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It is a nice development, but I will air a gripe here that TfL seems to go to lengths to obscure the average traveler's understanding that you can take Elizabet

It is a nice development, but I will air a gripe here that TfL seems to go to lengths to obscure the average traveler's understanding that you can take Elizabeth line to the airport and save $$. The departure boards [edit: at Paddington rail station (note, not the tube)] will not label Elizabeth line trains with "Heathrow Airport", the TfL journey planner will not offer it to you unless you actively turn off National Rail options (i.e. Heathrow Express), etc. This goes all the way back to when it was Heathrow Connect (does anyone remember that? Memories from my grad school days when it was approx. £6), and the fact that it was a continuing service to Heathrow always labeled as a small footnote near the bottom. I somewhat wonder if they do this out of agreement with Heathrow Express, or more charitably interpreted as not confusing people. Either way it costs people who don't know otherwise.

fredoralive 4y ago
It’s possibly at least partly a case of journey planners assuming you want the fastest possible option, and not taking into account the premium Heathrow Express charges? I’m not sure why TfL would want to actively push Heathrow Express over their own options, as they don’t have anything to gain, as it’s run by the airport and GWR / First Group, not themselves.
Symbiote 4y ago
Here's one example of the departure board at Paddington clearly showing Heathrow Airport for a Heathrow Connect train. https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-departures-paddington-image23937487 https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-de... https://www.flickr.com/photos/_mia/2437542452 https://www.flickr.com/photos/_mia/2437542452 I found it clearly enough at Paddington in the spring, though the signs at Heathrow for the cheap option were terrible.
antihero 4y ago
The boards literally say Heathrow T#, I’m not sure what you’re talking about.
- supernova87a 4y ago
  Apologies, my comments are from the time when the Elizabeth line was at the rail station at Paddington. And probably still hold for the few departures that do go from there. I'm not referring to the departure boards on the proper Elizabeth line now -- those of course show the destination. My comment about the TfL journey planner is still the case though.

fredoralive 4y ago

It’s possibly at least partly a case of journey planners assuming you want the fastest possible option, and not taking into account the premium Heathrow Express charges? I’m not sure why TfL would want to actively push Heathrow Express over their own options, as they don’t have anything to gain, as it’s run by the airport and GWR / First Group, not themselves.

Symbiote 4y ago

Here's one example of the departure board at Paddington clearly showing Heathrow Airport for a Heathrow Connect train. https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-departures-paddington-image23937487 https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-de... https://www.flickr.com/photos/_mia/2437542452 https://www.flickr.com/photos/_mia/2437542452 I found it clearly enough at Paddington in the spring, though the signs at Heathrow for the cheap option were terrible.

antihero 4y ago

The boards literally say Heathrow T#, I’m not sure what you’re talking about.

supernova87a 4y ago
Apologies, my comments are from the time when the Elizabeth line was at the rail station at Paddington. And probably still hold for the few departures that do go from there. I'm not referring to the departure boards on the proper Elizabeth line now -- those of course show the destination. My comment about the TfL journey planner is still the case though.