Getting to and from Heathrow Airport from Central London (2019 Edition)

Getting to and from Heathrow Airport from Central London (2019 Edition)

Continuing on from yesterday where I showed you free or cheap ways of getting around Heathrow Airport, I’m going to show you the ways of getting out of the area, and the costs attached to them.

This guide focuses on public transport options between Heathrow and Central London. It does not look at Taxis, Private Hire or Uber’s (which can vary significant;y in price).

Heathrow Express

Cost: Varies www.heathrowexpress.com
Time to Paddington: 15 minutes + Time to get to your ultimate destination
Best for being on other people budgets, or if you have remembered to book in advance

Heathrow Express has been chopping and changing their fare structure, introducing peak and off-peak fares, but also introducing value-based advance purchase fares since I last wrote this.

Advanced fares – Express Class (Standard)

14 Day AP (Mondays-Fridays)       £16.50
14 Day AP (Weekends)              £12.10
30 Day AP (Mondays-Fridays)       £14.30
30 Day AP (Weekends)               £8.80
90 Day AP (Mondays-Fridays)       £12.10
90 Day AP (Weekends)               £5.50

Advanced fares – Business Class (First Class)

14 Day AP (Weekend)               £16.50
30 Day AP (Weekend)               £12.00
90 Day AP (Weekend)                £7.50

If you didn’t book in advance, it gets a lot more expensive, very quickly.

Express Class Off-Peak            £22.00   (not valid 07:00-09:00 + 16:00 Mon-Fri)
Express Class Anytime             £25.00
Business Class Anytime            £32.00

Trains continue to run every 15 minutes between London Paddington and London Heathrow Terminal 2 & 3 – taking 15 minutes or so, or 19 minutes to Terminal 5. If you’re going to Terminal 4, you will need to transfer at Heathrow Terminal 2 & 3.

The trains are currently Class 332 Siemens/CAF Electrical Multiple Units, operating in either a four-car, five-car or nine-car formation.

Note, that transfers inside the Heathrow Zone are free, but do require a free transfer ticket.

At London Paddington, it’s a short walk to the Taxi Rank (near Platform 12) or the Underground (which is right in front of you as you clear the barriers).

TfL Rail

(Cost £10.20 Peak, £10.10 Off Peak) http://www.tfl.gov.uk
Time to Paddington 25 minutes + Time to get to your ultimate destination
Best on a budget and with lots of luggage

TfL Rail (ex Heathrow Connect Train – Image, Economy Class and Beyond)

TfL Rail has taken over the Heathrow Connect service last year – and thus runs the same sort of schedule as the old Heathrow Connect schedule. These use the Class 360 trains too.

They connect local stations between the Heathrow Airport complex and London Paddington. In the future, this will form part of the Crossrail/Elizabeth Line, which will connect through Central London, and onwards to Canary Wharf, Abbey Wood, Stratford and Shenfield in Essex. This was due to be opened last year, but is currently meeting with delays.

Trains run every 30 minutes between Heathrow T4, Heathrow Central, and then local stations to Paddington. For passengers going from Terminal 5 you’ll need to catch a Heathrow Express from T5 to Central, and change there (just watch the timings – as you need to catch trains on the :27 and the :57 -, otherwise you’ll wish you caught an express!)

The trains themselves are modern Siemens Desiro units in a five-car configuration, with plenty of space. Stay in the second car of the train to get through the exit barrier at Paddington fastest.

Paddington is well-connected to the Underground network, connecting the Bakerloo Line (and there’s a convenient entrance for it near the TfL/Great Western local platforms), The Circle, District and Hammersmith and City Line. The taxi rank is also closer to the TfL platforms too for those who want to use London famous black cabs.

London Underground (Tube)

Cost: £6.00 cash fare (£5.10 peak, £3.10 off peak with Oyster) http://www.tfl.gov.uk
Time to Central London (Piccadilly) 52 minutes + Time to get to your ultimate destination
Best on a budget and with minimal luggage.

