Heathrow (Express) Advanced Tickets

[phoenix1589]

The Heathrow Express advanced tickets say are "from £10" (we all know what from usually means) and then "£10 Advance Discounted Single ticket based on a ticket purchased for travel on all dates 30 days or more in advance.".

Currently, children are free, however a Friends & Family railcard still gives a discount on the adult fares. (so £6.65/adult). I have no idea how long Heathrow Express have done / will continue to do £10 generally available advanced tickets (or if they will continue to be discounted with a railcard). Does anyone have any idea if this is likely to be the going price for the foreseeable future / at least summer 2026?

It feels wrong to be booking the Heathrow train ticket so far in advance, if we can book them in June when the rest of the journey / timetables will be available.

 

[Watershed]

I can't see them getting removed anytime soon. HEx are bleeding market share to the Elizabeth line. To combat this they are offering some advance purchase discounts to price-sensitive leisure travellers - but they don't want to undermine their opportunity to fleece tourists and business people on expenses with exorbitant on-the-day fares.

 

[redreni]

While cheaper than the rip-off walk-up fare, I must say I'm still not particularly tempted by this fare. Maybe it'd be worth it if I had a Railcard that gives discounts on Advances. You've got to remember this fare is on top of the fare from wherever you're coming from to Paddington.

Last time I went to Terminal 5 from South East London I started short on a ticket from outside London to West Drayton, then took the bus. It cost £7.85 incuding the bus fare. Changing at Paddington for HX would have saved me maybe 20 or 30 minutes depending on the connection, but would have cost £16.10. With a Railcard discount on the Advance that would fall to £12.75, which is more like it.

If they find they have to charge what the service is actually worth, however, I do wonder about viability. I've always thought it's a bit daft: tourists who pay for what they think is a ticket to central London but instead find themselves in Paddington and having to pay an additional fare if they wish to go anywhere interesting, are entitled to feel miffed.

 

[phoenix1589]

Thanks!

You've got to remember this fare is on top of the fare from wherever you're coming from to Paddington.

Yes, currently that's £5.90 per adult (child free with the Zip).

Especially with luggage and child, I don't fancy changing from a train to a bus, and only a few £ cheaper. Equally, It would be about £5 cheaper per adult each way to go via the Piccadilly line which is more appealing than the bus - but 20-30 minutes longer than going via Paddington.

HEX and the railcard discount (plus getting to Paddington) is cheaper than a contactless fare via Elizabeth Line (as the railcard discount doesn't apply).

 

[Watershed]

It really depends on where you are starting your journey, but you can still get the Railcard discount for paper fares on Elizabeth line journeys. If you're travelling from further afield or even just the other side of London, the cheapest option may be a Day Travelcard for each direction. Otherwise there is also a Paddington to Heathrow Rail "not Heathrow Express" Anytime Return, costing £16.35 per adult and £4.65 per child with your Railcard.

 

[sonic2009]

I used one of these advance tickets when I travelled from Heathrow last month, but that's only because I had purchased a Crewe - London Z1 single ticket on LNWR way in advance ahead of my trip.

I also hold a Railcard, so it made sense for me travelling from further afield.

As others say it all depends on where you are travelling from.

 

[phoenix1589]

We'll be coming from New Eltham. It looks like a return for 'Heathrow Rail' is £50.00 not HEX for 2A 1C with Friends & Family Railcard.

The contactless / HEX ticket would be 4x £5.90 New Eltham <> Paddington (£23.60) and 4x £6.65 HEX (£26.60) = £50.20.

 

[baz2277]

Anyone got any experience in refunding because they'd booked 'back to front'?!

I booked 2 advance tickets, but the date on the outbound PAD-LHR ticket was for the inbound LHR-PAD ticket and vice versa. I didn't even notice until I tried scanning the Aztec code and realised what had happened. The staff at the gate wouldn't let me on, so I ended up on the Elizabeth line out to Heathrow and the Piccadilly on the way back. Any chance of refunding these unused tickets do you think??

I'm sure it can't be the first time this has happened?

Thanks in advance.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Anyone got any experience in refunding because they'd booked 'back to front'?! I booked 2 advance tickets but the date on the outbound PAD-LHR ticket was for the inbound LHR-PAD ticket and vice versa. I didn't even notice until I tried scanning the Aztec code and realised what had happened. The staff at the gate wouldn't let me on so I ended up on the Elizabeth line out to heathrow and the Picc on the way back. Any chance of refunding these unused tickets do you think??

Despite not being for a fixed time, they're treated as normal Advance tickets and refunds aren't normally available

 

[baz2277]

Thought it might be a long shot - i'd be happy with a date change as i'm there again in January!

 

[Haywain]

Thought it might be a long shot - i'd be happy with a date change as i'm there again in January!

That’s not possible once the original date of travel has passed.