In many ways, Heathrow needs no introduction. It is Britain’s main international airport. And the planet’s second-busiest passenger airport, handling 80 million passengers a year, each passing through one of four significantly sized terminals.
But a little helpful guidance never goes amiss. And if you’re hoping to fly from one of its runways in the near future, the following travel tips may come in handy.
How to get to Heathrow Airport by road
What are the main routes to get to the airport?
Heathrow Airport is located on the west side of the London conurbation, approximately 14 miles from the centre of the city. This location places it on a major corridor of the UK road network. Four separate motorways can be found within 20 miles of the airport’s front gate. The M3 (junction 2), M4 (junction 4B) and M40 (junction 1A) all bring traffic from further afield; all three of these motorways connect to the M25, London’s main arterial ring road, which runs around the west side of the airport and is accessible via junction 14.
Are there any bottlenecks in traffic?
There is one downside to the convergence of these four motorways. Collectively, they provide a constant flow of vehicles onto the same stretch of tarmac, and jams can form at any time during daylight. The 15-mile hairpin bend between where the M25 meets the M4 (junctions 16 and 1A) and the M3 (junctions 12 and 2) can be slow going, and it’s worth allowing extra time into your journey if you plan to approach the airport via these routes.
What are the parking facilities?
Heathrow Airport’s four terminals are numbered 2 to 5 (unusually, there’s no longer a Terminal 1; that closed in 2015). There are car parks for each of them – there are 11 in total, divided into six categories: short-stay, long-stay, business, meet and greet (where you leave your car with an airport representative), pod (connected to Terminal 5 by surrounding, driverless electric ‘pods’) and valet. Costs vary, but long-stay is generally the cheapest option – the price tends to be lower the further in advance you book.
Find more advice on the best airport parking in our guide.
Is there a drop-off fee?
Like other major UK airports, Heathrow charges anyone using a private vehicle to drop passengers off at the terminal. This is a flat fee of £5 per entry, valid 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Drivers must pay the fee by midnight the day after visiting the airport; failure to do so incurs a fine of £80. Payment can be made via the official Heathrow website or the automated telephone line (0330 008 5600).
There are no payment facilities at the airport and no entrance barriers to show you when you enter the drop-off zone; your visit is recorded by license plate recognition cameras. A free option is available – you can drop your passenger(s) off at one of the airport’s long-term car parks without paying (from there they can catch a shuttle bus).
How to get to Heathrow Airport by train
What are the main rail connections to Heathrow Airport?
Apart from the Underground (see below), there are two other train lines serving Heathrow Airport.
The fastest option is the Heathrow Express, which takes passengers from central London (Paddington station) to the airport (Terminals 2 and 3) in 15 minutes. The line ends at Terminal 5; trains from Paddington take 21 minutes. This speed comes at a relative cost. Fully flexible single tickets start from £25 (return from £38.50) – but advance-purchase fares, valid for a specific day only, cost £15.
The Elizabeth line, which opens fully in summer 2022, takes slightly longer to do its job. It also has a dedicated platform at Paddington, and the journey time from there to Terminals 2 and 3 is around 28 minutes. Fares from central London start from £12.80.
Despite being under the umbrella of Transport For London (TFL; tfl.gov.uk) (and branded using the classic Tube-line template of a rectangular bar above a coloured circle), the Elizabeth line is not considered part of the London Underground. Furthermore, it has a wider reach than the Piccadilly line (see below). Under the working title of “Crossrail”, the line covers the entire width of the London conurbation, from Abbey Wood and Shenfield (in Essex) in the east to Reading (in Berkshire) in the west – 41 stations in total.
Passengers arriving from the westernmost stations on the Elizabeth line (between Reading and West Drayton) should alight at Hayes & Harlington and return to the airport.
Where are the train stations?
There are three railway stations at Heathrow Airport – a common hub for Terminals 2 and 3 (also known as “Heathrow Central”), used by both Heathrow Express and the Elizabeth Line, a terminus at Terminal 5, also used by both services, and a stop at Terminal 4, used by the Elizabeth Line. All Elizabeth Line services from central London stop at Terminals 2 and 3 before the tracks split, and trains continue on to either Terminal 4 or Terminal 5 (but not both). Heathrow Express passengers needing to use Terminal 4 should alight at Terminals 2 and 3 and continue free of charge using the Elizabeth Line.
What time and at what time do the trains run?
The first Heathrow Express train from Paddington departs at 5.10am (arriving at Terminals 2 and 3 at 5.28am and Terminal 5 at 5.32am); the last train of the day is at 11.25am (arriving at Terminals 2 and 3 at 11.43am and Terminal 5 at 11.47am). The Elizabeth Line operates at a similar time. The first train from Paddington departs at 4.36am (arriving at Terminals 2 and 3 on the stroke of 5am and Terminal 5 at 5.04am); the last airport train departs from Paddington at 11.18am (arriving at Terminals 2 and 3 at 11.42am and Terminal 5 at 11.46am).
