I have a request/favor to ask. I will be in Italy for a few days from 24 April and returning on 29 April. On my return trip, I will have a longer than 7 hours layover in LHR. (I arrive at 09:00 AM and depart at 04:55 PM.)
Obviously, the prospect of lolling around an airport for that length of time isn’t so enticing, so I would like to ask if anyone would be willing to charitably come and get me so I can see a bit of London before returning to the airport, and always nice to make a new acquaintance.
I will gladly buy us a lunch…my expectations would be low - perhaps drive by Abbey Road studios and take a picture crossing the famous intersection, and grab a lunch and return to LHR with plenty of time to catch my flight. Maybe see the London skyline from the car…no time to do much else. Passing through LHR is my only exposure to being in the UK to date, which doesn’t even count, so it would be a nice “extra” to my trip.
Given that it is a Thursday I can imagine people might not have the availability, but I thought I’d ask, just in case. I may be American, but I promise to be a good boy!
I ask Richard to provide my email, if he would be so kind if anyone is interested. Thanks to all for reading.
It is a good thought and maybe someone on the west side of London will offer? I am well beyond the east side of London - so am unable to help with car pickup.
7 hours may seem like enough time to get from LHR to the centre and back. But once you factor in security clearance and other obligations it may be too much of a risk and it seems quite tight to me.
However if you can handle doing some of the journey yourself from LHR via the excellent train service from LHR, you may have the time to visit Abbey Road. Google searches should give you the correct suggestions.
Maybe try search on ‘Transport for London’ and put in specific point like which Heathrow terminal and the nearest underground station to Abbey Road Studios. I tried the above and including some walking! (sorry, it’s what we do in the UK sometimes) it is achievable in around 40 mins.
Whilst I used to live near there, I no longer do, so am not in a position to offer, however I would note that 7 hours, whilst a long time in airport, is quite tight for going into central London and back if that is 7 hours between scheduled arrival and departure, rather than having allowed for disembarkation and check-in/security etc, and of course latter depends on whether the second flight is internal within Britain or overseas. (If internal I’d want to be back at airport at least 1.5 hours prior to departure, overseas at least 2.5 hours.) To centre of London you need to allow about an hour each way. More by road if anywhere near rush “hour”. Personally I’d go by tube train (London Underground), whence easy to get close to almost any location of choice. If time is too tight for central London it might be of interest to know there is a cinema I’ve been to before while killing time between flights at Heathrow (Cineworld, Feltham), which when I did that was a short journey by taxi from Terminal 5.
I’ve used tube many times to/from Heathrow without - in past 20 years, at leat once and often twice in each year I flew into either London City airpot, stayed in London overnight with a theatre performance, that being my buffer against first flight delay, then tube next day from central London to Heathrow with luggage, and return journey similar but not bothering with the overnight stay. Only once was there any issue, a strike, which I knew about in advance (always wise to check close to the day), so modified my arrangements. As for central London, it is different from how it was when I lived on edge of London 50+ years ago, but I find still good for visits.
For as long as I can probably remember I’ve detested using the Tube - congested and full of seasoned locals who are impolite and push/shove into you. Great I suspect if you’re a regular user but as an infrequent visitor I’d happily pay for a cab or simply walk.
It’s like those films you see of Michael Caine being told he was to fly to Berlin in the afternoon and goes off down the west end then still has time at the airport.
Don’t even think of going out of the airport. You would be mad even thinking of trying to get into London let alone back in time for the flight.
Absolutely madness even contemplating such a madcap venture.
What’s most helpful is to understand what you’d enjoy having only 3/4 hours in London. I know you mentioned Abbey Road and the skyline (which to an American, there isn’t one - sorry) but with the time constraints you can probably hit one area for sightseeing / shopping with time for lunch (and a pint) and then head back.
So given you’ve got one shot - what’s most important? The gang here can make it happen. I do 6 hour in and outs all the time - the town is your oyster; to some degree
When busy it can indeed be rather less than enjoyable and relaxing, not least in hot weather because it does not have air conditioning, but crowds no worse than several other big cities I’ve been to - I find best to avoid rush hour if possible - especially with suitcases (we did that once when a flight was delayed, Heathrow to London City in peak afternoon rush hour after a flight was delayed - my wife and me wielding a pair 23kg suitcases plus an additional bag each was, erm, interesting! But we made it.
(But of relevance is that I grew up on outskirts of London and the tube was a part of life, especially when my daily commute through entire secondary school years was by tube. My wife hates it and wouldn’t use it if not with me.)
Rush hour is potentially the issue as most trips to London have been for conferences starting at 9am and having to catch a train at 6am or earlier to get there on time.
Don’t fancy the rtip to actually watch Rush in the O2 next year!
I think you’ve got a very limited time window to achieve this even if someone can assist, can you adjust your outgoing flight a little to make it easier?