Long stay parking at Heathrow (3 weeks)
Long stay parking at Heathrow (3 weeks)
Author
Discussion

Matt..

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

219 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Due to the great train system we have here, and the fact it costs over £100 for a 2.5hr journey to Heathrow, i'm looking at alternatives. Are there any viable (safe), long stay parking options for Heathrow that don't cost a fortune?


Thanks

jas xjr

11,309 posts

269 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Some hotels at heathrow provide free parking with just one nights stay. Might be worth a look

Matt..

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

219 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
jas xjr said:
Some hotels at heathrow provide free parking with just one nights stay. Might be worth a look
Hotels only go up to 2 weeks. I need 3!

Ynox

1,754 posts

209 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Train it.

Seriously - £100 is reasonable and it is good peace of mind. From Cardiff it's easy too (either train to Reading then Rail Air coach or train to Paddington and Heathrow Express / Connect).

Otherwise - use BAA and go through Quidco. Never really been a fan of Purple Parking et al (perhaps unjustifiably so but I like keeping my car keys with me and knowing it won't be moved).

Matt..

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

219 months

Friday 17th June 2011
quotequote all
Ynox said:
Train it.

Seriously - £100 is reasonable and it is good peace of mind. From Cardiff it's easy too (either train to Reading then Rail Air coach or train to Paddington and Heathrow Express / Connect).

Otherwise - use BAA and go through Quidco. Never really been a fan of Purple Parking et al (perhaps unjustifiably so but I like keeping my car keys with me and knowing it won't be moved).
If i train it i also have to hotel it. I'm going on a Sunday and there are no trains until late in the day (i know, bad planning!).

Silver993tt

9,064 posts

269 months

Friday 17th June 2011
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book a one-way rental car for a day with one of the companies based at Heathrow.

Smiler.

11,752 posts

260 months

Friday 17th June 2011
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Where are you travelling from?

Matt..

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

219 months

Friday 17th June 2011
quotequote all
Cardiff

Melman Giraffe

6,794 posts

248 months

Friday 17th June 2011
quotequote all
purplr parking

llewop

3,967 posts

241 months

Friday 17th June 2011
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Silver993tt said:
book a one-way rental car for a day with one of the companies based at Heathrow.
this

some of the national companies will home deliver or even if they don't, shouldn't be too far from home to go collect a car. Then just dump it at their Heathrow depot and courtesy bus round to your terminal

F i F

48,898 posts

281 months

Friday 17th June 2011
quotequote all
Pre booking direct with BAA three weeks is £114 in long term. If you register as a member with PP it's £75, reduced from ~£100

How cheap do you want it?

I've never used Purple parking, but never had a single problem with the BAA parks, even when the electric window used to open itself mysteriously from time to time. Farking Canbus.


Famous last words of course, now expecting to get back to wrecked / missing car tonight. frown

F i F

48,898 posts

281 months

Friday 17th June 2011
quotequote all
Just checked our corporate rate with Europcar.

One day one way hire Cardiff > LHR = £34. This was for a Megane,
Normal punter rate = £81 though £64 if paid in advance.

HTH

AWRacing

1,746 posts

255 months

Friday 17th June 2011
quotequote all
F i F said:
Pre booking direct with BAA three weeks is £114 in long term. If you register as a member with PP it's £75, reduced from ~£100
I'm using BAA long term Park Plus and paid £90 for 3weeks. I wont use any company where you have to leave your keys, driving past their parking areas and seeing all the cars parked pretty much touching each other soon puts you off using that sort of company.

Ynox

1,754 posts

209 months

Friday 17th June 2011
quotequote all
Matt.. said:
If i train it i also have to hotel it. I'm going on a Sunday and there are no trains until late in the day (i know, bad planning!).
What day are you flying? If I'm on an early flight out of LHR now (earlier than 11am) to the US I stay there. Had the Sheraton Skyline for £45 before on a Sat night!

condor

8,837 posts

278 months

Friday 17th June 2011
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Have you rung your local taxi companies? they usually do reasonable airport runs.

F i F

48,898 posts

281 months

Friday 17th June 2011
quotequote all
AWRacing said:
I wont use any company where you have to leave your keys, driving past their parking areas and seeing all the cars parked pretty much touching each other soon puts you off using that sort of company.
Agree, btw don't you have to leave your keys even with Park plus? Thought you paeked near the entrance and then they take it away and bring it back for your return. Maybe I have wrong end of stick though.

What about purple parking when you just use the shuttle bus? If you still have to leave your keys even then why they get such a regular good press on PH completely defeats me.

Usually use T5 short stay pre booked, but that's way too expensive for 3 weeks.

Deva Link

26,934 posts

275 months

Friday 17th June 2011
quotequote all
Ynox said:
Train it.

Seriously - £100 is reasonable and it is good peace of mind. From Cardiff it's easy too (either train to Reading then Rail Air coach or train to Paddington and Heathrow Express / Connect).
An advantage of using the train (or any scheduled public transport) is that your travel insurance covers you for missed departure as soon as you're on the train.

If you drive and you get stuck in jam then you're generally stuffed.

Matt..

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

219 months

Friday 17th June 2011
quotequote all
Train is going to cost something like this:
- £50 each way
- £50 hotel
So approx £150


Rental + train back would be:
- £60 rental
- £50 train


Driving:
- £120 BAA long stay (park yourself and I keep keys)


From that list, driving seems best as i dont have to worry about public transport, and dont have to stay in a hotel. If it was any other day then i'd take the train on the day as they go from 6am here. On Sunday they go from 8am though! The journey is 3hrs, and my flight is at 1pm, therefore i'd want to leave and have an arrival time 4hrs prior to leaving (to account for any transport issues... especially with trains).

Silver993tt

9,064 posts

269 months

Friday 17th June 2011
quotequote all
Matt.. said:
Train is going to cost something like this:
- £50 each way
- £50 hotel
So approx £150


Rental + train back would be:
- £60 rental
- £50 train


Driving:
- £120 BAA long stay (park yourself and I keep keys)


From that list, driving seems best as i dont have to worry about public transport, and dont have to stay in a hotel. If it was any other day then i'd take the train on the day as they go from 6am here. On Sunday they go from 8am though! The journey is 3hrs, and my flight is at 1pm, therefore i'd want to leave and have an arrival time 4hrs prior to leaving (to account for any transport issues... especially with trains).
Easiest would be one-way rental to airport and then one-way rental from airport. Advantage of driving, no hotel needed and you don't leave your car in a strange car park for 3 weeks.

rb5230

11,657 posts

202 months

Friday 17th June 2011
quotequote all
And have you factored in fuel costs from Cardiff to Heathrow? Surely that must be around £80?