Heathrow from the North this Friday afternoon?

[skeggysteve]

I've just been asked to go with a mate to drop his son of at Heathrow on Friday for a 5pm flight so he's got to get there for 3pm.

Having read all the horror stories about the traffic chaos that the Olympics are causing I thought I'd ask for your thoughts - good and bad!

We'll come down the A1(M), cut across to the M25 from Hatfield via the A414/Colney Heath road. Then round the M25 to Heathrow.

I expect the journey back to be slow but should I be aware of anything on the way there, not a good idea to be late for a plane to China I would imagine!

Thanks in advance.

[The Moose]

Well, I would imagine that most of the people will be in the country at that point and be well on the way to Stratford if they've only just arrived.

Which Terminal is he flying from?

Good luck either way...I'm off on the Saturday

[smartphone hater]

You could check the AA route planner before you leave for any long delays but apart from that you should be fine. The M25 is always a bit hit & miss on a Friday so planning to get to Heathrow earlier than later is always a good idea.

[egor110]

swerni said:

All the schools have broken up here and all the roads are dead.

The Olympic lanes won't come in to play.

Will be much quieter than a normal Friday.

I went to brands hatch sat, sun, m3, m25 and both days it was stop start most the way.

[skeggysteve]

The Moose said:

Which Terminal is he flying from?

Good luck either way...I'm off on the Saturday

Don't know which terminal - he's flying to China if that helps. Will it make a difference?

I'll try to remember to post my results before you leave but it does depend on when I get back home!

swerni said:

Will be much quieter than a normal Friday.

That is really good to know, thanks.

[egor110]

swerni said:

I seem to rememember both those days being part of what we call " the weekend"

It was also one of the busiest of the year due to the schools having broken up the day before.



Informative but not overly relevant

Apart from you saying the roads are dead when they aren't.

[Mr Happy]

Surely A1(M) > M18 > M1 coming off at J7(a?) then anticlockwise to Heathrow would be a quicker route?

[skeggysteve]

Mr Happy said:

Surely A1(M) > M18 > M1 coming off at J7(a?) then anticlockwise to Heathrow would be a quicker route?

The M18 is north of us, clue is in my user name But thanks for the thought.
I've always found the A1(M) to be quicker than the M1 but havn't been down south for ages so maybe things have changed?

[The Moose]

skeggysteve said:

The Moose said:

Which Terminal is he flying from?

Good luck either way...I'm off on the Saturday

Don't know which terminal - he's flying to China if that helps. Will it make a difference?

I'll try to remember to post my results before you leave but it does depend on when I get back home!

Different terminals require different access routes and some are easier than others to get to from the M25.

Would love to know how it goes.

[skeggysteve]

The Moose said:

Different terminals require different access routes and some are easier than others to get to from the M25.

Would love to know how it goes.

I'll update when I find out which terminal. Send me an email on Friday to remind me to let you know how I get on, old age and all that!

[skeggysteve]

swerni said:

I'm off to Heathrow tomorrow and Friday.

Happily let you know what the traffic was like

That would be great, thanks.
I've taken charge of directions as my mate thought it would be quicker via the M11 and the tunnel/bridge!

[Sir Bagalot]

skeggysteve said:

I've just been asked to go with a mate to drop his son of at Heathrow on Friday for a 5pm flight so he's got to get there for 3pm.

Having read all the horror stories about the traffic chaos that the Olympics are causing I thought I'd ask for your thoughts - good and bad!

We'll come down the A1(M), cut across to the M25 from Hatfield via the A414/Colney Heath road. Then round the M25 to Heathrow.

I expect the journey back to be slow but should I be aware of anything on the way there, not a good idea to be late for a plane to China I would imagine!

Thanks in advance.

There is only two ways I would do that.

1/ Take him to Hatfield station and wave him on his way. Train to Finsbury Park or Kings Cross and then Piccadilly line to Heathrow.

Or if he doesn't want to muck about changing trains

2/ Drop him off at Cockfosters which is at the other end of the Piccadilly line to Heathrow and wave him farewell

[Deva Link]

skeggysteve said:

I've always found the A1(M) to be quicker than the M1 but havn't been down south for ages so maybe things have changed?

I don't know if it's still the case (I think it is) but much of the M1 leading down to the M25 had long sections of roadworks.

Getting to Heathrow 2hrs before a flight to China on a (likely to be busy at the airport) Friday afternoon is cutting it finer than I would be comfortable with.

I do NW to SE regularly and it’s sods law that if you allow loads of time the journey is a breeze, cut it at all fine and it’s a nightmare. It seems impossible to get it just right. It *should* be quieter due to school holidays but who knows what, if any, effect the opening ceremony will have.

This might sound ridicuous, but I'd be setting off at about 9AM, take it easy and you should get there about 1PM. No stress, and it'll make the journey home easier. If you don't leave until 11, you're only going to be sitting around waiting to go, so you might as well get on your way.

[The Moose]

Also, if you get to the area for 1pm, there are a few places you could go for a nice bite before you kick him out...with some extra time built in just in case the traffic is horrendous.

[Mr Happy]

skeggysteve said:

Mr Happy said:

Surely A1(M) > M18 > M1 coming off at J7(a?) then anticlockwise to Heathrow would be a quicker route?

The M18 is north of us, clue is in my user name But thanks for the thought.
I've always found the A1(M) to be quicker than the M1 but havn't been down south for ages so maybe things have changed?

Ah y'see, you said the north, not the midlands

I do the M18 > M1 > M25 once a month and although there's a 50mph specs zone, it's not half as bad as it used to be.

[rallycross]

M25 fri afternoon will be a roadblock always is add 1 plus hours to cover it, try to avoid as much of it as you can when you get round to J18/17 you will grind to a halt on a Friday all the way to J10.

A1 M1 cross country to M40 might be worth the extra miles on a Friday.

[phib]

rallycross said:

M25 fri afternoon will be a roadblock always is add 1 plus hours to cover it, try to avoid as much of it as you can when you get round to J18/17 you will grind to a halt on a Friday all the way to J10.

A1 M1 cross country to M40 might be worth the extra miles on a Friday.

This is 100% correct I do this journey every day ( cambridge-chobham ) and usually end up doing A1- m25 to 18 if lucky then little chalfont - beacons field -slough- ascot etc on all the back roads at least it moves.

I would seriously take the train from Hatfield if not allow at least 2.5 hours from Hatfield to heathrow, some muppet always crashes at 14/15 or 16 on a Friday !!

Phib

[knight]

Journey to Heathrow this morning was fine for me leaving at 5-15am helps though!

Seriously though, if the flight is at 5pm then I'd be aiming to get to the airport at no later than 2pm

[Deva Link]

phib said:

This is 100% correct I do this journey every day ( cambridge-chobham )

Good grief - that doesn't bear thinking about!

phib said:

I would seriously take the train from Hatfield if not allow at least 2.5 hours from Hatfield to heathrow, some muppet always crashes at 14/15 or 16 on a Friday !!

If he gets to the M25 around about mid-day then, barring some total disaster, it'll be OK, surely?

[Mr. Potato Head]

skeggysteve said:

cut across to the M25 from Hatfield via the A414/Colney Heath road. Then round the M25 to Heathrow.

Also look at cutting out some of the M25 by not getting on at J21A but using the A405 North Orbital and getting on the M25 at J19