Hoppa Bus at Terminal 3?

[phabric]

We will be arriving at 9pm on a Saturday in August at Terminal 3 LHR. By the time we get our luggage and go through immigration it will be after 10pm.

 

I have a hotel reserved on Bath Rd and was hoping on taking the Hoppa Bus. The last Hoppa Bus is at 23:00. The hotel says for Terminal 1,2,3 the bus stop is H6.

 

We don't want to waste time as we want to get the bus before they stop. Is there signs for the Hoppa Bus or do you follow the exit signs?

 

I read that you will need the exact change of 4GBP as the drivers don't have any money on the bus. We will probably have 5 and 10 GBP notes. Will the money exchange places, give us change for the bus?

[Cotswold Eagle]

H7 is the route number, not the bus stop. The Hoppas pick up outside the terminals, not the central bus station, so that is in your favour. The bus stops will be well signposted from inside the terminal (same area as the hire car and parking shuttle buses) and there will be boards listing exactly which stop you need for that particular route.

 

I know the ticket machines don't give change, but not sure about the drivers. I think you can book in advance online, though?

Edited November 20, 2013 by Cotswold Eagle

[phabric]

H7 is the route number, not the bus stop. The Hoppas pick up outside the terminals, not the central bus station, so that is in your favour. The bus stops will be well signposted from inside the terminal (same area as the hire car and parking shuttle buses) and there will be boards listing exactly which stop you need for that particular route.

 

I know the ticket machines don't give change, but not sure about the drivers. I think you can book in advance online, though?

 

Thank you for the information. This year, we rented a car and next year, we might take the National Express Coach to Portsmouth and then to Southampton.

 

I am confused, from the http://www.nationalexpress.com/hoppa site, for Terminal 1 & 3, it mentions taking a walkway to the Central Bus Station to get the bus about 5-10 minute walk depending on the Terminal.

 

To get to the National Express coach station the next day, do we use the same Hoppa bus back to the airport.

 

I remember using the exit to get to the hire car pickup spot at Terminal 3, this year. Is this where the Hoppa Bus have their bus stops. H6 is the hotel's bus stop from Terminal 3.

 

They say the ticket machine does not give change, and you can pay cash to the driver, it does not say if it has to be the exact amount to the driver.

[Twickenham]

What hotel are you staying at?

While I've never used it, everything I read about the Hotel Hoppa service seems to be universally negative - I'm not sure that a taxi to your hotel would be much more than the 8 pounds you'd be spending on the Hoppa, and if you want to save money you could always just use one of the free buses within LHR's free bus zone.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Thank you for the information. This year, we rented a car and next year, we might take the National Express Coach to Portsmouth and then to Southampton.

 

I am confused, from the http://www.nationalexpress.com/hoppa site, for Terminal 1 & 3, it mentions taking a walkway to the Central Bus Station to get the bus about 5-10 minute walk depending on the Terminal.

 

To get to the National Express coach station the next day, do we use the same Hoppa bus back to the airport.

 

I remember using the exit to get to the hire car pickup spot at Terminal 3, this year. Is this where the Hoppa Bus have their bus stops. H6 is the hotel's bus stop from Terminal 3.

 

They say the ticket machine does not give change, and you can pay cash to the driver, it does not say if it has to be the exact amount to the driver.

 

I can't see where it says anything about the Central Bus Station on that page, but if you click through to the timetable you will see different times for T1 and T3 and diagrams of where the bus stops are at each terminal. Again H6 is the route number (there are several different Hoppa services, all starting with H) - looks like you will want bus stop 17 or 18, but do check the board. The timetable suggests a later Hoppa H6 than you stated, but I don't know where you got your information.

Edited November 20, 2013 by Cotswold Eagle

[DorneyBoy]

Thank you for the information. This year, we rented a car and next year, we might take the National Express Coach to Portsmouth and then to Southampton.

 

I am confused, from the www.nationalexpress.com/hoppa site, for Terminal 1 & 3, it mentions taking a walkway to the Central Bus Station to get the bus about 5-10 minute walk depending on the Terminal.

 

To get to the National Express coach station the next day, do we use the same Hoppa bus back to the airport.

 

I remember using the exit to get to the hire car pickup spot at Terminal 3, this year. Is this where the Hoppa Bus have their bus stops. H6 is the hotel's bus stop from Terminal 3.

 

They say the ticket machine does not give change, and you can pay cash to the driver, it does not say if it has to be the exact amount to the driver.

 

At Terminal 3 arrivals the Hoppa Buses use a small bus station next to the terminal used for charter buses. There is a large waiting room with a ticket machine here too. You only walk across to the Central Bus Station for National Express services and the local public buses.

You can also buy Hoppa tickets on-line too at the National Express web site.

 

From Bath Road hotels you take the Hoppa Bus to Terminal 1 then walk across to the central bus station where the National Express buses depart from.

Alternatively you can take the Hoppa Bus from your hotel to Terminal 5 (a different bus than the one that serves Terminals 1 and 3) and pick the National Express bus up there.

On the National Express web site you can buy a combined Hoppa/National Express ticket, just set your departure point as your hotel.

 

Hint - If you are staying at the Holiday Inn Bath Road, Holiday Inn Ariel, ibis, Park Inn, Renaissance, Radisson Edwardian, Marriott or Sheraton Skyline you can take the 105,111, 140 or 285 London red bus free of charge between the Central Bus Station and a bus stop by these hotels. These buses are many times more frequent than the Hoppa Buses and run 24x7.

Edited November 20, 2013 by DorneyBoy

[phabric]

Thank you for all the helpful information.

 

Since we arrive very late at night, we might decide to wait until we get there to decide how we get to the hotel, either by Hoppa, or taxi.

[DorneyBoy]

either by Hoppa, or taxi.

 

The taxi's on the rank are London black cabs who have waited probably an hour or more expecting a fat fare to Central London.

Although by law they have to take you to a Heathrow hotel and there is a fare posted at the taxi rank it will probably be a very frosty atmosphere in the cab.

[Bob++]

Not only have they waited for the fare, but they have to pay the airport for the privilege. Don't feel too sorry for them though, these guys make a pretty good living.