Hampstead, down the hill and away

Heathrow or Luton from Hampstead?

Both are good choices, and they are only ten minutes apart. Heathrow is about 38 minutes off-peak and 55 in the rush, via the Finchley Road, the North Circular and the A40, or through Swiss Cottage and the Westway. Luton is about 48 minutes off-peak and 70 in the rush, via the Finchley Road, the A41 and the M1.

For long-haul flights, Heathrow is usually the airport. For European holidays and city breaks, compare the flights from both; Luton’s smaller terminal often makes the whole journey feel shorter.

How do pickups work on Hampstead’s streets?

The village’s oldest streets, around Heath Street, Holly Hill, Flask Walk and the lanes behind the high street, are steep, narrow and in places one-way. Some are too tight for the V-Class, and parking is resident-only almost everywhere.

Give us the exact address and tell us about any steps or narrow access. For houses on the steepest lanes, the chauffeur may stop at the nearest wider street and walk up to help with the bags. For the mansion blocks around Belsize Park and Fitzjohn’s Avenue, pickups are simpler; give us the block and the entrance.

What about the houses on the edge of the Heath?

Many of Hampstead’s larger houses sit along the edges of the Heath, on roads such as Hampstead Lane, the Bishops Avenue and the streets around the Vale of Health. Some are reached by private drives or have gates. Give us the gate code or tell us whether someone will open it, and the chauffeur will pull in to load away from the road.

The Vale of Health, in the middle of the Heath, is reached by a single narrow lane; tell us if you live there, and we will send a car that fits.

Can you collect from the Royal Free Hospital?

Yes. The Royal Free on Pond Street sees patients and families who fly in for treatment or need to reach an airport afterwards. Tell us the entrance and any mobility needs, and the chauffeur will wait at the drop-off point, help with bags and allow extra time. If an appointment runs late and a flight is at risk, we will tell you honestly and help you decide what to do.

How do summer events on the Heath affect journeys?

On summer evenings, concerts at Kenwood and events on the Heath bring extra traffic to Hampstead Lane and Spaniards Road, and on sunny weekends the roads around the Heath car parks fill up. If your pickup falls on a busy day, we will allow a few more minutes or choose a route via Frognal and the Finchley Road instead.

What is the journey home like after a long-haul flight?

The last part of it is the reason many Hampstead residents book a car rather than the train. From Heathrow, the Piccadilly line and the Northern line mean a change and then a steep walk up from Hampstead station, which is one of the deepest on the Underground, with lifts rather than escalators and a climb up Heath Street at the top. With cases after a night flight, that is hard work.

The chauffeur follows your flight, waits in arrivals with a name board and brings you to your door, parking as close as the street allows and carrying the bags in. Early-morning arrivals are the quickest of all, because the A40 and the North Circular inbound are still clear, and the drive often takes around 40 minutes.

Can you meet private flights at Northolt?

Yes. RAF Northolt, which handles civil business aviation, is about 14 miles from Hampstead and around half an hour away via the North Circular and the A40. Access is controlled, so we need the handling agent and the passenger details in advance, and the chauffeur will wait at the civil terminal.

Is Hampstead inside the Congestion Charge zone?

No. The zone is well to the south, and the routes to Heathrow and Luton head west and north, away from it. London City and Gatwick, which lie on the far side of central London, may involve routes that pass near the zone; if the charge applies in charging hours, it is included.