Heathrow Express, London

This is the best way to escape Heathrow, but Paddington station, the terminus in central London, isn't very convenient for the West End or the City. At Heathrow, there is a station close to terminal 4, but the station for terminals 1,2,3 is at least a 10-minute walk from Departures and Arrivals. On board, you have to sit through a series of very loud announcements. To avoid the chattering television screens, you need to find the 'quiet' carriage. Still, the trains go every 15 minutes, you always get a seat and it takes less than 20 minutes to get to Paddington. A standard single is £15.50 if you buy a ticket from the machines or you can pay £17.50 on board. You can stump up an additional tenner for first class, where there is more space, complementary newspapers and tables to work at. But it is hardly worth the extra for such a short journey. 6/10