Heathrow reigns supreme as the busiest airport in Europe, with 79.2 million passengers arriving and departing in 2023. As such, there are 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.
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. Buses with an ‘N’ before the number are night buses, and run between 23:40pm and 05:35am. 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.
Price: £1.75
Pros: SO CHEAP. Also, an adventure! Ride at the front of the top deck and see the real London.
Cons: Hardly any room for luggage, 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; 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.
Underground
Piccadilly Line
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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
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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 – and is charged – the same as a tube. The journey from Heathrow to Paddington takes less than 30 minutes. Full details are here.
Price: £5.60
Pros: 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
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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
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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
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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.