Heathrow Airport is one of the busiest airports in the UK with a passenger turnover of 190,000 people per day! Making your way through the national hub can often be stressful, confusing and a hassle for the uninitiated but with a little prior knowledge, you can catch your flight with ease.
Getting There
The Heathrow Express is comfortable and runs frequently to terminals 1,3,4 & 5. What’s more, children under 16 go free with every fare paying adult.
Heathrow Express:
If the Express service is a little out of your price range (And it could well be) then the Heathrow Connect train services and the good old London Underground can work out quite cheap, especially if you travel during off peak times.
Heathrow Connect Trains:
Transport For London (Tube)
The National Express serves most bus stations in the UK and can work out far cheaper than the train.
A list of National Express locations:
Parking At The Terminal
It’s worth noting that the official car parks are very expensive! If your a holiday maker it’s often worth looking at the unofficial car parks located away from the main terminal grounds. This doesn’t have to mean dodgy backstreet companies, services like the Heathrow Airport Parking Shop compare both official and unofficial services so you can see how the costs differ.
Parking Shop:
Where To Stay
Sheer availability of hotels is one aspect of your trip Heathrow has covered. Being a large airport there are lots of hotels to cater for all tastes and price ranges.
Premier Inn are a household name in the UK along the same lines as Travelodge in the USA. Comfortable rooms at reasonable prices can be had at the Bath Road and Terminal 5 locations.
At the complete other end of the spectrum. Hiltion Heathrow Airport offers a luxury service and is frequented by the usual list of celebrities and stars. Nobody too famous however! London is blessed with many alternative luxury hotels that cater for the jet set and rockstar crowd!
If your planning on catching a sleep in the airport lounge you might be disappointed. Heathrow operates at almost 100% capacity making every piece of terminal space busy day or night 365 days of the year. It’s a “city that never sleeps” in the truest sense of the phrase.
Eating, Drinking & Passing The Time
If you want a sandwhich, Pret A Manger are a decent chain of sandwich stalls. The staff make the food before your eyes so no chance of soggy bread!
A “Kids Eat Free” summer promotion, running until September 1, is available at Est Caffe in T1, Oriel and Rhubarb in T3, Dining Street in T4 and Huxleys in T5.
Children will be well looked after with a Doctor Who-themed entertainment which will be on offer after security in all terminals. It will include TARDIS photo booths and appearances from characters such as the Cybermen, and free Doctor Who “passport” booklets for children are being given out.
Also look for roaming staff in departure lounges, offering arts and crafts activities such as making luggage tags and friendship bracelets.
Final Thought
Heathrow is a mammoth airport but with a little knowledge you can make the best of your flight. Be sure to look at websites and check out what free activities will be available if you have children to amuse plus look out of voucher codes serving meals or drinks cheaply.
Heathrow Airport Website: http://heathrowairport.com/
