Heathrow airport is 20 miles (35km) west of central London.
There are four options to travel to/from the airport to central London:
- Underground (the tube)
- National Express coach
- Heathrow Express or Elizabeth line (formerly TfL Rail) train
- N9 Night bus
The underground (Piccadilly line) is the cheapest way to travel to between the airport and central London.
The National Express coach costs slightly more than the underground, but might be more suitable if you’re staying in the Victoria, Pimlico or Belgravia area or if you have a lot of luggage.
The train is the quickest and most expensive route.
Train strikes are planned on Wednesday 31 May and Saturday 3 June. The Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express will NOT be affected. Check here if you are travelling from London to other parts of the UK.
Heathrow to/from London – a quick ticket summary
Scroll down for full details of each service.
| Company | Single Tickets | Journey Time |
|---|---|---|
| National Express coach | £6-£10 | 40–90 mins |
| Underground paper ticket | £6.70 | 35–55 mins* |
| Underground Oyster/Contactless | £5.60 | 35–55 mins |
| Elizabeth line paper ticket | £12.30 | 26 mins |
| Elizabeth line Oyster/Contactless | £12.20 | 26 mins |
| Heathrow Express train | £25c | 15 mins |
*time to zone 1 – central London
c. On the day fare. Cheaper tickets available for advance bookings
Quick links
- Underground from Heathrow to central London
- Train from Heathrow to central London
- Coach from Heathrow to central London
- N9 Night bus from Heathrow to central London
Underground to and from Heathrow Airport
Piccadilly Line
Departure/arrival – Heathrow airport
The airport has three underground stations connected to the Piccadilly line. One station serves Terminals 2 and 3 and Terminals 4 and 5 have their own stations. (Terminal 1 is now closed).
Departure/arrival – central London
See the London underground map for the Piccadilly line route or see our guide to the best route planners.
Journey time & frequency
Trains leave approximately every 5-10 minutes. If you have an early or late departure, check the TfL website for first and last times. It takes approximately 55 minutes to Piccadilly Circus station.
There is now a 24-hour service on the Piccadilly line on Fridays and Saturdays (not to/from Terminal 4).
Tickets
Heathrow is in zone 6.
Tickets are available from underground station ticket machines
- Cash fare to/from central London: £6.70 single (zone 1-6)
- Cheaper fares are available with Pay as you go on an Oyster card or a contactless card.
- Oyster/contactless single fare is £5.60 (zone 1-6). There is no off-peak fare between zone 1 and Heathrow airport.
- If you continue to use an Oyster card or a contactless debit/credit card to pay for travel for the rest of the day, the maximum deducted from your card is £14.90. (This is the daily cap for zones 1-6)
Read more about travel by underground from Heathrow to central London
Trains to and from Heathrow Airport
Elizabeth line
The Elizabeth line is the cheapest of the two train services running from Heathrow to central London. It currently stops at the following stations from Heathrow through central London:
- Hayes & Harlington
- Southall
- Hanwell
- West Ealing
- Ealing Broadway
- Acton Mainline station
- London Paddington station
- Bond St
- Tottenham Court Road
- Farringdon
- Liverpool St Station
Departure/arrival – Heathrow airport
- Terminals 2 or 3 – Heathrow 2 & 3 train station
- Terminal 4 – Heathrow Terminal 4 station
- Terminal 5 – Heathrow Terminal 5 station
Departure/arrival – central London
Paddington train station, Praed St, London W2.
Journey time & frequency
Approximately 30 minutes (to Paddington station). 4 trains per hour.
Buying tickets
Buy Elizabeth line tickets at the train station or ticket offices at Heathrow or Paddington stations.
- £12.30 adult single
- £6.15 child single (11-15) – Under 11s travel for free if accompanied by an adult
- Fares are slightly cheaper if you use an Oyster card or contactless payment
The Heathrow Express is another train service from Heathrow to Paddington. It’s quicker than the Elizabeth line (15-minutes vs 30 minutes), but more than twice the price if you buy tickets at the airport.
Read more about train travel from Heathrow to central London
National Express coach to and from Heathrow Airport
National Express
National Express, the UK’s largest coach operator run frequent coaches between Heathrow airport and Victoria Coach Station in central London. It’s a convenient alternative to the underground if you have a lot of luggage.
Departure/arrival – Heathrow airport
Most buses leave/arrive at the Central Bus Station.
- Terminals 2 or 3 – Central Bus Station
- Terminal 4 – National Express are not currently serving Terminal 4. Take a free train transfer to Heathrow 2 & 3 train station, then walk to the Central Bus Station.
- Terminal 5 – Only four direct services between Terminal 5 and central London. Take a free train transfer to Heathrow 2 & 3 train station, then walk to the Central Bus Station.
Departure/arrival – central London
Victoria Coach Station, Buckingham Palace Rd, SW1.
Frequency & journey time
Approximately 2–3 departures per hour. It takes between 45 minutes–50 minutes from Heathrow Central Bus station–London Victoria Coach Station. Allow longer for travel to/from Terminals 5.
Buying tickets
Tickets cost £6–£10 single.
You can book online directly with National Express.
Alternatively, buy tickets from the ticket office at Victoria Coach Station in London (there’s always a queue so give yourself plenty of time).
There are no longer any dedicated National Express ticket offices at Heathrow airport. There are only ticket machines which take cards only.
Luggage Allowance
National Express allow two medium sized suitcases (up to 20kg each) plus one piece of shoft hand luggage for free per person.
Read more about travel by National Express coach from Heathrow to central London
Related pages
- Left luggage – Heathrow airport
- Underground from Heathrow to central London
- Train from Heathrow to central London
- Coach from Heathrow to central London
Last updated: 5 March 2023