I'm somebody who moved from abroad to come live in the UK which means I am frequently visiting home and flying out of London Airports.
Because this topic is so popular, I decided to write an entire blog post as a guide for the best way to get from Heathrow Airport to central London.
I'll include the London Underground's Piccadilly Line, the Elizabeth Line, and Heathrow Express, as well as public buses, taxis, ride shares, and more.
Since I have been travelling to and from Heathrow over the last 20 years, I've used every single one of these options and I'm here to give you my honest reviews!
In my opinion, when it comes to travelling to/from Heathrow Airport, it boils down to a matter of weighing up time vs. cost.
I've also noticed that the best or fastest option depends greatly on your final destination.
In the video below, I, Margaret, a tour guide with Tours by Foot London, go over the pros and cons of each mode of transport:
I have sprinkled shorter snippets of my video in each section.
The Quick Answers
The London Underground is the cheapest way to travel, and through the years has been the option I've utilised the most.
But it can take over an hour to get into central London, and even longer depending on the location of your hotel.
For example, I live near King's Cross so it takes me about 90 minutes, but when I lived in Earl's Court, it took just under an hour.
As an aside - Earl's Court has a lot of hotels so many of my guests are staying there which is why I wanted to specifically mention it to you.
I loved living there because it's so well connected to the rest of the city so if you are considering a hotel there, go for it!
The Heathrow Express is (almost) always the fastest way to travel, getting me into central London in just 15 minutes, but it comes with a cost of £37.00 round trip.
(Although I have found a way to get cheaper tickets which I will share with you below!)
The Elizabeth Line is often a compromise between the London Underground and the Heathrow Express, costing between £12.30 and £18.30 each way and taking 30-35 minutes.
A Black Cab or a hired car is the easiest way to travel, with convenient pick-up points, baggage assistance, and hotel drop-off, but you'll pay for it - over £100.00 in most cases.
This is the option I'll use if I have an older relative coming to visit or somebody with mobility issues.
Otherwise, I don't think it's worth the cost.
Now, on to the full details!
How to Get from Heathrow to London?
Spread over 5 terminals, London Heathrow Airport is one of the most modern and most visited airports in the UK and the entire world.
It has nearly 200,000 passengers passing through every single day!
And sometimes I feel like we are all there at the same time...
The majority of people visiting London from outside of Europe will arrive at Heathrow.
Gatwick Airport is slowly becoming more popular but Heathrow is still number one, in my experience.
As a result of its stature and importance, there are a number of ways to travel to and from the airport.
When I'm trying to decide how to get there, my decision usually depends on the time of day, if I am travelling by myself or with somebody else, how much luggage I have, and, of course, how much I want to spend.
London Underground
By far the most affordable way to get to and from Heathrow Airport.
I also find it pretty easy because it runs through all Heathrow terminals as well as straight through the centre of London.
So, no matter where I am living/visiting, it's easy to make a connection to any other tube or Overground line.
Use Google Maps and input the address of your final destination for directions and travel time from Heathrow.
Travel time on the Tube is roughly 45 minutes to central London.
Because I now live in the northern edge if the city, it's longer for me but I don't have to change trains at any point so that makes this one of the most convenient options for me.
Piccadilly line trains run out of the Heathrow Airport underground stations from Mondays to Thursdays from 5:00 to 23:00.
This is super helpful, as I am one of those people who likes to get to the airport quite early, so I know I can always make it there well beforehand.
On Fridays and Saturday nights (or early Saturday and Sunday mornings), there is what’s called the Night Tube.
Trains run 24 hours a day roughly every 10 minutes to and from Heathrow, with the exception of Terminal 4 - but I can still get there through shuttle transfers at the airport if I need to.
In the video below, I explain the pros and cons of taking the Underground from Heathrow Airport.
Ticket prices from Zone 1 to Heathrow are £6.70 for a cash-bought paper ticket and £5.60 for Oyster Cards or Contactless Cards.
I personally don't even own an Oyster Card anymore (and neither do any of my friends) because these days I can just use my contactless debit card or Apple Pay.
If you want more information on that, I wrote a post detailing all the ways to pay for the London Underground.
It's ALWAYS cheaper to travel contactless or with Oyster.
I honestly can't remember the last time I bought a paper ticket and there is no need for you to do it when you visit.
