ChatterBank0 min ago
Coach Hickstead To Heathrow
Was going to book this to meet my niece coming from Oz on the 7th July. It appears it is not now running. That's a blow. It was alot cheaper than the train. Any ideas ?
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When Covid first hit, National Express greatly reduced their services with many routes being 'consolidated' so that, for example, to get to Airport A you now have to go via Airport B. (Similarly, to get into central London, passengers might need to go via both Airport A and Airport B en route). In order to keep journey times down for those longer routes, lesser-used stops were removed from the timetables altogether.
So it is with the Worthing-Brighton-London routes, where all of the various services that previously operated (into Gatwick, Heathrow and Victoria Coach Station) have been consolidated into Service 205. That service now runs from Worthing and Brighton to Victoria Coach station but going via Gatwick and Heathrow to get there (and missing out Hickstead altogether).
If you want to use Service 025, you'll have to start out in the wrong direction, by taking a bus or train to Brighton. Service 025 stops in Brighton at Pool Valley, Preston Circus, Preston Park, Withdean Park and Patcham. Due to having to go via Gatwick, the journey to Heathrow takes about two and a quarter hours:
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To get to Brighton in the first place from the Hickstead area, you'd need to use the Metrobus 273 service:
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In order to be able to advise you on any possible options using rail services (either exclusively or in combination with a coach service), I'd need to know your best starting station (Burgess Hill? Haywards Heath?) and the time that your niece's flight is due to land.
So it is with the Worthing-Brighton-London routes, where all of the various services that previously operated (into Gatwick, Heathrow and Victoria Coach Station) have been consolidated into Service 205. That service now runs from Worthing and Brighton to Victoria Coach station but going via Gatwick and Heathrow to get there (and missing out Hickstead altogether).
If you want to use Service 025, you'll have to start out in the wrong direction, by taking a bus or train to Brighton. Service 025 stops in Brighton at Pool Valley, Preston Circus, Preston Park, Withdean Park and Patcham. Due to having to go via Gatwick, the journey to Heathrow takes about two and a quarter hours:
https:/
To get to Brighton in the first place from the Hickstead area, you'd need to use the Metrobus 273 service:
https:/
In order to be able to advise you on any possible options using rail services (either exclusively or in combination with a coach service), I'd need to know your best starting station (Burgess Hill? Haywards Heath?) and the time that your niece's flight is due to land.
Take a train from Burgess Hill to Gatwick. (Frequent, with journey times typically between 17 mins & 23 mins). The Off-Peak Return fare is only £8.60 (or £5.65 if you've got a Railcard).
Book a return ticket on the Oxford Airline from Gatwick to Heathrow, departing at 1050. The bus gets to Heathrow Central Bus Station at 1205 (for Qantas flights into Terminal 3) or Heathrow Terminal 5 (for BA flights) at 1205. That will give you plenty of time to get your bearings and grab a coffee. The return fare is £20.
If your niece's flight is early (and the luggage and immigration procedures are unusually fast) you might be very lucky and able to catch the 1335 (T5)/1355 (CBS) coach back to Heathrow. However it's far more likely that you'd need to wait for the 1535 (T5)/1555 (CBS) service. That, at least, would allow for delays to your niece's journey and might well give you time to get lunch together at the airport.:
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Book here:
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That gets you to Heathrow and back for £28.60 (or £25.65 with a Railcard). For greater flexibility of times between Gatwick and Heathrow, you can use National Express services. However it'll cost you around £20 more for the return journey. (Outbound seems to be fixed at £20 around the relevant times, with some services at £17.80 and others at £20 for the return journey).
Book a return ticket on the Oxford Airline from Gatwick to Heathrow, departing at 1050. The bus gets to Heathrow Central Bus Station at 1205 (for Qantas flights into Terminal 3) or Heathrow Terminal 5 (for BA flights) at 1205. That will give you plenty of time to get your bearings and grab a coffee. The return fare is £20.
If your niece's flight is early (and the luggage and immigration procedures are unusually fast) you might be very lucky and able to catch the 1335 (T5)/1355 (CBS) coach back to Heathrow. However it's far more likely that you'd need to wait for the 1535 (T5)/1555 (CBS) service. That, at least, would allow for delays to your niece's journey and might well give you time to get lunch together at the airport.:
https:/
Book here:
https:/
That gets you to Heathrow and back for £28.60 (or £25.65 with a Railcard). For greater flexibility of times between Gatwick and Heathrow, you can use National Express services. However it'll cost you around £20 more for the return journey. (Outbound seems to be fixed at £20 around the relevant times, with some services at £17.80 and others at £20 for the return journey).
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