National Express launches new Heathrow transfer service

Published: 04/10/2007 - Filed under: News »

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National Express will provide an alternative transfer service for Heathrow passengers from this November. The group is launching Dot2dot, a shuttle service between the airport and London's central hotels.

Dot2dot says it will offer transfers to and from the airport for around half the price of a taxi, with fares starting from £17.50 per person, depending on the size of the group travelling. The company purchased a similar service, Hotelink, earlier this year, and will initially start with 64 vehicles (32 rebranded from the former company, and another 32 new minibuses), rising to 76 in January 2008.

The service allows single passengers or small groups to transfer to or from Heathrow Airport, from any hotel within the central London area. At present this includes hotels from Hammersmith in the west, to Tower Bridge in the east, Waterloo and the Tate Modern on the South Bank, and Kings Cross and Regents Park to the north. Passengers will be transferred in 10 or 12-seater vehicles, with a guarantee of no more than four pick-up or drop-offs during the journey.

Tickets for specific transfer times can be bought in advance on Dot2dot's website, or in person at the company's kiosks within the airport terminals, and passengers are guaranteed a wait of no more than 20 minutes at the airport, regardless of delayed flight arrivals. Vehicles include a 34-inch seat pitch, GPS tracking and live traffic information, and screens to keep passengers up to date with drop-off schedules. Says Paul Whitfield, managing director Dot2dot:

"At around half the price of a taxi journey, but with all the comforts and legroom or a personal limo, Dot2dot fills a clear gap in the market and aims to make the airport transfer simple and cost effective. The low-cost travel trend is gathering momentum and we expect the new service to appeal to organizations seeking time efficient but lower-cost travel options."

Single tickets for the service cost £22 for one person, £35 for two traveling together, £50 for three people, and £70 for groups of four or five, although Whitfield admits that the last will be hardest to market as larger groups could use a black cab service for less than the cost of the Dot2dot product.

The company is also launching a Gatwick service from £24, although this actually involves a transfer on the Gatwick Express (included in the ticket price), followed by a hotel transfer from London Victoria. Dot2dot says it will introduce a dedicated T5 service when the new terminal opens at Heathrow in March next year.

It remains to be seen whether business travellers will give up the convenience of a taxi for the sake of the savings made, but users of the Heathrow Express followed by a taxi transfer from Paddington could be tempted to make the switch. Let us know your thoughts by clicking on the link below or by taking part in this week's online survey.

For more information visit dot2.com – tickets will be available from the website from early October.

Report by Mark Caswell