This is definitely the cheapest option from Heathrow to London.
| Zones Traveled | Single Adult Ticket - Cash | Single Adult Ticket - Contactless or Oyster | Single Child Ticket (11-15) - Cash | Single Child Ticket - Contactless or Oyster |
| 1 | £6.70 | £5.60 | £3.30 | £0.95 |
| 1-2 | £6.70 | £5.60 | £3.30 | £0.95 |
| 1-3 | £6.70 | £5.60 | £3.30 | £0.95 |
| 1-4 | £6.70 | £5.60 | £3.30 | £0.95 |
| 1-5 | £6.70 | £5.60 | £3.30 | £0.95 |
| 1-6 | £6.70 | £5.60 | £3.30 | £0.95 |
Do you see what I mean about it being cheaper for Contactless cards?
Journey times vary depending on where your hotel is but from Green Park in the centre of Zone 1 the ride to Heathrow takes just under an hour.
I like to use Green Park as a reference point because it's right in the centre of the city.
Personally, I live about 20 minutes away on the Underground from Green Park so it takes me a bit longer but it's still my most-chosen option.
I also like that Piccadilly Line trains are quite frequent so I never have to wait long for one to come.
As I say, I use my contactless card to pay but a lot of people on our Travel Tips Facebook group prefer to use an Oyster card while they are here so they don't have to take out - and potentially lose - their credit/debit cards.
Also I know some banks charge international fees so Oyster could be a good way to avoid that.
If you decide get an Oyster card, and you are an early planner like me, you can get your Oyster Card or travel card before you travel.
But I have also bought them for guests at the airport itself from the very easy-to-use machines so don't panic if you haven't ordered yours ahead of time!
Even though I find this one of the easiest options, there are some things to consider, such as the potential for navigating long halls and stairs if you have to transfer between Underground trains, etc.
I travel heavy and usually have a lot of luggage, but there is step free access at Heathrow Airport and at King's Cross where I get off so it's easy for me.
If you are changing trains at Green Park, for example, there's a hefty walk from one platform to another so if you have a lot of bags this might not be so convenient for you.
I have a post dedicated solely to explaining how to take the London Underground from Heathrow Airport to London which could help you decide if this is the right choice for your journey.
The Heathrow Express Train
The Heathrow Express is a specialty train line that takes passengers directly from the airport to London Paddington Station in Zone 1.
The trains depart from Paddington and London Heathrow every 15 minutes, so not as frequent as the Piccadilly Line but I think that's offset by the time it takes me to get from Paddington to the Airport which is just 15 minutes!
In this video, I explain the pros and cons of taking the Heathrow Express, which is often my choice ( especially if the company is paying... 🙂 ):
Paddington Station is situated on the Bakerloo, Hammersmith & City, Circle, and Metropolitan lines so I think it's pretty well connected to just about any area in the city.
It's just a few stops for me from King's Cross which is partly why it's so convenient.
I've found that first and last trains vary, but service generally runs from 5:15 am until just before midnight which is right in line with Heathrow's operating hours so I've never had a flight outside of these times, anyway.
The ticket price for a standard return fare is £39.00 when bought at the station or online.
This means that I can simply turn up and purchase a ticket for the next departing service without having to book in advance. This is the way I used to do things but I've since found a way to save some money...
If I purchase my tickets more than 45 days in advance online, I can get a single ticket for as cheap as £10.00 - which is even less than taking the Elizabeth Line!
The only downside to this is the change from the Heathrow Express to the London Underground which can be tricky with all the bags I usually have with me so I do need to take in my luggage situation when deciding if this is the best option for me.
For more details, read my full post on taking the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station.
The Elizabeth Line
The Elizabeth Line is the newest addition to our transport network and is a train service taking passengers from Heathrow to Paddington Station in London’s Zone 1.
Officially opened in 2022, the new Elizabeth Line connects Heathrow Airport with central London and beyond.
Because I live relatively centrally, this line hasn't changed my life that much but for my friends who live on the outskirts of town it's been a game changer!
And it's especially useful for going to and from Heathrow.
There are six trains an hour departing from Heathrow Terminals 2&3 - but only four an hour from Terminal 4, and two an hour from Terminal 5.
When I use my Contactless (or if you use your Oyster), I can expect to pay between £12.30 and £18.30 for a one way journey. Obviously, the further you go, the more expensive it is.
