Half-term travel tips from Heathrow Express and holiday icon, Judith Chalmers OBE

With half-term holidays just around the corner, Heathrow Express – the fastest route between central London and Heathrow Airport – has teamed up with travel icon Judith Chalmers to reveal tips on how to have a happy and stress-free holiday from start to finish.

Judith, who recently became Heathrow Express’ Chief Smile Officer, commented: “By nature, going on holiday is supposed to be a relaxing experience – a chance to get away from the pressures of work and everyday life. But for many of us, some aspects of travel can be quite stressful… from planning the trip to getting to the airport on time to navigating through the security maze, it can be overwhelming.”

“There are some steps you can take to give yourself the best chance of a smooth journey, which is why I’ve partnered Heathrow Express to help everyone travel with a smile this half-term.”

Here are some of Judith’s top travel tips:

Create a loose itinerary
Make the most of your holiday by researching the area where you’ll be staying well in advance. Having a rough itinerary with a few quality restaurants and excursions booked beforehand helps you to avoid the holiday traps and ensures you’re getting the best prices. Trip Advisor, YouTube and Instagram are great sources of inspiration and reviews.

Leave room for spontaneity
A guaranteed way to generate stress on holiday is by squeezing in too many activities. While having a few plans in place is great, simply wandering around and exploring the area can bring so much joy as this is when you get a true sense of local culture. I tend to stay away from the crowded centres in hunt of hidden neighbourhoods where I can get a little ‘lost’.

Research where you’re staying
There’s no point paying less for accommodation if you’re going to have to keep splurging on taxis. Use an app like Google Maps to see where the beach, bars and restaurants are before you book.

Book airport transfers early
The earlier you book, the more you can save. If using public transport, consider a dedicated, non-stop airport transfer and avoid potential traffic jams. The Heathrow Express is a great example as it offers a fast and reliable journey every 15 minutes. When booked in advance, it can cost as little as £5.50 – plus, kids travel for free!

Arrive early
The fear of missing your flight is one of the biggest causes of airport anxiety, so give yourself plenty of time to account for any unforeseen circumstances. I always arrive three hours early regardless of where I’m flying to. This also allows you time to browse around the shops and dine at a leisurely pace before boarding.

Fast Track through security
The security can be the most time-consuming part of the journey, so opt for Fast Track if you can. With Heathrow Express, if you purchase a Business First ticket then you can enjoy a complimentary Fast Track pass through security, enabling you to spend more time relaxing before your flight.

Be prepared
Make the security process easier by wearing clothing that’s easy to take off. Pop extra layers into hand luggage so you have less things to remove and juggle when going through the metal detector. Instead of wearing lace-up boots, opt for slip-ons.

Keep your phone charged
We all know the feeling of running out of battery on our phones but it’s even more stressful when travelling abroad. To help keep your battery charged, you can lower the screen brightness, turn off notifications, disable or delete apps and turn on airplane mode. One of the best things to do is to purchase an external battery pack to carry around with you.

The Heathrow Express offers a calm, comfortable and sustainable way to travel to Britain’s busiest airport, with its electric trains taking just 15 minutes to reach their destination, departing every 15 minutes. Once onboard, spacious cabins and increased luggage space are available to help take the stress out of the journey and ensure passengers can travel with a smile.

Heathrow Express tickets start from £5.50 when booked in advance – one of the cheapest rail connections between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport. Visit www.heathrowexpress.com to find out more and book tickets,