might be the faster route using the services from Reading calling only at Slough.

 

[hassaanhc]

Doesn't West Drayton advertise bus connections to Heathrow as well? All the stoppers call there as well as Hayes.

Slough, traffic and connections at Reading permitting, might be the faster route using the services from Reading calling only at Slough.

The 140 from Hayes takes 15 minutes (according to the timetable), whereas the U3 from West Drayton takes 21 minutes due to an indirect route (it is also less frequent).
T4 is also faster from Hayes, take the 90 and change at Hatton Cross for the 482 or 490 (only pay one fare too if you change there).
But for T5 use West Drayton to pick up the 350 there! (Only takes 11 minutes, but runs every 20 minutes on weekends).

The 75 and 76 from Slough take 33 minutes (again an indirect route via Langley) and are expensive (£4.60 in 2013, probably more now).
The 77 for Terminal 5 takes 18 minutes thanks to the direct route, but only runs every 30 minutes. However, it probably has the same expensive fare.