How to get to London from Heathrow

If you’re travelling to London internationally, chances are you’ll be landing at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) – a very fabulous airport, if we do say so ourselves. It’s the biggest airport in the UK and you can catch flights from here to basically everywhere! 

Getting to and from Heathrow, however, is a different story. Perhaps you’re a first time traveller feeling a little nervous, perhaps you just like to keep your transit quick and efficient – either way, here’s how to get to London from Heathrow.

Where in London is Heathrow Airport?

LHR is located in West London in Hounslow, right on the outskirts of the city, and it’s reachable through lots of different routes.

One of the greatest things about London is just how well connected it is! There’s public transport modes that can get you from A to B in NO TIME! The underground (or the tube, if you want to fit in!) , trains, the bus, iconic black London cabs, Uber, etc. There’s no shortage of options and it will take you no time to get where you need to go in Central London (or elsewhere).

To Railcard or not to Railcard?

Getting a railcard can cut your transportation costs by a significant amount, but you have to first buy the railcard, and depending on your journey it may or may not be worth it.

These are the railcard options to choose from:

• 16-25: £30 a year or £70 for 3 years

• 26-30: £30 a year

If you’re only quickly visiting London or the UK then it may not be worth it to buy a railcard, but if you’re going to be travelling around the country then it will save you some coin!

Public transport

Taking public transport to and from Heathrow and London will usually be your best option as they’re quick, frequent, and cheaper, and it’s also better for the environment! Here are some options.

Tip: When heading to Heathrow, pay attention to which terminal you need to get off at as the airport has multiple stations.

1. Heathrow Express train

The Heathrow Express train is the quickest way of getting to and from London to Heathrow as it’s a non-stop and very frequent service. 

Travel time: the Heathrow Express voyages between the airport and London Paddington train station is just 15 minutes!

Train frequency: Every 15 minutes, so it’s very reliable, though you can check the online timetable to get specific times and watch out for any delays.

Travel from: Paddington train station and the train will take you to all four of Heathrow’s departure terminals.

How much is the Heathrow Express: the Heathrow Express offers a Business First Class service, as well as a Standard one. The prices change accordingly, with Business Class costing around £32 and Standard Class costing around £25.

You can get a return ticket as well which will cost you £39 and £46 respectively!

Does a railcard work on Heathrow Express: Yes! You can use your railcard for the Heathrow Express to make it cheaper (usually £16-17 for Standard Class afterwards). 

Purchase methods: You can pre-book your tickets online, or you can buy tickets at the airport right before your journey!

2. London Underground

Taking the London Underground, aka the Tube, is a quick and easy way to get around the big city as virtually all routes become possible. To get to and from Heathrow you’ll want to get the Piccadilly Line. 

Travel time: 45 minutes on average. This can be made more or less long depending on which tube station you’re hopping off at. 

Train frequency: About every 5 minutes.

Travel from: Any Piccadilly line station!

How much is Transport for London (TFL): £5.60.

Purchase methods: You can purchase your journey in a few different ways:

• Contactless bank card
• Paper tickets
• Travel cards
• Oyster card

Can I buy an Oyster card at Heathrow Airport? Yes! You can buy or top up your Oyster card at the Tube station cashier window using cash or a credit/debit card.

3. The Elizabeth Line

London’s newest addition to underground travel, the Elizabeth Line is half tube, half train, and it offers very fast travel to and from London to Heathrow.

Travel time: 30 minutes from Paddington station! The Elizabeth Line is one of the fastest travel options for getting to London from Heathrow.

Train frequency: Every 10 minutes. All trains stop at Terminals 2 and 3, 2 stop at Terminal 4, and 2 stop at Terminal 5.

Travel from: Any stop on the Elizabeth Line which can connect you to Central London all the way to Essex.

How much is the Elizabeth Line: £12.80.

Purchase method: You can purchase your tickets for the Elizabeth Line with the same purchase methods as the London Underground:

• Contactless bank card
• Paper tickets
• Travel cards
• Oyster card

4. Coach

Another way to get from London to Heathrow is to take a coach.

