The best ways to get from Heathrow Airport to central London. How to get from Heathrow Airport to London

One of the largest, busiest and safe airports world - Heathrow in London. The sixth airport of the British capital is located within the city, in the western borough of Hillingdon.

The airfield was founded in the First World War and was in the use of the military. Since the early 1930s, Heathrow has served as a testing ground for aviation technology. And only in 1946 the airport was transferred civil aviation, then the first passenger flight took place.

Until the 60s, 4 terminals were built at the airport, including one cargo terminal. Since then, Heathrow has become London's main airport, and its capacity has increased to 14 million passengers a year. Later, Heathrow constantly expanded the terminals and completed the construction of new ones, increasing the influx of passengers and asserting its national importance.

Today the airport is one of the symbols of Great Britain. More than 90 airlines in the world are served at Heathrow. The complex has 5 passenger terminals with modern service, receiving 70 million passengers annually.

  • London, Hillingdon Borough,
    Longford, Heathrow

Online scoreboard

For London Heathrow flight schedules, please visit online scoreboard arrivals and departures:

How to get to Heathrow Airport and from it to the city

There is a huge flow of passengers at Heathrow around the clock. And, despite the workload, the airport has acquired some of the best services delivery and dispatch of tourists. Therefore, there are a lot of options by which you can get to Heathrow and everyone can choose the most optimal way for themselves.

Train

For those with limited time, the fastest way to get from the city to the airport is by train. This option has its own nuances. Trains of two companies run from the airport to the city and back - Heathrow Express and Heathrow Central. The main difference in the service is the fare and travel time.

  • Company trains Heathrow Express are sent from the very center of London and deliver passengers to their destination in 15-20 minutes. From the airport, the express departs from terminal number 5 and makes only one stop at terminals 1-3. It is worth buying tickets at the box office or on the website, where they will cost you £21. On the train itself, the cost increases by £5.
  • Heathrow Connect– more a budget option. Ticket price £ 10, number of stops - 6. Travel time 25 minutes. From the airport, the company's trains depart from 1-3 terminals. The traffic starts at 5 am and ends half an hour before midnight. Those passengers who need to arrive at Terminal 4 must transfer at the Heathrow Central platform. Following from the airport to the city - trains arrive at Paddington station.

Metro

You can get to the airport from London and back directly by tube. A line called Piccadilly connects to all terminals. On the metro map, it is colored blue. There are 3 stations directly at Heathrow, one of them is common to terminals 1, 2 and 3. This option also has its drawbacks. Travel time is about 50 minutes. It is also important to know that there are a number of features of the Piccadilly Line that can confuse tourists and create inconvenience. The line branches in front of the station for terminals 1, 2, 3, which affects the long stop of trains at other stops. Through Terminal 4, trains only move in one direction. Therefore, those who go to terminals 1-3 are advised to get off at station 5 of the terminal. The price of a trip starts from £5 to central London.

Bus

Following vehicle according to the amount of time spent on the trip - the bus. Travel time is from 40 minutes to an hour. Flights depart from Central bus station airport, which is located between terminals 1 and 3 (about 10 minutes walk). Buses head to Victoria Central Bus Station. From here you can take the bus you need to different parts of the city (more than 500 directions) or choose intercity route. Despite the round-the-clock operation of the airport, buses run according to their own schedule. Traffic starts at half past six in the morning, the last route leaves Heathrow at 21:40. For night travel there is a separate bus that arrives at Trafalgar Square. The price of the trip varies, may depend on the time of day and starts from £ 7. You can get acquainted with the route schedule.

shuttle

From Heathrow Airport to London and other cities in the UK can be reached by special shuttle buses. Services are provided by several transport companies: megabus.com, OxfordBus.co.uk. You can buy tickets at the box office at the bus station at Heathrow Airport (from 6:00 to 22:10), at ticket machines or online on the carrier's website. If you arrived at Terminal 5, you can find the ticket office inside the terminal, in the international arrivals area.

Shuttles stop at the central bus station at Heathrow Airport (Terminals 2 and 3); from stops 13 and 14 near terminal 4 on the arrivals level; from stops 9-15 near terminal 5 on the arrivals level.

Taxi

For a trip of a small group of people, it is more profitable to use a taxi. A licensed London taxi is located outside the terminals. Unlike private taxi drivers who can offer their services at the airport building, the official London taxi strictly monitors payment and mileage. All data is recorded by counters. The cost of a trip to the center starts from £ 46.

Car rental

Heathrow Airport is conveniently located near the London Ring Road. Therefore, for those tourists who need to get to other cities in the UK, you can use a car rental. Rental services are located in each terminal.

Heathrow Airport Terminals: London Airport Terminal Maps

The airport has 5 passenger terminals. Each of them has an impressive area and it can be difficult for an inexperienced traveler to figure out his route.

