Heathrow to Port of Greenwich

[jjfcpa]

We fly into Heathrow in August 2023. Our Viking ship is docked at Greenwich, England dock. What are the options for transportation to the ship from the airport?

[Jim Avery]

Addison Lee car service.  Good drivers, door to door, and space for your luggage.  There are cheaper ways but I will let others describe them as we have found car service to be the best overall bet for us.  It's not exactly easy to get there from LHR but Greenwich is a great place to visit prior to a sea voyage.

Edited April 20, 2023 by Jim Avery

[Heidi13]

I agree with Jim. If you are going directly to the ship, an executive car hire is the only option I would consider and Addison Lee is the company we use in London.

 

Yes, cheaper options are available, using public transport, but LHR to Greenwich requires a number of changes, which aren't fun when hauling cases.

[Island2Dweller]

Public transport options have improved in the last year.  The opening of the Elizabeth line means you can get from the airport to Greenwich with only one change.  There are lifts at the change station.

If you want to do this, take an Elizabeth Line train from Heathrow (destination Abbey Wood, not Shenfield) and get off at Canary Wharf.  (Use the rear exit).  Take the lift to the highest level, cross the psychaedilc bridge (which I know sounds wierd but will be very obvious as soon as you get out of that lift).  As you exit the bridge, look right and you'll see the DLR station.  There is a lfit to the platform.  Take a train towards Lewisham and get off at Cutty Sark.  This station is right beside where Viking check customers in.

Using a contactless bank card or phone (do not buy a physical ticket), the fare is just under £15 per adult.  The Elizabeth line trains are brand new, spacious, air conditioned, and run about every ten minutes from Heathrow.  The DLR trains are every five minutes.  It will be a touch less an hour overall.

Clearly a car service is easier but costs much more and will not be quicker

[SempreMare]

Another vote for Addison Lee.

 

I used Blacklane and would NOT recommend.  My driver was late and pretended like he was there all the time.

 

I observed all the Addison Lee drivers there seeming very organized waiting and greeting their passengers.  

[photopro2]

The new Elizabeth Line is real game changer for the transport options to and from Heathrow. So it should be after taking 13 years to build at a cost of well over $20 billion.

 

By following the excellent route description by @Island2Dweller I don't think you would have to walk much further with your bags on the way to Greenwich than you do when you go through many of the large international airports.

 

Another change is that the old Oyster card is now redundant as far as visitors are concerned. It is much easier to use contactless bank/credit cards or phone payment at the barriers. The system is also clever enough to calculate and charge the minimum rate that is appropriate for any journeys on a particular day. 

 

Addison Lee is certainly the company that the VIPs use and, if you are lucky, might get you to the ship in about the same time. But do be aware that London traffic can cause considerable delays in that road journey from one side of the city to the other. It may sometimes be faster to take the 69 mile trip round the M25 Orbital Road rather than going 23 miles straight through central London!

 

A search on Google Maps shows Heathrow to Cutty Sark as taking anywhere between 1 hour 15min, and 2 hours 30 minutes by car. On the other hand travelling on the Elizabeth line is shown as a reliable 1 hour 11 minutes. 

[dizzlepop]

On 4/20/2023 at 12:46 PM, Island2Dweller said:

Public transport options have improved in the last year.  The opening of the Elizabeth line means you can get from the airport to Greenwich with only one change.  There are lifts at the change station.

If you want to do this, take an Elizabeth Line train from Heathrow (destination Abbey Wood, not Shenfield) and get off at Canary Wharf.  (Use the rear exit).  Take the lift to the highest level, cross the psychaedilc bridge (which I know sounds wierd but will be very obvious as soon as you get out of that lift).  As you exit the bridge, look right and you'll see the DLR station.  There is a lfit to the platform.  Take a train towards Lewisham and get off at Cutty Sark.  This station is right beside where Viking check customers in.

Using a contactless bank card or phone (do not buy a physical ticket), the fare is just under £15 per adult.  The Elizabeth line trains are brand new, spacious, air conditioned, and run about every ten minutes from Heathrow.  The DLR trains are every five minutes.  It will be a touch less an hour overall.

Clearly a car service is easier but costs much more and will not be quicker

Thank you so much for this! Doing this in reverse soon 🙂

[Island2Dweller]

5 hours ago, dizzlepop said:

Doing this in reverse soon

A slight variation if heading towards Heathrow.  Take any train north from Cutty Sark and get off at West India Quay (the station after Canary Wharf).  From the platform there, you can see the Liz line station on your right, in the building with the neon Lobster Shack signs.  This is a shorter connection - lifts available if you have luggage.  (It only works in this direction, coming the other way, most trains for Lewisham don't stop at West India Quay, hence my prebious instructions give instructions on how to reach Canary Wharf DLR station).

Remember to tap out at West India Quay (readers at ground level) and then you'll tap in again at the Liz line - but you'll be charged a through fare.

Most Liz line trains from Canary Wharf to the airport go to Terminal 4.  If you need T5, and there is not a T5 train due, take the T4 train as far as Heathrow central.  Stay on the same platform then use the Heathrow Express for the short hop to T5.  (You are NOT charged the premium for this short hop, normal fare will be charged)

[LindaS272]

The FAQs for Thames Clippers say the piers are step free and the boats are wheel chair accessible so luggage should be fine. We were there a couple of weeks ago but just did a day trip to Greenwich and I don’t remember the conditions!

 

https://www.thamesclippers.com/plan-your-journey/accessibility#boat2

[Meander Ingwa]

I personally would not use Thames clippers since you then have to schlep to a station to continue your journey.  Many if not most of the north bank stations have steep ramps ( remember the river is tidal) and are very crowded.  None of them connect easily to the Piccadilly or Elizabeth line which is what you need for Heathrow

 

To use public transportation, the DLR to Elizabeth Line, as previous mention using West India Key, is my go to.  If you are not comfortable using public transportation then the private car transfer as mentioned

[Island2Dweller]

On 3/1/2024 at 7:33 PM, LindaS272 said:

Thames Clippers say the piers are step free

Yes, step free.  But the Thames within London has a range up to 6.7metres (about 22 feet), and the boarding ramp has to rise and sink with the tide.  So, if there is a very low tide, you will have a very steep ramp to negotiate.  Fine for most people but if you have huge bags or a mobility issue, it's something to be cognisant of.