Coach options: The most popular coach choices to get to and from the airport are National Express or Megabus.

Travel time: 40 minutes to 70 minutes.

Travel frequency: Every hour – these coach services run around the clock, with the first departure usually around 2am and last departure at 12am.

Travel from: Victoria Coach station!

How much is a coach to Heathrow: £7-9.

Purchase method: You can purchase coach tickets in advance online!

Advantages of coach travel:

• Guaranteed seat
• Free onboard wifi
• Plenty of room for luggage

5. Bus

If you’re travelling from Central London your bus route may be long and consist of many changes, however if you’re heading South, you can take the Superloop!

Travel time: About 1 hour 40 minutes depending on traffic.

Travel frequency: Every 8-20 minutes.

Travel from: You’ll want to take the SL7 Route which goes from Croydon to Heathrow, stopping in Sutton, Worcester Park, Kingston, Teddington, and Hatton Cross.

How much is the superloop to Heathrow: £1.75!

Purchase method: You can buy your ticket directly on the bus with credit/debit or contactless card, or your Oyster card.

Private transport

If you’re under any time constraints or would like to travel in comfort and style, you can take a number of private transport options to get you from Heathrow to London. 

1. Taxi

London is of course known for its iconic black cabs, and other taxi services will be available to pick you up at the airport terminal to take you where you need. Plenty of taxi services exist as well like Uber and Addison Lee, so you can hail or pre-book them upon arrival.

Travel time: 50 minutes (assuming you’re driving into Central London and depending on traffic).

Travel from: Right from the airport terminal! And they’ll take you anywhere you need.

How much is a taxi from Heathrow: £50-120 depending on the distance and specific service.

Purchase method: You can pay for your transport in a number of different ways:

• Cash if it’s a traditional taxi
• Credit or debit card if pre-booking through an app or online

Note: Your taxi service fees can become higher depending on the time of travel, the amount of people travelling, and the amount of luggage so make sure to take this into account if you have a specific budget.

2. Private car

If you’re not too tired after your flight, feel free to drive yourself into London! There are plenty of car rental companies available for you to use in Heathrow terminals.

Travel time: 50 minutes (assuming you’re driving into Central London and depending on traffic).

Travel from: Right from the airport terminal! And they’ll take you anywhere you need.

How much is car hire: The prices for car hire can depend on the company and the car, but typically the average price per day is £60.

Congestion charges: London is a heavily congested city and ULEZs (Ultra Low Emission Zone) are put into place. The extra fee for a day is around £15. 

Accessible transport

London is a pretty accessible city, and most attractions and things to do in London are as well. However if you are a traveller with extra accessibility needs here are a few things to keep in mind.

• Heathrow Airport’s staff are dedicated to helping you get around the facilities and you can find extra assistance to plan your trip on their accessibility page.
• The Heathrow Express and London Black cabs all offer step-free access and accommodate wheelchair users.
• Not all London underground stations have lifts or step-free access, so make sure to check your route and adjust where needed. You can find TfL’s (Transport for London) accessibility page for more information.

Navigation apps

If you need any help figuring out your route to your hotel before your Contiki departure (or other less cool holidays), these are a few apps that can be of use:

• Citymapper
• TfL Go App
• Tube Map

What to do in London?

Well, now that you’re here, you may as well get to some sightseeing! Even if you only have 24 hours in London before your next trip, there’s plenty to do. 

• Visit Buckingham Palace and get yourself some royal souvenirs
• Take a stroll through one of the city’s beautiful parks
• Catch a play in the West End
• Sample some of London’s best street food and markets – yum!
• Or check out the vibrant nightlife and rooftop bars!

How do I get to Camden from Heathrow Airport?

Camden is a great place to start your London adventure as it’s filled with delicious food markets, and it has a vibrant and youthful atmosphere. To get there from Heathrow you can take a few routes, though the fastest is the following:

• Elizabeth line from Heathrow Airport
• Get off at Tottenham Court Road
• Change onto the Northern line (northbound)
• Hop off at Camden Town station

And you’re there!