Heathrow reigns supreme as the busiest airport in Europe, with 79.2 million passengers arriving and departing in 2023 and a variety of ways to get from the terminal gate to Aldgate (or Bishops Gate, Moorgate, New Gate, Ludgate – you get the idea). Here is a quick look at the cheapest, easiest and fastest ways to get from Heathrow to London.
Bus
Heathrow Central bus station is a short walk from Terminals 2 and 3; some routes also call at Terminals 4 and 5. This is a good option if you are staying in or near West London but otherwise you’ll need to plan another leg of your journey to get into town – with one exception.
Night buses
Buses with an ‘N’ before the number are night buses, and run between 23:40pm and 5:35am. You’re in luck if you’re on a late flight, as the N9 is the only bus route that goes straight into central London; stops include Hammersmith, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Green Park, Old Bond Street, Regent Street and Charing Cross.
Important: Transport for London (TfL) buses do not accept cash. You can use your contactless card or mobile, or buy either a Travelcard or a Visitor Oyster card. Also, on buses and trams you only need to touch in at the start of your journey; on tubes and trains you need to touch both in AND out, at the end of your journey as well (and using the same card/device – don’t touch in with your card and out with your phone) to ensure you pay the correct fare.
London buses do have a small bay opposite the central doors for wheelchair users; if this area is free, it can be used by passengers to stand with luggage or baby buggies. Buses on routes that terminate at an airport sometimes have slightly more space for luggage, but it’s very limited; a family with a suitcase each would struggle to find room. There is a shallow storage area opposite the stairs on double-decker buses designed for shopping, which could be used for smaller bags or folded buggies.
Price: £1.75
Pros: So cheap – also, an adventure! Ride at the front of the top deck and see the real London.
Cons: Not much room for luggage or buggies, cannot be booked so may be full, and slow; also subject to delays depending on traffic. Most routes terminate just outside West London; if you get the night bus, be prepared to encounter London nightlife at its most unfiltered.
Coach
For Terminals 2 and 3, the coaches leave from Heathrow Central bus station as above; Terminals 4 and 5 have coach stops just outside the terminals.
Most coaches will have luggage storage, free wi-fi, USB charging points, comfortable seats and toilets. There are a number of different operators to choose from, including major player National Express; check out the options here. Services go into Victoria Coach Station, which takes around an hour depending on traffic; it is then just a couple of minutes’ walk to Victoria Station’s tube and rail links.
Note: If you have people meeting you, make sure they know you are at Victoria Coach Station, NOT Victoria Bus Station – this is for TfL buses only.
Price: from £5.99 but likely to be closer to £10.00
Pros: Cheap(ish). Comfortable, good for late night/early morning arrivals.
Cons: Requires either booking in advance, or waiting for an available service; price can vary considerably depending on departure time. Vulnerable to traffic-related delays.
Onward travel
It may appear pretty basic, but Victoria Coach Station is actually pretty convenient for onward travel:
Bus: Bus numbers 11, 44, 170, 211, C1, C10, N11 and N44 stop right outside.
Tube: Victoria Tube station is just a 300 metre walk from Victoria Coach Station; it is on the Victoria, District and Circle lines.
Rail: Victoria rail station is also a 300m walk away.
Taxi: There is a taxi rank immediately outside the coach station on Eccleston Place.
Car: If someone is collecting you by car, there is a public car park next to the coach station on Semley Place. Parking meters are also available in nearby streets.
Underground
Piccadilly Line
Go underground (well, for some of the way) and take the dark blue line to zone 1. The service takes just under an hour into Central London and runs between 5am-23:30pm (with a night tube on Friday and Saturday nights); you should never have to wait more than ten minutes for a train. Stops include South Kensington, Hyde Park Corner, Leicester Square and King’s Cross; check the full details here.
Price: £5.60
Pros: Cheap. Feel like a proper Londoner. Convenient — regular services and no need to book. And you get to ride the famous Tube and hear the man say ‘Mind the Gap’ hundreds of times!
Cons: Time dependent — avoid this option at rush hour at all costs, unless you really like playing human Tetris with your face squashed into a commuter’s armpit. Not much space for your luggage and you may have to negotiate steps.
Elizabeth Line
Affectionally known as the Lizzie Line (and previously aka Crossrail), we’ve listed this under tubes rather than trains but it’s a bit of a hybrid. A large part of the network outside of London runs on National Rail lines, but inside TfL zones it operates the same as a tube. The journey from Heathrow to Paddington takes less than 30 minutes and tickets start from £12.80 if the journey involves Zone 1. Full details are here.
Price: £12.80
Pros: Reasonably cheap. Travel with the locals. Convenient — fast, regular services and no need to book. Comfortable – larger, air-conditioned carriages with more luggage space. Accessible, with step-free access to platform level as a minimum.
Cons: Again, avoid at rush hour.
Train
Feeling rich? Get comfy in spacious carriages on the Heathrow Express, a speedy link direct from Heathrow to the middle of London. You can bag slightly cheaper tickets by booking in advance from some providers.
Price: £25.00 on average.
Pros: Fast and direct to Paddington in just 15 minutes. Comfortable. Lots of luggage space.
Cons: Expensive – most of the time.
Top tip: On weekends, and if you book super early, the fare could be as low as £10.00.
Taxi – London black cab
A classic London experience to tick off your bucket list, with the added potential for a bit of banter with the driver. This is certainly not a cheap option, but it is convenient; you can pre-book black cabs, but there are taxi ranks outside every terminal at Heathrow so you shouldn’t need to. Depending on the time of day, a trip into central London should take between 30 minutes and an hour.
Price: Really variable, but plan to pay at least £60.00; more details here.
Pros: Convenient. Reasonably spacious, good storage for luggage, door-to-door service.
Cons: Expensive and subject to traffic delays – although black cabs can use bus lanes.
Uber/Bolt
If you’re travelling as a couple or as a family, then the otherwise expensive option of getting Uber starts to make a lot of sense. £35.00 compares very favourably to the £50.00 plus you would pay as a family of 2 adults and 2 kids on the Heathrow Express.
Price: From £35.00.
Pros: Minimal waiting, door to door service.
Cons: Expensive if travelling alone, a little challenging to find the pick-up point on your first trip to Heathrow. Remember to book a larger car if you are a family with a lot of luggage.
Private Transfer
If money is no object you can always book a private transfer from the airport, and enjoy searching for your name held up on one of those cards as you head out of customs. It’s definitely not the cheapest, it may not be the fastest, but it is the most boujie. Expect to pay north of £100.00.
This article was first published in July 2017. It was last updated in September 2024.
