Socks Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 I've got to drive from Nottingham to Heathrow next Monday to catch a flight to Dallas at 10.45 am I know I have to get the M1 and then counter clockwise on the M25 but does anyone know how long this will take? I was planning at leaving at 4 am from Nottingham would this be early enough? Thanks y'all. Yeeha!
AoWW Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 What time is your check-in? An hour before the flight?
AoWW Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 It ought to take about 3 hours max, but obviously traffic can vary especially if you hit the M25 at rush-hour. I think you're allowing loads of time, though. You might find this useful: http://www.rac.co.uk/route-planner
Webbo Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 About 2 hours 20 minutes. http://www.rac.co.uk/route-planner/
absolutelegend Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 US flights are usually 2hr before for check in, that's 8.45. Allow time to park, get to the terminal, say + 1 hr, that's 7.45. I'd allow at least 3 hrs for the drive due to rush hour, so that means about 4.30am. I reckon your 4am estimate isn't far off. easy choice for me, head down the night before. there are a fair few decently priced hotels on the Bath Road which will also do a deal on parking. e.g. Premier Inn and the Marriott are both nice enough.
Zingari Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 Will you be in Dallas to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the mother of all conspiracy theories on the 22nd? I wish I could be there
The Year Of The Fox Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 I've got to drive from Nottingham to Heathrow next Monday to catch a flight to Dallas at 10.45 am I know I have to get the M1 and then counter clockwise on the M25 but does anyone know how long this will take? I was planning at leaving at 4 am from Nottingham would this be early enough? Thanks y'all. Yeeha! Probably not. When we leave coalville at 4am we always hit traffic coming off the m1 all the way round to heathrow. We now go via silverstone and m40. We're back in Brighton on Thursday and shall be doing this route.
The Year Of The Fox Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 Just read the posts above mine. All I can say is ignore them mate else you'll miss it. I'd probably suggest 3am. You think 4am is early but by the time you're on the m25 its 630am. We also picked my bro up from Heathrow when he landed at 720am. We left here at 4. Parked at Heathrow at 830
Jace Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 US flights are usually 2hr before for check in, that's 8.45. Allow time to park, get to the terminal, say + 1 hr, that's 7.45. I'd allow at least 3 hrs for the drive due to rush hour, so that means about 4.30am. I reckon your 4am estimate isn't far off. easy choice for me, head down the night before. there are a fair few decently priced hotels on the Bath Road which will also do a deal on parking. e.g. Premier Inn and the Marriott are both nice enough. This isn't a bad idea, what I have found from experience is many of these airport hotels charge something like £60 for a room and parking for a week when airport parking alone can sometimes be more than this anyway so works out cheaper.
purpleronnie Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 Dallas? BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
absolutelegend Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 I've used this a few times: http://www.holidayextras.co.uk/?agent=WN838&awc=3496_1361191259_dac99300c45f613c0e01728881936841 I quite like doing it that way. Arrive, relax, have a beer and some food. Wake up, leisurely breakfast, jump on the bus to the terminal. Easy.
MooseBreath Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 Probably not. When we leave coalville at 4am we always hit traffic coming off the m1 all the way round to heathrow. We now go via silverstone and m40. We're back in Brighton on Thursday and shall be doing this route. Was gonna say this, did a similar route for a 9am flight a few years back, hopped across to the m40 instead of the m1, then dropped down to the m4 at Wycombe and straight to Heathrow from there, cancelling out the m25 altogether.Worked well back then, but it was a few years ago now.
The Year Of The Fox Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 A couple of us have been in Surrey recently as well and have had the same trouble with the 25. It's best avoided altogether. I did the m40 route on the way to Brighton last Monday. It was fine though I think the storm warnings kept many people off the roads thus making the journey ironically quite good. Like Moose I don't know what the m40/m4 will be like on a normal day but I'll certainly say its better than the 25.
jonthefox Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 Treat yourself to a hotel . Same price as parking a car and with free car parking. If you catch my drift.
Jon the Hat Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 Go the hotel route. Who needs the stress of being late? You would be surprised at the traffic at Heathrow at 5am even.
AoWW Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 Hotel all day long. He'd definitely miss his flight then!
separator Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 The Travelodge (Heathrow Central) is at the end of the runway on Bath Road in Hounslow and rooms are usually around the £40 mark if you fancy a cheap hotel. Fairly new hotel and amazingly quiet inside considering how close it is. It is a travelodge though, parking not included in price but there is a bus service direct to the airport. M1 is very busy even at 5am, especially as you approach Luton and further south.
Bayfox Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 Dont go m1 m25. Go m1 down to northhampton and go across a43 past silverstone, m40 and get on m25 that way.
cambridgefox Posted 5 November 2013 Posted 5 November 2013 Hotel.For £60 not worth the stress if missing the flight.
Socks Posted 6 November 2013 Author Posted 6 November 2013 Thanks for all your replies ! Thing is I'm going on a work trip so they are paying and they wont allow me to go down the night before and stay in a hotel (tight gets) if i do that Ill have to pay out my own pocket as they wont let me claim it back so I'm not doing that! so they have gone for the cheap option of an Economy rental car (£25) instead so i gotta drive I think i will do the m1>a43>m40>m25 option....
_Fatboyslow_ Posted 6 November 2013 Posted 6 November 2013 Was gonna say this, did a similar route for a 9am flight a few years back, hopped across to the m40 instead of the m1, then dropped down to the m4 at Wycombe and straight to Heathrow from there, cancelling out the m25 altogether. Worked well back then, but it was a few years ago now. The m40 is best at this time of day as it gives you opitions depending on traffic m42/m40 from Nottingham might work best or as others have suggested get a parking hotel packageAlso it's not a bad idea to use local radio for road reports, do you have a TA option on your car radio? Heart/3 counties for the M1 Bucks/oxford for the M40
Socks Posted 6 November 2013 Author Posted 6 November 2013 ok, I'm going to do this route a46> m1> a43> m40> m25 >m4 Checked it out on RAC route planner and should be ok doing that!! Thanks again, I'll beep the horn 5 times as I drive past Leicester ;-) listen out around 4.30 am'ish
Bert Posted 6 November 2013 Posted 6 November 2013 If you're going M40, would it not be quicker to go m69, a46?
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