Q. My family and I (4 people in total) are traveling to London in early April and while planning our itinerary. After reading numerous books and blogs about how to get to central London from Heathrow, I am still confused about my options. Can you please clearly list my options for getting to the city? I did read taking a taxi into is quite expensive, and they charge by person? Hope this is not true.
Also, we are also planning day trips to Oxford and Cambridge and decided to travel by train. I noticed during my search for tickets that the fare to Cambridge is far more expensive than Oxford. Is there any reason why?
A. The cheapest way to get to London from Heathrow is the Tube. It takes about 45-60 minutes. Get an Oyster Card (a stored value card) if you’re going to be using the Tube or buses a lot while in London. You’ll save money that way. The fast trains to London Paddington Station will be almost as expensive for a party of four as a taxi would be, since you’ll still probably have to take the Tube to your final destination unless your hotel is within walking distance of Paddington. I’m not aware that black cabs charge for each passenger. But the Tube will definitely be cheaper than a taxi and almost as fast if there’s traffic.
As for Oxford, you might consider a coach instead. It’s not quite as fast or comfortable but often cheaper. If you buy an advance purchase non-refundable fare (either train or bus), it’s going to be quite cheap and train and coach fares vary depending on time of day and date.