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Paddington is a great Victorian railway gateway with a canal-side surprise tucked behind it. Best known to visitors as the arrival point from Heathrow and the home of a certain marmalade-loving bear, it has been quietly reinvented around its waterways into a pleasant place to pause.
Where is Paddington and how to get there
Paddington sits in west-central London on the northern edge of Hyde Park. Its grand station, an Isambard Kingdom Brunel masterpiece, is a major hub: the Heathrow Express and the Elizabeth line run to the airport, and the Bakerloo, Circle and District lines connect it to the rest of the city.
Canals and the bear
Behind the station, Paddington Basin and nearby Little Venice open onto the Regent’s and Grand Union canals, a leafy world of narrowboats, waterside cafes and canal walks that feels far removed from the traffic. Fans of Paddington Bear will find a bronze statue of the character on the station concourse, a nod to the stories that begin here.
Eating and drinking
The regenerated basin has brought a run of waterside restaurants and bars, and the station itself is well supplied for travellers. For a gentler stop, the cafes of Little Venice make a lovely canal-side break.
Good to know
How do you get from Heathrow to Paddington?
The Heathrow Express runs a fast, direct service between Heathrow Airport and Paddington in around fifteen minutes, while the Elizabeth line offers a slower but cheaper direct route. Both make Paddington the natural first stop in London for many arriving visitors.
Where to go next
Drift along the canal to Maida Vale, or head to Bayswater and Marylebone. Browse all our London neighbourhood guides.