Terminals 1-4 are located close to each other and are grouped into a ring. Between terminals 1-3 there are short-term parking areas. The platform for the train is located in the same area.

Building 5 of the terminal is located at a distance from the others. It has a simpler structure, bordering on a large long-term car park. There is also an express train platform and a small hotel at the exit of the terminal area. Terminals 1-3 are connected by underground passages.

Airlines and flight destinations are clearly divided into terminals. So, terminal 1 serves everything domestic flights for the UK and Ireland. And only some European and long-haul flights pass through it.

Terminal 2 serves European destinations. Terminal 3 is responsible for long-haul flights to North and South America, Australia, as well as Asian and African countries. The rest of the flights are distributed on T4, and terminal 5 is used exclusively by companies british airways and Iberia.

Each of the Heathrow airport terminals is equipped with special machines for self-check-in. The arrivals and departures areas are always located on different floors of the terminal. You can get acquainted with the detailed diagrams of each of the terminals on the official website of the airport.

Additional services

The airport complex is huge and a significant part of the space here is reserved for providing additional service. Whatever terminal you happen to be in, here you can find not only standard services, but also find something to your liking while waiting for departure.

At Heathrow, there is a strong focus on religious passengers. On the territory of the complex there are prayer rooms and priests, Catholic services are held daily.

The services of personal comfort include showers, which are located in separate changing rooms.
If you need to change banknotes on any floor of each terminal, you can find a machine for issuing small change. They are located in the currency exchange offices.

The lounges in the terminals are spacious. Everywhere there are rooms with the distribution of Wi-Fi. At almost every level of the terminals, you can find several cafes or restaurants where you can have a good time. There is a post office in the second terminal.

Useful and pleasant additions are special tags at the airport, which are called Meeting points. These are points where it will always be convenient for passengers to arrange a meeting with each other.

Live music is played in some cafes at Heathrow Airport, the schedule of upcoming concerts can be viewed on the official website. Here you can also order additional goods, such as baby milk, which will be given to you after customs clearance before boarding.

For those who are waiting long transplant on the next flight suitable option will be a walk through the shops that are located on each floor of any of the terminals. When making a purchase, be sure to remember about the tax free service.

Free Taxi at Heathrow Airport, London

The question of how to get from Heathrow Airport to the center of London inevitably arises before every traveler, after landing the plane and going through all the necessary procedures at the airport.


Google Maps / google.ru

London Heathrow Airport is the largest of the four air gate capitals of Great Britain. It is located only 32 km. west of the city and get from it after arrival to central regions London can be in all known ways, that is:

  1. By taxi.
  2. By train.
  3. Metro.
  4. By bus.

In addition, you can rent a car here. Rental offices are located near the airport's online scoreboard. You can also book a car in advance through the website. For the convenience of orientation in the building of departing and vice versa arriving, there are racks with booklets, on which is placed detailed diagram airport with a clear description of what is located where, including bus stops and train platforms.

You can also navigate the Heathrow building online by opening the map on the airport's official resource.

It is possible to leave Heathrow for central London around the clock, but not every mode of transport is available at night.

How to go by taxi?

You can order a car using the Internet, using any of the services of companies providing taxi services in London, for example, through.

Leo S / flickr.com

Or you can just go to the exit of any terminal - everywhere there are kiosks painted in the color of the cabs themselves, with which you can either order a car to the city center or immediately book a taxi for the day of departure with a significant discount, of course, if you know for sure, from where the departure to the airport will be carried out.


The cost of a trip from Heathrow Airport to the city is on average 65-100 euros. For example, an economy class car pre-booked through services will cost 87 euros, regardless of the number of passengers.

The cost of a "live" taxi ordered at a kiosk near the terminal below, economy will cost about 60 euros. You won't have to wait long, as the cars are constantly "on duty" in the parking lots near the airport terminal. Of course, the car will drive up to the terminal from which it is ordered.

All providers of transportation services, both the city London taxi and other companies, announce the duration of the trip at half an hour. However, in fact, not a single taxi, even at night, reaches the central London streets in less than 40-45 minutes. And in the morning and evening hours, when the traffic flow is especially strong, a cab ride can take an hour or more.

David Holt / flickr.com

Therefore, if the speed of the trip is important, you should not rely on the announced promise of taxi drivers, besides, the express train is much cheaper, and the difficulty of movement due to traffic jams is not terrible for him at all.

The fare is 2.4 euros if paid to the driver when boarding, 1.4 euros when buying through a machine. When choosing a night bus as a way to get from Heathrow to London, you need to consider that the driver does not accept any payment options other than cash.

