Heathrow ?

Theresa Green

Well-Known Forumite
Hello I'm looking for advice for getting from Stafford to Heathrow. My lads and mate are flying out at 09.30 27th April We have looked at prices on the train as we do want to see them off and stay the night as they are away for 3 months prices are crazy. Any advice for cheaper ways to get there. Never been to Heathrow before. Lads are flying to Vancouver so it was cheaper to fly from there. Thank you









































The flight path goes directly over Stafford Rangers Social Club

Maybe wave from there
 

c0tt0nt0p

Well-Known Forumite
Hello I'm looking for advice for getting from Stafford to Heathrow. My lads and mate are flying out at 09.30 27th April We have looked at prices on the train as we do want to see them off and stay the night as they are away for 3 months prices are crazy. Any advice for cheaper ways to get there. Never been to Heathrow before. Lads are flying to Vancouver so it was cheaper to fly from there. Thank you
It's a drag but you could get the national express from Brum but it leaves at 3am...
Screenshot_20220330-213625_Trainline.jpg
 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
National Express Penkridge to Heathrow
Penkridge d 01:20
Birmingham a 02:30

Birmingham d 03:00
Heathrow a 05:35

Adult Single £35.90
 

Thehooperman

Well-Known Forumite
I wouldn't recommend staying near Heathrow because there aren't many nice areas and there's not much near the hotel's other than more hotels.

You may be better staying a little further out say Windsor, Maidenhead, Henley or Marlow and then driving to the airport next day.

You would have a better choice of pubs and eateries in those areas albeit they may be a bit more expensive.

There is a nice Wetherspoons (if there can be such a thing) at Henley that does accommodation and it's just near the river.
 

PeterD

ST16 Represent.
I am staying at Heathrow at the Hilton Garden Inn. I have never stayed there but friends have and it comes highly recommended. The added bonus is that is on the grounds of the airport.
The night before I fly I am heading for a meal in Turnham Green. Lots of bars and restaurants and on a tube line.
 
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Mudgie

Well-Known Forumite
I wouldn't recommend staying near Heathrow because there aren't many nice areas and there's not much near the hotel's other than more hotels.

You may be better staying a little further out say Windsor, Maidenhead, Henley or Marlow and then driving to the airport next day.

You would have a better choice of pubs and eateries in those areas albeit they may be a bit more expensive.

There is a nice Wetherspoons (if there can be such a thing) at Henley that does accommodation and it's just near the river.
I've not stayed in Windsor since 1992 or Henley since 1974 but "a better choice of pub" is an important consideration when deciding where to stay.
Over the years I've spent 223 nights staying in 78 different pubs and found nearly all of them excellent and good value, about £30 in Bradford and Preston most recently.
I've stayed at the Wetherspoons in Bridgwater and Chesterfield, a pint with breakfast being a nice start to the day.
 

Chillybean

Well-Known Forumite
I've managed to get cheap hotel near the airport for the night and train tickets. Well the prices kept dropping then going up again managed to get the 5 of us to Euston for £11.00 each. And a return the next night £30 first class..
So happy with that.
That's a great deal been doing that trip for years and never managed to get it so so cheap. Well Done.
 

kilmaccumsey

Well-Known Forumite
I was very surprised myself. Some of the prices were way too high. I mean hundreds... Worth messing about and going incognito
 

c0tt0nt0p

Well-Known Forumite
I was very surprised myself. Some of the prices were way too high. I mean hundreds... Worth messing about and going incognito
I have a concert in London village in July and I'm stalking national rail enquiries for cheap bookable tickets to drop!
 

Thehooperman

Well-Known Forumite
I have a concert in London village in July and I'm stalking national rail enquiries for cheap bookable tickets to drop!
National rail don't always give you the best price.

You'd be better going on the train operating companies sites but keep revisiting because they all offer a limited number of advance tickets which are far cheaper.

The time period from when they start offering the advance tickets seems to vary e.g. Avanti used to display them from 3 months before the date but now it keeps changing.

It is also worth checking split trains tickets sites noting the specific types of ticket and train times and booking with a site that doesn't charge a booking fee.
 

Thehooperman

Well-Known Forumite
Oh and check if your train is actually running on the day by going to real-time trains.com.

There have been a few cancellations recently due to staff shortages but if your booked train isn't running and you need to be at your destination in time then you should be able to travel on an earlier one.
 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
National rail don't always give you the best price.

You'd be better going on the train operating companies sites but keep revisiting because they all offer a limited number of advance tickets which are far cheaper.

The time period from when they start offering the advance tickets seems to vary e.g. Avanti used to display them from 3 months before the date but now it keeps changing.

It is also worth checking split trains tickets sites noting the specific types of ticket and train times and booking with a site that doesn't charge a booking fee.
I tend to do my own split ticketing. I think this is my most extreme example (Stafford to Portsmouth & return); ended up with 36 pieces of card:

1649753355373.jpeg
 
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