Another case of Rip-off Britain (Heathrow Express)

Member Name: NFH.

Product:	Heathrow Express
Date:	09/10/02 (209 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fast, Usually reliable, Clean

Disadvantages: Ridiculously overpriced, Only goes as far as Paddington

When you compare the Heathrow Express to the price of similar services elsewhere in Europe, you will see that the Heathrow Express is about five times the price that it should be.

When it first opened before its official launch in 1998, I used it a few times at a cost of £5 each way. That was a reasonable fare for the distance involved. It was unreliable even then, and I missed a flight as a result. Fortunately, I had annual travel insurance starting that day which paid for another flight.

The fares when it officially launched rocketed up to £10 each way, although most people chose to buy their ticket on the train because it was the same price as buying in advance. Very often, the staff on the train only managed to collect fares from half the train before the 15 minute journey was over, so it meant you got a free journey sometimes (quite legally).

The fares are now a ridiculous £12 each way or £14 if you buy your ticket on the train. This kind of fare is not justified and does nothing to encourage the use of public transport. It is high time that London fell into line with its European counterparts and offered a service for less than £5 each way. It won't be long before it costs more to get to the airport than the flight itself.

Summary: