On this page we give you your options for travelling between London and Heathrow airport - by train, underground, coach, taxi and private transfer.
Getting to london heathrow airport by road: the airport is 14 miles (21 kms) to the west of central London. Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are close together in the centre of Heathrow and can be reached via the M4 Junction 4, M25 Junction 15 and the A4 (local road). Terminal 4 is on the south side of Heathrow and is reached via the M4 Junction 3, M25 Junction 14 or the A30 (local road).
For a map of the airport and surrounding area click here. To zoom in further just click on the area of the map you want to enlarge.
For excellent turn by turn directions we recommend the free route planner provided by the AA. Click on this link to jump to the AA website.
Getting to london heathrow airport on public transport:
Trains: You now have 3 options - the Heathrow Express, Heathrow Connect and Piccadilly Line.
The Heathrow Express train service runs between Heathrow and London Paddington station. The journey time between Paddington and 1, 2, and 3 is 15 minutes, or 23 minutes from terminal 4. Trains leave every 15 minutes and run 365 days a year between 05:20 until 23:30. Standard class tickets cost £14 single or £25 return and are £2 extra if purchased on the train. Visit www.heathrowexpress.com or telephone +44 (0)845 600 1515).
The new Heathrow Connect rail service (launched 12.06.05) is a mult-stoping train service connecting Paddington and Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Trains run every 30 minutes, starting at Paddington with stops at Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Hanwell, Southall and Hayes & Harlington and then Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 & 3 (and vice versa). Passengers for Terminal 4 can, at the end of the line, simply change to the Heathrow Express. The total journey time between Paddington to Heathrow is about 25 minutes. Ticket costs are expensive - the 6 minute journey between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow costs £6 single. The full journey (Heathrow - Paddington) costs just £9.50, compared to £14 on the Heathrow Express.
The airport is also on the Piccadilly Line, which can take passengers into central London, via Knightsbridge, Green Park, Leicester Square and King's Cross underground stations. Tubes run every five minutes at peak times and every nine minutes off-peak between 05:00 - 23:30, but the journey is long. Expect it to take between 45 - 70 minutes. The one-way fare to central London is £3.80.
Coaches: the airport bus station is signposted from all terminal. The airbus runs a regular service to central London, stopping at several bus stops to the west of London on the way. In addition, many of the national coach networks including National Express run from the airport to various destinations.
Private transfer: a number of companies run private and shared mini-bus transfers between Heathrow and London. The best we know about is Viator, who offer both 'private car transfer' and an 'airport shuttle' (shared minibus).
Taxi (black cab): the most expensive method, expect to pay between £40 - £55 plus tip to central London and a journey time of between 45 - 70 minutes depending on the traffic.
