Heathrow is west of London, with three rail services, buses and taxis to choose from for your journey into town. The fare difference is substantial: the Underground costs £5.90, while Heathrow Express costs £26.
Planning a last minute trip to London? 🇬🇧
Here are my favourite places to stay & things to do in the British capital.
🛌 Places to Stay:
1. The Savoy is one of the city's best and most well-known luxury hotels
2. Sea Containers and Canopy by Hilton are both incredible hotels, but the price isn't too bad
3. Park Plaza Westminster Bridge is a good, family-friendly hotel near the London Eye
4. Zedwell Piccadilly Circus is a cheap, no-thrills hotel in the heart of London
🎟️ Top Activities & Tours:
1. Visit the impressive Harry Potter Studios (remember to book tickets well in advance, as they always sell out)
2. Experience a musical in the West End (see showtimes and buy tickets here)
3. Take a boat trip on the Thames and see London from the riverside
4. Visit the iconic London Eye and the impressive Tower of London
Fares increased in March 2026, so many older guides are out of date. The Elizabeth line now costs £15.50, and the Piccadilly line is closed on several weekends this autumn.
- Prices below are in pounds sterling. I’ll cover the options, journey times and what I’d choose for different trips.
Contents
First: which terminal are you arriving at?
Heathrow has four terminals in use: Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5. For example, SAS flights from Copenhagen arrive at Terminal 2, while British Airways flights from Copenhagen and Billund arrive at Terminal 5. You can check your flight on Heathrow’s terminal finder.
Terminals 2 and 3 share a station, while Terminals 4 and 5 have their own. This affects how often trains run, as I’ll explain for each service.
1. Elizabeth line
The Elizabeth line is my first choice for most people. The purple trains run from every terminal directly through central London, so you can get off at Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon or Liverpool Street without changing.
From Terminals 2 and 3, it takes around 28 minutes to Paddington, 31 minutes to Bond Street, 33 minutes to Tottenham Court Road and just under 40 minutes to Liverpool Street. Add a few minutes from Terminals 4 and 5.
Prices and tickets
A journey to zone 1 costs £15.50 at any time of day. Journeys between Heathrow and zone 1 are always charged at the peak rate; TfL’s fares page explains the rules.
You don’t need to buy a ticket in advance. Tap your bank card or phone on the yellow reader when you enter, then tap out when you leave.
Departures and closures
There are six trains an hour from Terminals 2 and 3, four from Terminal 4 and two from Terminal 5. The first train towards London leaves shortly after 05:00 Monday to Saturday and shortly before 06:00 on Sundays. The last leaves around midnight. Check Heathrow’s Elizabeth line page for times.
On Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November 2026, the section between Paddington and Heathrow is closed. A closure is also planned from 26 to 30 December. For travel on those dates, check TfL’s planned closures list first.
2. Piccadilly line (the Underground)
The Piccadilly line is the cheapest way into town. The dark blue line runs from every terminal directly to Earl’s Court, South Kensington, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Covent Garden and King’s Cross St Pancras, among other stops.
Allow around 40 minutes to Earl’s Court, 50 minutes to Piccadilly Circus and 55 minutes to King’s Cross St Pancras. The trains are small, with limited suitcase space, so rush hour can feel cramped. TfL expects the first new trains on the line to enter service between December 2026 and June 2027.
Prices and tickets
A journey to zone 1 costs £5.90 at any time. It’s cheaper if you aren’t travelling as far as zone 1. Pay by tapping your card or phone at the gates, as on the Elizabeth line.
Autumn 2026 closures
The Piccadilly line is being upgraded for its new trains, closing the Heathrow branch on several weekends:
- Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October 2026: No trains between Hammersmith and Heathrow.
- Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November 2026: The entire line is closed.
- Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November 2026: No trains between Hammersmith and Heathrow.
Further Heathrow weekend closures are planned in 2027, including 30 to 31 January, 6 to 7 March and Easter, from 26 to 29 March. The Elizabeth line is the obvious alternative on those dates.
Departures and Night Tube
On normal operating days, the first train towards London leaves shortly after 05:00 and the last around 23:45, a little earlier on Sundays. Trains run at least every ten minutes. You’ll find terminal-specific times on Heathrow’s Underground page.
On Friday and Saturday nights, the Piccadilly line runs all night, with around six trains an hour. The Night Tube serves Terminals 2 and 3 and Terminal 5, but not Terminal 4. It doesn’t run on weekends when the line is closed.
3. Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express is the fastest service, but only goes to Paddington. The non-stop train takes 15 minutes from Terminals 2 and 3 and around 21 minutes from Terminal 5, with departures every 15 minutes. From Terminal 4, first take the free train to Terminals 2 and 3.
Prices and tickets
A single costs £26 and a return £42. You can tap your bank card at the gates, but you’ll pay the full £26 fare. Book at least 30 days ahead and tickets are available from £10; see Heathrow Express’ fares.
