Arrival and transport

Heathrow Airport to central London

Terminals, the rail, Tube, coach and taxi links into London with their operators, and step-free notes. Times and fares appear only as the airport or operator states them, with the date we read them.

Facts last checked 1 Nov 2026. Britlens is independent: see our editorial policy.

Heathrow Terminal 5 departures hall
Photo: CedarGlen86, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
Long, bright arrivals hall at Heathrow Terminal 5 with travellers and shops
Long, bright arrivals hall at Heathrow Terminal 5 with travellers and shopsPhoto: Mr Ignavy, CC BY-SA 2.0
Passengers with luggage waiting at the transit train platform in Heathrow Terminal 5C
Passengers with luggage waiting at the transit train platform in Heathrow Terminal 5CPhoto: Richard Cooke, CC BY-SA 2.0

Is it operating?

Heathrow's own transport pages were read on 1 November 2026. They list train, Tube, bus and coach, taxi and car options, a journey planner, and a notice about changes to Terminal 4.1

Terminals and stations

Heathrow's rail pages name three stations: one between Terminals 2 and 3 (reached through a pedestrian subway), one below Terminal 4 arrivals and one in the basement of Terminal 5. All three are in Travelcard Zone 6.2,3

Into central London

  • Heathrow Express. Operator: Heathrow Express. Non-stop between London Paddington, Terminals 2 and 3, and Terminal 5. Heathrow Express says Paddington to Terminals 2 and 3 takes 15 minutes, Terminal 5 a further five minutes, with trains every 15 minutes. For Terminal 4, change at Terminals 2 and 3 to the free transfer train. On 1 November 2026 its fare table showed a standard single at £26 and return at £42, with advance singles from £10 when booked at least 30 days ahead.4,5 Official page for Heathrow Express (opens in new tab)
  • Elizabeth line. Operator: Transport for London. Serves all three Heathrow stations and runs through central London, calling at Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street and Stratford. Heathrow says journeys to central London take under 40 minutes. Its page lists six trains an hour from Terminals 2 and 3, four from Terminal 4 and two from Terminal 5 (a pattern dated from 22 May 2023). Pay with contactless or Oyster; on 1 November 2026 Heathrow said fares start from £13.90 for journeys to or from the airport that start, end or pass through Zone 1.5,2 Official page for Elizabeth line (opens in new tab)
  • Piccadilly line (Tube). Operator: Transport for London. Serves all Heathrow terminals, with direct trains to stations including Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and King's Cross St Pancras. Heathrow calls it the most affordable option and says the journey to central London takes about 50 minutes, with no more than ten minutes' wait for a train. On 1 November 2026 its page listed an off-peak fare to Zone 1 from £5.90; check TfL for today's fare. The Night Tube runs on Friday and Saturday nights but does not serve Terminal 4; the N9 night bus runs from Terminal 5 and Heathrow Central bus station.5,3 Official page for Piccadilly line (Tube) (opens in new tab)
  • Bus and coach. Operator: Several operators. Heathrow says its coach network has direct routes to many UK towns and cities and that some local bus routes run 24 hours a day. Its pages name no central London coach times, so use Heathrow's journey planner.6 Official page for Bus and coach (opens in new tab)
  • Taxi. Operator: Licensed taxis and minicabs. Heathrow has a taxi and minicab page; it quotes no fares or times.1 Official page for Taxi (opens in new tab)

For fares and city passes, see local transport. For live disruption, use the travel status links. Just landed? Our first 24 hours guide covers money, phones and getting around.

Step-free access

Heathrow's accessible travel page says the Heathrow Express and Elizabeth line stations have unaided wheelchair access across the concourse, accessible barriers and train doors level with the platform, and that Heathrow's Underground stations have step-free access to the platforms. It warns that long-distance coaches may not be wheelchair-accessible and that some stations elsewhere on the network are not fully accessible, so check the rest of your route with TfL.7

Assistance and accessibility

Heathrow asks you to request assistance from your airline, travel agent or tour operator at least 48 hours before you fly.8

Airport assistance information (opens in new tab). More on getting around with a disability: accessible travel.

In our guides

Official site

Heathrow Airport official website (opens in new tab)1

Other airports

Other London airports: Gatwick Airport, Stansted Airport, Luton Airport, London City Airport. Elsewhere: Manchester Airport, Birmingham Airport, Bristol Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, East Midlands Airport, Leeds Bradford Airport, Newcastle International Airport, Edinburgh Airport, Glasgow Airport, Aberdeen International Airport, Inverness Airport, Belfast International Airport, George Best Belfast City Airport, Cardiff Airport, Cornwall Airport Newquay, Exeter Airport, Southampton Airport, Bournemouth Airport, London Southend Airport, Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Kirkwall Airport, Sumburgh Airport, Stornoway Airport. The airports hub lists them all.

Sources

Pages we opened and read on 1 Nov 2026, and sites we could not read. Timetables, fares and rules change: check the source before you travel.

  1. Transport and directions (opens in new tab), Heathrow Airport.
  2. Elizabeth line (opens in new tab), Heathrow Airport.
  3. London Underground (Piccadilly line) (opens in new tab), Heathrow Airport.
  4. Heathrow Express (opens in new tab), Heathrow Airport.
  5. By rail or train (opens in new tab), Heathrow Airport.
  6. By coach or bus (opens in new tab), Heathrow Airport.
  7. Accessible travel (opens in new tab), Heathrow Airport.
  8. Assistance and accessibility (opens in new tab), Heathrow Airport.