It is not for nothing that Heathrow is considered one of the most convenient international airports in the world - you can leave it and get to it around the clock, not only by taxi or hotel transfer, but also by transport.

by the most major airport London is Heathrow Airport ( Heathrow Airport). It is located 32 km west of central London. During the day, 190 thousand people fly in and out of different countries, and therefore it is considered the most "international" and the busiest airport in the world.

Heathrow Airport (2017) consists of four operating passenger terminals: Terminal 2,3,4,5. Terminal 1 has been closed since June 2015.

To make your journey hassle-free, find out which terminal you need before heading to Heathrow.

  • Terminals 2 And 3 located close to each other in the center of the airport.
  • Terminal 4 located in the southern part of the airport and has its own separate entrance.
  • Terminal 5 located in the western part of the airport and also has its own separate entrance.

You can get to London from Heathrow or vice versa in the following ways.

By train Heathrow Express (Heathrow Express)

This is the fastest and convenient way get to London. The journey from Terminal 1 at Heathrow to Paddington station in London takes just 15 minutes.

To get to the airport express stop, follow the signs that say Train or Heathrow Express.

A one-way ticket in economy class when bought online costs £22-25, a return ticket costs £37. Business class ticket price: £32 one way and £55 round trip.

Metro

The most common way is the subway. The Picadilly Line connects Heathrow Airport with the entire city's underground. A metro ride costs ₤5.50. On the way to the center you will spend about 45 minutes. Metro trains run every 2-4 minutes and run from 5 am to midnight.

The London Underground is divided into fare zones - Heathrow tube station is in zone 6. Signs in the airport terminal with the inscription underground help you find the metro station. The fare also depends on the type of ticket - a one-way ticket to central London costs £5.70, an Oyster Card costs £5, and other options are possible.

To travel, you will need to purchase an Oystercard, which is sold right at the entrance to the subway at the box office or in vending machines. For travel, you can use a regular bank card with a contactless form of payment (the one that you can simply attach to the turnstile). The cost of the trip will be deducted from the card exactly the same if you used the Oystercard.

By bus

Company buses National Express will take you to central station London Victoria (Victoria Coach Station) in about 1 hour. The fare starts from ₤6. Buses run from 5:30 to 21:40. We recommend buying tickets in advance online on the website, then you can use the minimum fare for this route.

Booking example:

By public bus

City buses run from Heathrow only at night when other transport is not running. Buses run approximately from 23:30 to 5:00. Night bus N9 will take you to trafalgar square for 1-1.5 hours, the fare will cost ₤1.40 if you pay with Oystercard (or bank card), or ₤2.40 if paid in cash to the driver.

Itinerary:

Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 - Compass Center - Heathrow Airport Central - Cranford - Hounslow West - Hounslow - Isleworth - Brentford - Turnham Green - Hammersmith - Kensington - Hyde Park Corner - Pall Mall - Aldwych

By taxi

Official taxi ranks are located near the exits of the terminals. There are signs to help you get to the parking lot. We do not recommend using the services of machines that do not have an official license. The approximate cost of a trip to central London by taxi from Heathrow is £60-£80. It is also customary to leave a 10-15% tip.

In addition, you can pre-order a transfer from a reliable KiwiTaxi company through the form below. You can choose a car of a suitable class and capacity in advance. The cost of this service is from 62 euros (£55) that for a company of 3-4 people is not so expensive, given all the amenities. The cost of a transfer from Heathrow Airport to London is fixed at the time of pre-order and does not increase under any circumstances: neither when the driver is waiting for a passenger, nor if you need to make a stop in a cafe, or because of traffic jams. The driver will meet you at the airport, as close to the arrivals area as the rules allow.

By rented car

Find cheap flights

If you have not yet purchased tickets to London, then right now you can use the convenient search form. All you need to do is enter your departure and destination and estimated travel dates, and then click "Find Flights". The flight search engine will select for you optimal route and will show the lowest price among airlines and ticketing agencies.

After leaving the aircraft, you need to follow the signs for the airport arrivals area (Arrivals) in order to go through passport control, baggage claim and airport customs. This procedure will typically take approximately 40 minutes, but may take longer during rush hour or busy holiday seasons.

Heathrow airport passport control

To facilitate the process of passing passport control There are two queues at Heathrow Airport - one is for citizens European Union(EU), and the second - for other passengers who are citizens of other countries. Please, try to prepare your passport and other necessary documents in advance.

Baggage claim point

Arriving at the baggage claim point, there is a monitor where you can find your flight, from where you will find out the number of the conveyor you need. For the convenience of transporting luggage, you can always use a trolley.

Customs

There is a blue exit at customs for EU citizens. In the case of passengers from other countries with goods to declare, the red exit must be used, and the green exit is provided for citizens of the same countries without the goods required for declaration.

