Heathrow to London
Heathrow to London
Piccadilly Line to Green Park
I’ve never found arriving at Heathrow to be as daunting as some have led me to believe – it’s all well sign posted and, basically, just follow the crowd. If you are planning to get into London on the tube, you need to know which line you are going on as they go to different areas of London, but for me, I need the Piccadilly Line as it goes directly to Green Park.
The other thing you need is an Oyster Card or a tap and go credit card. If you are going to be using the Underground network to get around, you will get better value from an Oyster Card. You can buy a Visitors Oyster Card online with an amount of credit already loaded on it, allow plenty of time before you leave home to do this as they will post the card to you. After that you can top it up at stations or online.
After getting through immigration and collecting your luggage look for signs showing you which way to go to the
‘Underground Piccadilly Line’, if that’s the line you are going on. You will find yourself walking for what seems to be miles through tunnels, lifts and escalators until you arrive at the platform, just keep following the signs, the walk is good for you, especially after a long flight from Sydney.
The train will be there in no time and as you are at the beginning of the line, you are pretty much guaranteed a seat. I have my favourite seat, on the right hand side of the carriage, because that’s the side the doors when we get to Green Park. There is space just inside the doors for a suitcase to go, then I sit in the seat immediately in front of the partition, Suitcase on one side, me on the other, that way I can rest one had on the suitcase to make sure it doesn’t roll away.
There is method to my madness here too – the train accelerates with less gusto than it brakes, so if you all paid attention to the inertia class at school you will be aware that as the train accelerates your suitcase will want to move towards the back of the carriage, but not with enough force
that you can’t control it with light pressure from your hand. Then as the train brakes, coming into each station the inertia will push your suitcase firmly into where it is – at this point as the train stops at the first station you will see all the people who sat on the seat behind their suitcase will be chasing their luggage as it takes off through the carriage, most of them will be doing whatever they do on their mobile phones so by the time they notice their luggage is on the move, it is going at quite a pace, while you sit smugly grinning to yourself while fending off wayward attacks from out of control suitcases!
The carriage will fill up as you get closer into London, so make sure you are aware of the station before your stop so you are prepared to quickly alight when the train pulls into your station. The train won’t wait because you weren’t up and ready as soon as you feel the brakes come on. As I am going to Green Park, the stop before is Hyde Park Corner.
There is a very funny story written by Vicky Flip Flop about the joys of the Underground with Luggage, explaining all the unwritten rules!
The doors open, lift your bags over the gap and now you are off the train on to the platform at Green Park station, depending on the time of day and the day of the week it could be crowded, or not. Follow the ‘Way Out’ signs, you will go up an escalator to the ticket hall, while on the escalator get your Oyster Card ready in your hand so you don’t hold up the people behind you as you fumble for it. All fumbling must be done off to the side. And, more importantly, London escalator rules dictate that you, and your luggage, stand on the right hand side, leaving space for mad people who want to walk, or run, up the escalator to get past.
When you get to the barrier, tap your card and go through. There is a wider barrier gate you can use if you brought too much luggage with you!
From here, there is a lift at Green Park station from the ticket hall up to street level, look for signs showing the exit to ‘Piccadilly South Side’ and head in that direction, on your left are stairs going up to the street, in front of you is a ramp leading out into Green Park, and on your right is the lift.
You made it – now to find your accommodation!!