One thing to keep in mind is that the Elizabeth Line charges different fares depending on "peak" and "off-peak" journey times (6:30 - 9:30 and 16:00 - 19:00).
So if I am thinking about using this method to get to Heathrow, I have to factor in the time of my flight.
Although it's not so convenient for me, the Elizabeth Line, unlike The Heathrow Express, makes a number of stops along the journey which could be quite convenient for your final destination.
Passengers can embark or alight at any of these stations, including Ealing Broadway which is on the Central and District Lines, which may work better for your connections.
And, in this video, I go over the pros and cons of taking the Elizabeth Line:
Read my full post with tips on taking the Elizabeth Line.
National Express Coach
The National Express is a coach service that runs throughout the day and night can be boarded from a number of locations (Marble Arch, Victoria Station, Baker Street, etc.) within central London.
Tickets are, on average, between £9.00 to £14.00.
My first major reservation when it comes to using the National Express is the travel time.
In theory, I can get from Heathrow to Central London in about 40 - 60 minutes in a car or bus.
However, I have been on a journey that took well over two hours because of bad traffic!
Secondly, I tend to travel with large and/or heavy luggage and the National Express as tight restrictions on the amount, size, and weight of luggage I can take onto the bus.
So, if you do use the National Express, make sure you fall within the guidelines before you travel and be prepared for a slower journey if you are travelling in rush-hour times.
Personally, I'd say it's not an awful way to travel from the airport into London but if you are going TO the airport, I would steer clear of it, just inc are you are unlucky with the traffic like I was.
London Black Cabs
Sometimes, I just want a bit of luxury...and maybe you do, too! I am a big user of London black cabs and take them all over the city - and sometimes to and from the airport.
The best part of taking a black cab is the absolute convenience.
I can hail one just outside of my house to get to the airport.
And, there is a taxi rank right outside each terminal so it's very easy to simply collect your bags, and get into a cab on my way home.
But the main thing to consider here is the price - a cab ride into central London can be well over £100.00 one way.
However, if I am travelling with somebody who has mobility issues, or if I've got a bunch of luggage (for example when my parents moved out of my childhood home, I brought back four giant suitcases with me!), this is my top choice.
The price is worth it when weighed against the convenience.
Also, although traffic is something I consider when thinking about using a Black Cab, these drivers are incredible and can easily find alternative routes if the motorways are busy - something that can't happen with the National Express coaches.
For peace of mind, consider booking your pick up/drop off with us using our friends at London Historical Taxi Tours. You can even combine your airport journey with a guided tour!
These taxis provide professional, competitive, and reliable airport transfer services to and from Gatwick, Heathrow, Stanstead, Luton, and London City Airport.
They can also provide a “meet and greet” service at the airport. What we quote you is what you pay!
Just e-mail me for a quote.
Ride Shares
There are a number of ride-share apps you can download, like Uber or Bolt.
I find Bolt is sometimes cheaper than Uber but there are fewer drivers so I tend not to use them as much.
One thing I have discovered is that services also give me the option of travelling on my own OR sharing the journey with passengers going in the same direction, for a cheaper rate.
One of the downsides here, is that these cars can't go to the designated taxi ranks so I have to make arrangements to meet the driver in one of the carparks.
This isn't the worst thing in the world but is worth keeping in mind.
Usually, I pay between £50.00 - £80.00 for these, although I have paid over £100 in peak times.
Similar to my reservations about the coaches and the black cabs, is that if I am travelling during rush hour, my journey can last up to two hours depending on your end location.
Personally, I will always choose a Black Cab over a ride share app.
As a single female who frequently travels alone, I always feel safer in a registered Black Cab and I know the drivers know where they are going.
I've been stuck in too many Ubers where the driver is fumbling with their sat-nav!
Black Cab drivers know literally every road in London so I always know I'm going the right way.
HotelHoppa
Also operated by National Express, HotelHoppa is an option for visitors who are staying at hotels near Heathrow Airport.
I live in London, and I usually travel to the airport the day of my flight.
But, a few times when I have had very early starts, I've chosen to stay in a hotel near the airport so I can get a little extra sleep before my flight!
I also see a lot of people on our Travel Tips Facebook group who are looking for hotels near Heathrow.
So for those staying in hotels nearby, this is a good choice.
The HotelHoppa is a bus service that costs £12.00 for a return ticket.
It is a service that constantly shuttles between nearby hotels and the Airport from around 6:00am to midnight.
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