You can buy a Heathrow Express ticket here, ready on your phone when you land.
Children aged 15 and under travel free with a paying adult, but still need a free ticket.
I only think Heathrow Express is worth the money if you’re staying near Paddington, travelling with children or have found a cheap advance ticket. The Elizabeth line reaches the same station in around 28 minutes for £15.50 and continues through central London.
Departures and journey time
The first train from Heathrow leaves shortly after 05:00 and the last shortly before midnight. From Paddington, the first leaves around 04:35 Monday to Saturday and 04:55 on Sundays; the last leaves at 23:25.
4. National Express coach to Victoria
National Express runs from Heathrow to Victoria Coach Station around the clock, with up to 77 departures a day. Fares start at £11.20, and journeys take from 40 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on traffic.
Coaches leave from Central Bus Station between Terminals 2 and 3, and stops outside Terminals 4 and 5. You can bring one large suitcase and one item of hand luggage. Book with National Express.
The coach makes most sense for a stay in Victoria or Pimlico, or an arrival in the middle of the night.
5. N9 night bus
For a weekday overnight arrival when the Underground isn’t running, the N9 is the cheap option. It runs roughly every 30 minutes between 23:40 and 05:35 from Terminal 5 and Central Bus Station, via Hammersmith, Kensington, Hyde Park Corner and Piccadilly Circus to Trafalgar Square and Aldwych.
Trafalgar Square takes around an hour and a half. The fare is £1.75, rising to £1.85 from 1 November 2026. You can’t pay cash on the bus, so use your bank card. The N9 doesn’t serve Terminal 4.
6. Taxis and Uber
Black cabs wait outside every terminal and use a meter. TfL’s estimate for a journey between Heathrow and central London is £61 to £114 and 30 to 60 minutes. That estimate predates the April 2026 fare increase, so budget a little more, and allow at least an hour at rush hour.
Uber and other app-booked cars can’t collect you outside the terminals. You’ll need to walk to your terminal’s short-stay car park; the app shows the exact meeting point. An Uber into the centre typically costs £40 to £70. Heathrow explains the rules on its pick-up page.
For your return journey, Heathrow charges £7 each time a car enters a terminal drop-off zone. This also applies to taxis and Uber, so the charge usually ends up on your bill.
Private transfer
For a driver waiting in arrivals, you can book a private transfer from Heathrow here. Prices start at around £41 per person, agreed before you travel.
How to pay
You don’t need an Oyster card or paper ticket. Contactless Visa and Mastercard work at the gates on the Elizabeth line, Underground and Heathrow Express, and on buses, as do Apple Pay and Google Pay. TfL’s contactless payment page explains which overseas cards work.
Use the same card or device throughout the day. Each person needs their own card, and your bank may charge a foreign transaction fee.
TfL has a daily fare cap: at most £16.30 a day for zones 1 to 6 and £8.90 for zones 1 and 2. Heathrow Express isn’t included in the cap.
An Oyster card has a non-refundable £10.50 fee, so a bank card is the simplest option for most people. Children under 11 travel free on the Underground and Elizabeth line with a paying adult, up to four children per adult.
Which option should you choose?
Here’s what I’d recommend for the most common situations:
For most people: Take the Elizabeth line. It costs £15.50, goes directly to Paddington, Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road, and has plenty of suitcase space.
For the lowest fare: Take the Piccadilly line for £5.90. It’s also the best choice for a stay in South Kensington, near Covent Garden or near King’s Cross, with no need to change trains.
For Paddington in a hurry: Heathrow Express takes 15 minutes. Buy well ahead to avoid paying £26.
Travelling with children: Children aged 15 and under travel free on Heathrow Express; children under 11 travel free on the Underground and Elizabeth line.
Arriving overnight: The Night Tube runs on Friday and Saturday nights. On other nights, use the N9 night bus or National Express.
For three or four people with lots of luggage: A taxi or private transfer takes you to the door, and the price per person can approach that of Heathrow Express.
Practical tips for getting from Heathrow to London
Check weekend closures. Both the Piccadilly and Elizabeth lines have planned autumn and winter closures. Check the list before choosing your transport.
Travel free between terminals. The Elizabeth line, Heathrow Express and Piccadilly line are free between Heathrow stations. You still need to tap a card at the gates or collect a free transfer ticket from a machine.
Choose your hotel with the connection in mind. Near Paddington, both the Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express are on your doorstep. You can see places to stay near Paddington here.
Taking an early flight? A night near the airport can save a very early start. You can see places to stay near Heathrow here.
For help choosing a neighbourhood, I’ve written a guide to where to stay in London. You can find ideas for your trip in my guide to things to do in London.
Video: my London travel guide
I’ve also made a full London video guide on my YouTube channel, Destination Well Known. It’s in English, and you can watch it here before your trip.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
Psst 👀 Have you subscribed to my Youtube channel and my Instagram where I provide more useful travel tips?