Question: Heathrow trying to meet up in two terminals

[mauimary]

I need some help from those of you familiar with Heathrow. Trying to figure out if is possible to meet up with another couple who is arriving in T4 an hour ahead of us in T1. We would like to share a car service as we are traveling together and staying at the same hotel in central London. Taking the Tube is not even workable for us with cruise luggage and stairways and transfers.

 

How difficult and or is this even reasonable to do? Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Thankyou

Mary

[John Bull]

I need some help from those of you familiar with Heathrow. Trying to figure out if is possible to meet up with another couple who is arriving in T4 an hour ahead of us in T1. We would like to share a car service as we are traveling together and staying at the same hotel in central London. Taking the Tube is not even workable for us with cruise luggage and stairways and transfers.

 

How difficult and or is this even reasonable to do? Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Thankyou

Mary

 

Hi, Mary,

The other couple arrive at T4, then you arrive an hour later in T1 - right?

 

Since the other couple have (theoretically) an hour in hand, best if they and your driver meet you in the Arrivals Hall in T1.

Drivers usually arrange to wait where folk come out of Customs, holding the client's name on a board, same as airports worldwide. Or at a coffee shop close by in the Arrivals Hall.

 

The other couple can take the airport's free bus from T4 to T1 (they're on opposite sides of the airport, a drive of about 20 minutes), and wait at the coffee shop in the Arrival Hall. From time to time one of them can go over & check the drivers' boards for your name (they can walk round the front) & when they see the driver they can report their presence.

There will be screens displaying flight arrivals for that terminal, but not for other terminals.

 

It's simple enough.

Except if one or the other flight is seriously delayed. You should agree ahead of time what to do if that happens.

 

JB :)

[Globaliser]

The other couple can take the airport's free bus from T4 to T1 (they're on opposite sides of the airport, a drive of about 20 minutes) ...

Which free bus is this? Is it new?

[John Bull]

Which free bus is this? Is it new?

 

Ooops. Only for passengers transferring between flights. :o

I guess buying a flight out of T1 would be an expensive way of getting a free bus ride. :D

 

So what's the answer, G?

 

JB :)

[Cotswold Eagle]

There's a free Heathrow Express shuttle from T4 to T1-3

[buchhalm]

you might as well land in different cities.

:-)

transfering in LHR (even to catch a flight) is a pain!

Meeting people in other terminals - with limited time - seems a bit difficult.

[Globaliser]

I guess buying a flight out of T1 would be an expensive way of getting a free bus ride. :D

And you wouldn't have your luggage with you either!

 

Back, seriously, to the question.

There's a free Heathrow Express shuttle from T4 to T1-3

Taking the Tube is not even workable for us with cruise luggage and stairways and transfers.

The big question is, if the Tube is not a viable option, whether taking the shuttle train from T4 to T123 is viable. (The train is the official transfer option, and is free within Heathrow.) Although it will be step-free, you can't take luggage trolleys onto the platforms let alone the trains, so your friends would inevitably have to lift and carry their luggage at least a little distance. There is also quite a bit of walking at the T123 end to get from the station to T1.

 

If the train is not a viable option, then another alternative would be for your friends to take a taxi from T4 to T1. But this still won't be the easiest thing to do, because the taxi will almost certainly drop them off at check-in, and they'd have to get themselves down to arrivals to meet you.

 

So I wonder whether the best thing, if you must meet up, is for you to arrange your transfer driver to pick up your friends at T4 and load their luggage into the car, then to drive round to T1 and wait for you. However, you will have to negotiate the cost of this.

 

But none of this solves the problem of one flight being significantly delayed. A delay to either flight will cause the whole plan to go wrong. Personally, I would organise two separate transfers. No difficulties in trying to meet at the airport; no difficulties if one flight is delayed.

[mauimary]

Thankyou John and Globaliser for the information you have provided. They are the kind of answers that cannot be found in a travelbook. I needed to know the realities and from what you have said it does sound more complicated than I thought. The part that worries us the most like you both have said is the possible flight delays that would really make a mess of the best of plans.

 

Mary

[Globaliser]

You're welcome - glad to be of some help.