Parking for Hounslow International

[Standard Noise]

Right guys, be gentle with me cos I'm not one for asking for advice on here (I normally spend my time dispensing it to the annoyance of most other Prooners), but I'm taking 'she who makes my ears bleed' to NYC for her birthday and since the Conty is full out of Brizzel on our chosen dates, we find ourselves resigned to using the big one at the other end of the M4.
Now, in the past when I lived up that way, I always used the car parks at the eastern end of 27R, I think it was an NCP or summat similar. But not having endured the LHR chaos for years, I'm at a loss as to where I should park up for the five days.

Any suggestions or good recommendations?

[manintheback]

If flying from T4 use the long term T4 car park, its nice and close. Use BAA website to advance book and get a discount. for the other 3 terminals I use the business car parks next to the runway, very short bus in through the tunnel. These do cost quite a bit more tho.

[UniFoxOs]

Why not go from BHX instead - 2 flights a day now, other end of the M5/M42, easier access, easier parking.

UFO

[PAXboy]

Depending upon your carrier and duration of trip, there are many, many options. For a short trip and to make it more special (especially after a trip down the M4 from yur city, may luvver ;)) you might want to take one of the biz parking sites, like Pink Elephant.

The Flightpath at the end of 27R is still a good one BUT you should pre-book to get a better deal. One route is through the BAA website but folks like aph.com also take bookings. I have used them before and it worked.

As always, each web site offers their own offers and you need to shop around. BAA are not always going to tell you about every possibility, of course, as they want their cut.

Lastly, for a short trip I do NOT advise off-site parking. The extra time taken to find the place and get to/from the terminal is just not worth the cost saving. I once found myself saving about ten pounds but spending more than an extra 90 minutes (in total) and it was a painful 90 minutes.

Lastly, the old Reading/LHR coach still operates. However, this is really only good if you are going from T3 as it goes (naturally) to the central station and if on big airways, you have to go down to take the train over to 4 and that crosses the cost benefit analysis path.

[Standard Noise]

Ah yes, the Pink Heffalumps, forgot about them, might look them up.
Travelling from T3 and it's only 5 days so I wasn't keen on any of these ones that say 'we're just near JXX, turn down...then left along.... and afetr 2 miles turn...' Rather have something near the airport as in within a mile or so if poss.

[k3lvc]

Have a look on BAA.com and their own parking site. There's many a time I've pre-booked and parked in the short stay for less than it would have cost me at many of the off-site operators.

[PAXboy]

k3lvc I don't think that you mean the 'short stay' as in 'short stay car park'? You might mean a short stay in a long term car park!!

In order to prevent people (biz on expenses in particular) from using the short stay parks close by the terminals as long stay, BAA long ago put up the price of those. One friend of mine chose to stay Friday to Sunday evening and paid about £100 and that was eight years ago!!!

Standard Noise I am sure that you will find a good deal within the curtilage of the Heathrow building site. :}

[eastern wiseguy]

Take a coach?:)

[scudpilot]

When travellng from Heathrow, I always park outside my mum's house, she lives about 5 minutes walk from Hounslow West tube, so very convenient.....;)

[Standard Noise]

Thanks guys, looking and booking today.

scudpilot - does she have a driveway and how much does she charge, oh and I'd want a complimentary bacon butty on arrival.:}

[k3lvc]

k3lvc I don't think that you mean the 'short stay' as in 'short stay car park'? You might mean a short stay in a long term car park!!

In order to prevent people (biz on expenses in particular) from using the short stay parks close by the terminals as long stay, BAA long ago put up the price of those. One friend of mine chose to stay Friday to Sunday evening and paid about £100 and that was eight years ago!!!

PAXboy - many thanks for second guessing (incorrectly) what I'm saying. As one of those biz people on expenses I'm well aware of the difference between a short & long stay car park. I restate that on a number of occasions with pre-booking via the BAA.com website I have parked Sunday pm - Saturday am for £50-£60. This is in both the T4 short stay, T1 short stay and both Gatwick short stays i.e. adjoiing the terminals !!

[PAXboy]

k3lvc If you are saying that you can stay from a Sunday to the following Saturday in a short stay for £50-£60, then I am delighted to hear that BAA have brought prices down in the past seven years by more than 150%. It would be a first and I look forward to them lowering other charges by a similar amount.

I have also heard, but not witnessed, that they physically remove cars that are parked more than three days in the short stays and class them as abandoned but I await confirmation of that.

[k3lvc]

3 receipts that I still have show

T4 Short stay 09:00 24/09/06 - 23:00 29/09/06 £62.00 booked 22/09/06

T4 BAA Valet 11:00 04/02/07 - 23:00 09/02/07 £86.30 booked 24/01/07

LGW N Short Stay 09:00 05/06/07 - 03:00 17/06/07 £47.50 booked 22/03/07

All booked via www.baa.com (http://www.baa.com)

Must somehow be based on demand as a repeat of the first trip above for this year is coming out at £147.00

[KiloMIke]

Why not try www.purpleparking.com ?

They are off airport but have a shutttle bus to from the airport.

Prices seem quite reasonable too.