Where can I buy tickets?
Tickets for the Heathrow Express and Elizabeth line can be purchased online via their respective websites or via vending machines at all stations. The Oyster Card (TFL’s entry and exit card) can be used on the Elizabeth line but not on the Heathrow Express.
How to get to Heathrow Airport by Tube
Which London Underground lines serve Heathrow Airport?
The Piccadilly line is the only part of the London Underground network that goes to Heathrow. There are three stations at the airport – Terminals 2 and 3; Terminal 4; Terminal 5.
Trains serving Terminals 2 and 3 will usually continue on to Terminal 5. However, a train to Terminal 4 will go directly to that destination and will not stop at Terminal 5 – but will return to Terminals 2 and 3 on the return journey to the city (albeit after a long wait at Terminal 4 station – around eight minutes – later). If you want Terminal 4 but find yourself on a Tube heading to Terminal 5 – or vice versa – it’s best to get off at Hatton Cross, the penultimate station before the airport, and wait for the relevant service.
How much is a tube ticket to Heathrow Airport?
The Piccadilly line is the cheapest train route to Heathrow. As such, it’s also the slowest. The journey from central London (Zone 1 on the TFL map) typically takes between 50 minutes and an hour, depending on your departure point, and costs from £5.60.
What hours and times does the metro operate?
During the week (Monday to Friday), the first Piccadilly line train to Heathrow arrives at Terminal 4 at 5.03am, but arrives from Osterley, just five stations away. The first westbound train to travel the length of the line travels through central London, arriving at Piccadilly Circus at 5.47am, then entering Terminals 2 and 3 at 6.35am and Terminal 5 at 6.39am. At the other end of the day, the last train to Heathrow passes through Piccadilly Circus at 12.32pm, entering Terminals 2 and 3 at 1.21am. The last train to Terminal 5 leaves slightly earlier (Piccadilly Circus at 12.22pm; Terminal 5 at 1.15am).
On Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, when the Piccadilly line is part of the ‘Night Tube’ service, the timetables are slightly different; trains continue to run until midnight to Terminals 2 and 3 and Terminal 5 (but not Terminal 4). They start earlier on Sundays (Piccadilly Circus at 04.38; Terminals 2 and 3 at 05.26; Terminal 5 at 05.30). They finish earlier on Sundays. The last train to Terminal 5 reaches the buffers at 00.18; it passes through Piccadilly Circus at 23.25. And there is only one more train to Terminals 2 and 3, arriving at 00.27 (Piccadilly Circus at 23.38).
Where can I buy tickets?
See advice for trains. Oyster Cards and contactless payments are accepted on all Tube journeys.
How to get to Heathrow Airport by bus
Is there public transport to Heathrow Airport?
It’s not direct. There are local buses from places like Hounslow, Hayes, Southall and Kingston – but you can’t catch a non-stop public bus to the airport in central London.
Can I take a bus to Heathrow Airport?
Yes, all of the UK’s major long-distance coach operators offer regular services to Heathrow.
National Express (nationalexpress.com) operates regular services from cities including Birmingham, Bristol, Nottingham, Cardiff and Southampton (prices start from £18 to £26), and provides connections to the airport from Victoria Coach Station, London’s main bus station (services run daily from 2am to midnight; prices start from £8.40).
You can also travel to Heathrow by Megabus (timetable includes a 50-minute service from Victoria Coach Station from £9.99; megabus.com), Flixbus (flixbus.co.uk), The Airline (theairlineoxford.co.uk), Flightline (reading-buses.co.uk) and Rail Air (railair.com). Services arrive at Heathrow Central bus station – in Terminals 2 and 3.
How to get to Heathrow Airport by taxi
How much does a taxi to Heathrow Airport cost?
It all depends where you start your journey from, but according to TFL’s price guide, a taxi journey between central London and Heathrow Airport should cost between £61 and £114, depending on the exact distance, traffic density and time of day.
Can I take Uber or another ride-hailing service to Heathrow Airport?
You can travel to Heathrow with Uber, which suggests an average price of £51 for a journey from central London to the airport. Heathrow also has agreements with transfer specialists WeKnow and Minicabit.
Additional questions?
When is the busiest time of day at Heathrow Airport?
Heathrow is incredibly busy, with an average of 536 flights landing or taking off each day. There is no quieter time for passengers, except in the late evening or early morning – when there are no scheduled departures between 11pm and 6am – due to noise issues.
Is it worth staying at an airport hotel?
This will probably depend on your flight times and whether you want to avoid a train or taxi ride long before the dawn chorus starts to sing. However, there are plenty of accommodation options at Heathrow, including an Aerotel in Terminal 3, a Hilton in Terminal 4 and a Sofitel in Terminal 5. There are also more budget-friendly options such as the Ibis, Holiday Inn and Premier Inn, which are usually connected to the various terminals by regular shuttle buses.