From Cambridge to Heathrow via Isleworth

[Mikaila]

Hello, on Friday I am travelling from Cambridge to Isleworth and spend the night there as my flight to Heathrow is on Saturday early in the morning. My return flight is on the 8th of June and that day I will travel back directly from Heathrow to Cambridge in the same day. Which kind of tickets should I buy? A single Cambridge-Isleworth and a single Heathrow-Cambridge?

Thanks,

Mikaila

 

[Ianno87]

Would an off-peak return from Cambridge to London, combined with Oyster for King's Cross>Isleworth and Heathrow>King's Cross be cheaper?

 

[Mikaila]

If I buy a Return Cambridge-Isleworth I can't use it on the 8th when I travel from Heathrow, right?

 

[telstarbox]

Deleted

 

[gordonthemoron]

Presumably you could get a bus from Heathrow to Isleworth?

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

If I buy a Return Cambridge-Isleworth I can't use it on the 8th when I travel from Heathrow, right?

There are three types of Return through tickets available between Cambridge and Isleworth: the Anytime Day Return, the Off-Peak Day Return and the Off-Peak Return.

If your travel times suit the restrictions applying to the Off-Peak Return (which are Monday-Friday morning peak restrictions, plus a one hour evening peak restriction out of London) then you can use just one ticket, namely that ticket, for all your travel as the return portion is valid for a calendar month from the first day of validity.

There is no Anytime Return, and accordingly, if you require travel during the times when the Off-Peak Return is not valid then you will have to travel using something like two Anytime Day Singles. Alternatively you could obtain an Anytime Return between Cambridge and Heathrow Rail, (which is valid for two days on the outward portion) but at £106.20 this is not a cheap option!

 

[Hadders]

It depends on whether you’re prepared to take a slower train for a cheaper price.

I’d buy:
Cambridge - Liverpool Street Off Peak Return £27.50. This is only valid on Greater Anglia trains.

Then use Contactless from Liverpool Street to Isleworth costing £4.60 and Heathrow Underground to Liverpool Street costing £3.10.

 

[methethpropbut]

An Off-Peak Return from Cambridge - Feltham (£41.80) is the same price as Cambridge - Isleworth and offers a bit more flexibility. This means you have to take a bus from Heathrow out to Feltham (285) or Richmond (490) which costs £1.50 with Oyster / Contactless, and this ticket allows you to use the faster trains between Cambridge and London King's Cross, and I assume Cambridge - London Bridge - Waterloo (East) - Isleworth which might be easier than multiple changes with the tube.

Alternatively there's the Greater Anglia option above which restricts you to the slower trains between Cambridge and London Liverpool Street. I'd add that in practice I find it a lot easier to do Heathrow Underground - Finsbury Park - Tottenham Hale (same fare, £3.10) on the tube and getting the Greater Anglia train from there instead - the change at Finsbury Park is cross-platform no faffing around with stairs or the like, especially useful with luggage!

 

[paddington]

I was going to suggest the same thing as Hadders. But staying in Isleworth doesn't really make sense for an early flight unless there is a particular reason to (friend's house??)

I would seriously consider the National Express bus which supposedly takes 2½ hours from Cambridge to Heathrow. That is comparable to the total journey time for the train+onward transport, and you don't need to faff about changing between trains/tubes/buses at various London terminals, 1 hour on the tube is quite uncomfortable if you have luggage. On your dates there is a coach departure from Cambridge at 0045 arriving 3am for £18! Or 3am arriving 5.30am for £25, and fares for the return on your date start from £15 (you can also pay a bit more to make it flexible). Costa is open 24 hours in all Heathrow terminals...

I often stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Hatton Cross and some friends swear by the Premier Inn T4, these can be around £30 to £50 if you book early enough. The ibis styles Bath Road is still selling rooms for £56 on 31 May.