Heathrow reigns supreme as the busiest airport in Europe, with almost 80.9 million passengers arriving and departing in 2019. 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 brief list of cheapest, easiest and fastest ways to get from Heathrow to London.

London Bus

Mingle with the charming West London locals and catch a big red double decker bus to Central London.

heathrow to london
Photo by Duncan H used under CC

Price: £1.50 with contactless card/Oyster
Pros: SO CHEAP. An adventure! Ride the top deck and see the real London.
Cons: Hardly any room for luggage. Takes ages to get anywhere.

Suggested Activity
Get Discounted Train Tickets
Get up to 34% off your Railcard. Use the code “cheapo” at checkout and the discount will be applied. Enjoy savings on European train tickets, too. ...

Piccadilly Line

Go underground (well, for some of the way) and take the dark blue line to zone 1.

london airports
Photo by Andy Walton used under CC

Price: £5.10 (peak), £3.10 (off peak), £6.00 (cash fare)
Pros: CHEAP. Feel like a proper Londoner. It’s easy—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 being jostled and jeered at by commuters. Not much space for your luggage.

Coach/Shuttle

(Provided by National Express)

If you don’t fancy riding the rails, then this is probably the best option for the open road, if you don’t mind getting up close and personal with a stranger.

Price: from £6.00
Pros: CHEAP (ish). Good for late night/early morning arrivals.
Cons: Requires either booking in advance, or waiting for an available service. Vulnerable to traffic-related delays.

Heathrow Express

www.heathrowexpress.com

Feeling rich? Get comfy in spacious carriages on this speedy link direct from Heathrow to the middle of London. You can bag slightly cheaper tickets by booking in advance from some providers.

Suggested Activity
Get Discounted Train Tickets
Get up to 34% off your Railcard. Use the code “cheapo” at checkout and the discount will be applied. Enjoy savings on European train tickets, too. ...

Price: £22.00 on average.
Pros: Fast and direct to Paddington. Comfortable. Lots of luggage space.
Pro’s secret: On weekends and if you book super early, the fare could be as low as £5.50.
Cons: EXPENSIVE—most of the time (I advise you to save the money for a lovely fish n’ chips instead).

Ride sharing

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. £30.00 compares very favourably to the £50.00 you would pay as a family of 2 adults and 2 kids on the Heathrow Express.

Price: From £30.00.
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.

Get all the info on what's on in London direct to your inbox every month

Recommended hotels located nearby