International Travel Guide
or, you are going to Exeter and, wow, that seems far.
Hi there. I’ve made the trip from the US to Exeter a couple of times, and let me tell you, it’s easier than you think!
In this short guide I will walk you through the easiest way to get from London Heathrow Airport to your final destination at Playposium 2026 in Exeter.
Step 1:
Land at London Heathrow. Hopefully you got a little sleep on the plane. In any case, you have arrived. Welcome!
(There are other airports in the UK, of course. But in all likelihood, if you are coming from the US, you will land at Heathrow.)
Customs and immigration are pretty streamlined. So, follow the signs and instructions, collect your bags, answer the nice people’s questions and then you will have officially arrived.
Step 2:
If you plan to stay in London for a couple of days, see below. Otherwise, the next leg of your journey is to get to London Paddington Station.
The easiest way to do this is to book in advance a ticket on the Heathrow Express (https://www.heathrowexpress.com/). An advance purchase is only £20.00 for a round trip.
It’s a bit of a walk to the Heathrow Express Tube stop in the airport. But it’s clearly marked and they use lots of purple. Find the train, find a seat and 15 minutes later you will arrive at Paddington!
Step 3:
Paddington Station is a small, bustling transportation hub in the north end of London. From the time your plane lands, through customs and taking the Express to Paddington, takes about two hours.
With that in mind, be sure you have booked a train ticket from Paddington to Exeter St. David’s Station. You’ll want to book this in advance through the Great Western Railroad website (https://www.gwr.com/). The price for a round-trip should be less than £150, depending on when you travel.
A few notes here: There are a bunch of services that will sell you train tickets. And you can also buy them at the train station. I would suggest buying them in advance from GWR site to save money, and because you can select your seat and make sure you are facing forward and even have a table. Usually, there is plenty of luggage storage. But keep in mind that you will have to haul your gear on and off the train.
Also, don’t be surprised if your train is cancelled! If so, just ask a nice person which train to take and you can jump on that. Several different trains head SW through Exeter. If you don’t have a reserved seat, just look at the signs above the seats to find one that is available.
They serve drinks and snacks on the train for purchase. And there are several restaurants in the station where you can grab food. You can also visit the Paddington Bear Statue. Gotta get that picture!
Depending on the train you choose, it’s about 2.5 hours to get to Exeter.
Step 4:
Horrah! You have arrived at the main train station in Exeter, St. David’s. That means you are at the bottom of a big hill, by the river. You can walk almost anywhere in Exeter. But after that long journey, you might want to grab a taxi in front of the station. If you do want to walk, you are probably no more than 30 minutes from where you are staying.
Step “So you want to stay in London?”:
One idea on this trip is to fly into Heathrow and spend a night or two in London before you head to Exeter. This is a nice way to shake off the jetlag and get your picture in front of Big Ben.
If you do plan to stay in London, book in advance. Hotels can get expensive. And some of the less expensive options fill up early. As a rule of thumb, you can save money by staying near a Tube station, but away from the main tourist spots. That’s a great combination of convenience and affordability.
Public transportation in London is a breeze. If you have enabled tap-to-pay on your phone, just use that to enter Tube stations and buses and tap again when you exit. Your fare will be calculated and deducted.
If you want to plan ahead and save a few bucks, look into the Oyster Visitor Card (https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/visitor-oyster-card). This costs about £15 for two days and gives access to the London public transportation network.
(Also, pro tip: If you are flying into or out of Gatwick, the Oyster Visitor Card makes getting to and from the city a snap!)
Keep in mind, you will eventually have to make your way to Paddington to catch a train to Exeter. So, you might consider a hotel within walking distance of Paddington Station!
Likewise, planning your return from Exeter is also a great time to explore London! While buzzing from all the fun of the Playposium, you’ll be ready to explore Old Blighty!
A few additional tips:
Give yourself time to return to London from Exeter to catch your flight home! Trains get delayed and cancelled. Ideally, you’d give yourself a half-day longer than you need to get from Exeter to London Heathrow.
Next, you will need a UK plug adapter. If you forget, no problem! There is a drug store called BOOTS in Paddington Station, and they sell adapters.
Remember! The UK does not use the Euro. But the good news is, as far as I can tell, everyone supports tap-to-pay. Make sure your phone is set up for tap-to-pay, and you won't need to convert or carry cash!
Most phone plans support international text and calling at this point. Make sure you are covered before you travel so you won't have any issues upon arrival.
Still have questions? Let us know!
And safe travels.
— David
