Getting to Heathrow by Train Gets Awkward on November’s Last Weekend

If you are flying in or out of Heathrow on the weekend of November 28 and 29, plan your ground transport now. Transport for London is closing most of the Elizabeth line for the whole of that Saturday and Sunday, and the closure lines up with Network Rail work that also takes out the other fast rail links from Paddington. The result is an unusual weekend in which none of the three quickest train options between central London and the airport will be running, leaving the Piccadilly line as the main rail route to the terminals.

According to Time Out London, no Elizabeth line trains will run between Paddington and Abbey Wood, between Paddington and Shenfield, or between Paddington and Heathrow or Maidenhead. TfL is using the window for track and crossing renewals and overhead line maintenance in the central and eastern sections, while Network Rail is working at Dolphin Junction near Slough. Because of that junction work, there will also be no Great Western Railway or Heathrow Express trains from Paddington. The only Elizabeth line service left running is a two-trains-per-hour shuttle between Reading and Maidenhead.

Rail replacement buses will cover several sections, including Stratford to Romford, Shenfield to Chadwell Heath and Newbury Park, Ealing Broadway to Slough, and Slough to Maidenhead. For Heathrow, TfL’s advice is to use the Piccadilly line, which serves all the airport’s terminals but takes noticeably longer than the Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express from central London. TfL’s Director of Rail, Trish Ashton, thanked passengers for their patience while the work is carried out, and the operator recommends checking journeys before setting off.

For visitors, the practical adjustment is mostly about time. Budget extra minutes for the Piccadilly line, especially with luggage, and remember that trains can be crowded at weekends. Travelers heading west toward Reading, Oxford or the West Country will also need to reroute, since Great Western services are not leaving Paddington. If you are staying in east London near Stratford or out toward Essex, factor in the replacement buses, or compare a taxi or coach fare if you are traveling as a group.

Sources: Time Out London