Departure from Heathrow Airport

Registration

Since 2007, security measures at London Heathrow International Airport have been strengthened, which significantly increased the time it takes to pass control. As a result, it is recommended to check in for the flight in advance.

For more detailed information you can always contact your airline and it is still advisable to check in no later than three hours before departure for flights long distance and no later than two hours - for European flights (exception for flights within the UK and Ireland - 90 minutes).

What terminal are you flying from?

Before you go to Heathrow Airport, be sure to find out from which terminal you will be flying.

Terminals 1 and 3 are located compactly in the center of the airport close enough to each other.
Terminal 4 is located in the southern part of the airport and has a separate entrance.
Terminal 5 is located in the western part of the airport and also has its own separate entrance.

Useful security information at Heathrow Airport

Tourists who go to England ask the question: “How to get from Heathrow Airport to London?” Therefore, in this article I will show instructions on how to get cheaper, faster and more comfortably both to Heathrow Airport and from Heathrow Airport to the center of London.

Before starting your trip to London, follow these steps:

  • After booking a hotel, look at the maps Google Maps where is your hotel. If your hotel has not yet been booked, then it does not matter, on the Hotellook website you can choose one of 3000 hotels in London. Prices will be lower than booking, booking is free and hotels are available for any dates.
  • Use the London Public Transport website to get directions from Heathrow Airport to your hotel.
  • Be sure to write down the correct address of your hotel and download an offline map of London to your phone.

international Airport Heathrow Airport It is the UK's largest airport in terms of passenger traffic, main airport London, as well as the busiest airport in Europe. The airport is located 22 km west of the city center. You can see the location of the airport on the city map below.

Additional options

Get Directions Print Directions

The airport has 5 terminals. Terminals 1 and 3 are within walking distance of each other. Terminals 4 and 5 are served by the free Heathrow Express shuttle bus. If you don't know your terminal number, you can check it from the link on the official Heathrow website. It is at Heathrow Airport that British Airways and Aeroflot planes fly from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kyiv, Baku, etc.

First of all, after arrival, you need to remove local currency, pounds, at an ATM at the airport, because you can pay for transport and buy tickets only in local currency.

Heathrow Express fast train from Heathrow Airport to London

The fastest and easiest way to get from the airport to central London is by train, which is similar to our Aeroexpress train from Moscow airports. Train Heathrow Express will take you in 15 minutes from the airport to the center of London - London Paddington station, close to Hyde Park and the famous Oxford Street. The train follows non-stop and runs from 05:00 to 23:58 every day. Trains stop at all terminals except terminal 4. Therefore, if you arrive at terminal 4, you will need to go to terminal 1, 2, or 3 on the free shuttle bus.

The cost of a one-way ticket purchased in advance is 21.5 pounds, a two-way ticket is 35 pounds. Tickets can be bought online, at the railway station, or on the train itself. It's cheaper to buy tickets in advance online.

Heathrow Connect Train from Heathrow Airport to London

train train Heathrow Connect makes several stops along the way and follows from the airport to western region London via the following stops: Hayes & Harlington, Southall, Hanwell, West Ealing, Ealing Broadway, London Paddington. Travel time is 25 minutes. Trains run every 30 minutes from 04:40 to 23:00 every day.

The cost of a one-way ticket to the final station London Paddington is 10.1 pounds, a two-way ticket is 20.1 pounds (as you can see, the fare is cheaper than on the express train). A ticket to the final station can be bought online, tickets to other stations are available only at the box office at the railway station.

Metro from Heathrow Airport to London

From Heathrow Airport to London can be reached on the dark blue underground line Piccadilly Line. Travel time to central London is approximately 1 hour. There are 3 metro stations at Heathrow Airport (Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3; Heathrow Terminal 4; Heathrow Terminal 5). The metro operates from 05:00 to 23:45.

On the attached map of the London Underground, you can see that the city is divided into 9 tariff zones, the airport is included in the 6th tariff zone. Look for the airport in the lower left corner of the metro map.

The cost of a ticket to the center of London (zone 1) is 5.7 pounds. Tickets are bought in special vending machines (ticket machine) or in sales offices (ticket office).

Taxi from Heathrow Airport to London

The official taxis in London are the famous black cabs, which are located at the exit of the arrivals area. Please note that from 20:00 to 22:00 weekdays and higher rates apply all day on weekends. For a trip on holidays and at night (from 22:00 to 06:00), you will also have to pay at an increased rate.

The minimum amount payable for a taxi ride is £2.4. At the end of the trip, the passenger must pay the driver the amount indicated on the meter. For trips over 10 km, an increased fare applies. When booking a taxi by phone or online, a fee of 2 pounds is charged. When departing from Heathrow Airport, you will pay an additional £2.80.