Heathrow Terminal 2 & 3 Underground station – Image Economy Class and Beyond

It might not be the fastest way to get to A to B, but it will get you close to your target. Heathrow is a good entrance into the Underground system, allowing you to access Central London in a reasonably speedy manner – depending on which part of the city you need to get to.

A perfect example is this one between Euston Station and Heathrow Central at around 10 am in the morning:

• Underground, the Heathrow Express (38 minutes, 2 changes)
• Underground, then TfL Rail (52 minutes, 2 changes)
• Underground (58 minutes 1 change)

I do not recommend this for people with lots of luggage, because you’ll be sick of lifting suitcases up and down stairs (I hate doing it with the little purple rollaboard bag I have – a right royal pain).  That being said, the Piccadilly line trains have been spruced up, and have some space for luggage – although I’d be staying near it in case of people who think your luggage should be their luggage. Note, that if you change trains, there is not much space for large luggage items – so plan with care.

It’s not impossible, but adds time to your journey. Also, depending on the time of day (travelling at peak for example), you could find yourself jammed in the rush hour.

On the plus side, once you’re in the Tube network, all you have to do is work out which is your destination, and you’ll pop out at a tube station fairly close to it, with most places in Central London not far from a Tube station.

The Piccadilly line crosses through Central London, from Earls Court, Knightsbridge, Piccadilly Circus, Kings Cross and northwards. For those who need destinations along the riverbank, I’d change at Hammersmith or Barons Court to the District Line (as it’s a cross-platform transfer) rather than at Earls Court (which is a deep level + escalator transfer).

National Express

Cost £6.00 upwards online www.nationalexpress.com
Time to Central London (Victoria) 40-60 minutes + Time to get to your ultimate destination
For those who like roads, not rails

National Express Coach at Heathrow Airport – Image, Economy Class and Beyond.

For those of you who don’t like trains, and baulk at the cost of a taxi to Central London, National Express to operate coaches from Heathrow Central Bus Station to London Victoria Coach station.

Some people dismiss coach travel, but for short hops, it isn’t that bad. Most coaches are modern, clean and get you from A to B between 40 and 60 minutes.

The coach station is at Victoria – useful for access to South Coast rail services at Victoria mainline station, and is close to Victoria Underground station.

Luggage is limited to 2 bags per person though, with one bag of hand luggage. Depending on the driver will depend on how they enforce this.

Bus and Train

Bus 140 to Hayes and Harlington, Train to Paddington (£6.20 peak, £4.60 off peak)
Bus 258 to Feltham (£9.70 peak £7.10 off peak)
Want an adventure? This could be for you

For those who like a bit of an adventure, and don’t want to pay the high fares that Heathrow Connect charge just for using the Heathrow line (£5.60 between Heathrow and Hayes and Harlington), there is another option – bus it to a train station and then to London.

There are two routes – one takes you south of the river, one takes you north of the river

• Bus 140 > Hayes and Harlington > London Paddington (Rail service operated by TfL Rail or Great Western Railway)
• Bus 258 > Feltham > London Waterloo (Operated by South Western Railway

It honestly depends where you’re going. I tend to use 140 > Hayes and Harlington when I’m staying in London (my usual residence is the Holiday Inn Ariel as its dirt cheap normally), so it’s on my way to and from places.

I wouldn’t recommend this, but to all the experienced travellers who are that penny-pinching – or those who have a little more time on their hands.

Bus

N9 Heathrow to Aldwych (£1.50)

When the last train has gone and the last tube has pulled out, you’re not constricted by taxis (thankfully!). There is a night bus option – Bus N9 which serves Central London to Heathrow Central, T5 and T4. It takes about an hour and twenty to do the full route. It also has a limited timetable too.

However, if you need to get into/back to Heathrow early, this could be a last option resort.

Next time

Believe it or not – there’s a lot of life beyond London (I know this shocks those who live in the capital mainly). Join me as I explore some of these options to take you further into England, Scotland and Wales.

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