London · United Kingdom
LHR — Heathrow
Four terminals, two of them a train ride from the others
Heathrow is the busiest airport in Europe by international passengers and it is laid out in a way that rewards knowing which terminal you are using before you arrive. Two of the four sit together; the other two are separate enough that getting between them is a journey.
It is also one of the best-connected airports anywhere for onward rail, with three distinct ways into central London at three different price points and speeds. Choosing between them is mostly a question of how much luggage you have and how much of a hurry you are in.
Terminals and how they connect
Terminals 2 and 3
Together in the Central Terminal Area, joined by a pedestrian walkway. Terminal 1 closed in 2015 and its site has been absorbed, so the numbering skips.
Terminal 4
On the south side of the airport and reached from the central area by a free rail transfer or a shuttle bus. It is not walkable from anywhere else.
Terminal 5
To the west, with its own station and satellite buildings connected by an internal automated shuttle. Also a free rail transfer from the central area, and again not walkable.
Getting into London
Times below are realistic ranges rather than best cases. Rail journeys keep to a timetable; road journeys do not, and treating the two the same is how people miss flights.
Heathrow Express
15 to 20 minutes to Paddington
Non-stop to Paddington, the fastest way in and the most expensive by a wide margin. Trains run every fifteen minutes from the central terminals and Terminal 5; Terminal 4 requires a change.
Elizabeth line
30 to 45 minutes to central London
The best-value choice for most people. It runs through Paddington and on to Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Liverpool Street, so it often lands you closer to your hotel without a further change, at a fraction of the Express fare.
Piccadilly line
50 to 70 minutes to central London
The cheapest option, on the Underground, with frequent stops. Fine with light luggage and dispiriting with a large case at rush hour. Serves all terminals and runs late.
Taxi or ride-hailing
45 minutes to well over 90
Metered black cabs and ride-hailing both operate. Expensive relative to the trains, subject to the M4 and the Congestion Charge zone, and rarely faster than the Elizabeth line into the centre.
Connecting through LHR
If both flights are in the same terminal, Heathrow is straightforward and the transfer corridors are well signed. If they are not, the picture changes: a move between the central terminals and Terminal 4 or 5 means a rail or bus transfer plus a fresh security screening, and an hour is not generous. Heathrow's published minimum connection times reflect this, and itineraries sold as a single ticket will have respected them — but a self-assembled pairing on two separate tickets may not, and nobody will rebook you if the first leg runs late.
Worth knowing before you fly
Contactless beats buying a travelcard
Tapping a contactless bank card or phone works on the Elizabeth line, the Underground and London buses, with automatic daily capping. Queueing to buy an Oyster card on arrival costs you time and gains you nothing.
Check your terminal the day before
Airlines move between terminals more often than you would expect, and arriving at the wrong one costs you the better part of an hour. The terminal on your booking confirmation is worth re-checking against the airport's own departures board before you set off.
Immigration can be slow at peak arrival times
Mid-morning brings a concentrated wave of long-haul arrivals. Electronic gates handle many passports and move quickly, but if you have an onward connection allow more than the theoretical minimum.
Terminal assignments, transit timetables and fares all change. Confirm the details that matter to your trip with the airport or transport operator before you travel.
Routes through LHR
Flying to London
FAQ
LHR — common questions
Terminals, transfers and getting into the city.
What is the cheapest way from Heathrow into London?
The Piccadilly line on the Underground is the cheapest, taking 50 to 70 minutes into the centre with frequent stops. The Elizabeth line is the better balance for most people: substantially quicker at 30 to 45 minutes, far cheaper than the Heathrow Express, and it stops at several central stations so you often avoid an onward change. Pay by tapping a contactless card rather than buying a ticket or an Oyster.
Which Heathrow terminals are connected?
Terminals 2 and 3 are joined by a walkway in the Central Terminal Area. Terminals 4 and 5 are separate and each needs a free rail transfer or shuttle bus from the central area, taking roughly 10 to 20 minutes plus waiting. Neither is walkable from the others.
How much time do I need to connect at Heathrow?
Within one terminal, an hour to ninety minutes is usually comfortable. Between the central terminals and Terminal 4 or 5, allow at least two hours, because you have the transfer, a fresh security screening and a long walk at the far end. If you are booking two separate tickets rather than one connecting itinerary, add a much bigger buffer, because a missed connection is then entirely your problem.
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