| Option | Adult single | Time to the centre | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piccadilly line (Tube) | £5.90 with contactless or Oyster | 50–60 min | Lowest price; hotels in the West End, Knightsbridge, King's Cross |
| Elizabeth line | £15.50 to any Zone 1 station | About 30 min to Paddington | Speed and comfort; Oxford Street, the City, Canary Wharf |
| Heathrow Express | £26 on the day, from £10 booked 30+ days ahead | 15 min to Paddington | The fastest ride, if you're staying near Paddington |
| Coach or taxi | Coach from about £8; black cab £75–110 | 45–90 min, depending on traffic | Lots of luggage, groups, late at night |
Piccadilly line: the cheapest way
Heathrow has Tube stations at Terminals 2 & 3, Terminal 4 and Terminal 5, all on the dark blue Piccadilly line. The fare to central London is £5.90 at any time of day with a contactless card or Oyster, so there's no need to wait for off-peak.
Trains run every few minutes and go straight to many central stops with no change:
The downside is time and space: the ride takes 50 to 60 minutes, and in the morning and evening rush hours there is little room for suitcases. On Friday and Saturday nights the Night Tube runs on this line.
Elizabeth line: fast and comfortable
The purple Elizabeth line runs from all terminals. Its trains are modern, air-conditioned, step-free and have room for luggage. It reaches Paddington in about 30 minutes, then carries on under central London to Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Whitechapel and Canary Wharf.
Since March 2026 the Heathrow fare is the same at all times of day: £15.50 to any Zone 1 station. Trains are less frequent than on the Tube, so check the next departure before you walk to the platform.
Heathrow Express: the fastest
Heathrow Express runs non-stop from Terminals 2 & 3 and Terminal 5 to London Paddington in about 15 minutes. A ticket bought on the day costs £26. Book at least 30 days ahead and advance fares start from £10, which is cheaper than the Elizabeth line. You can tap in with contactless, but you'll pay the full Express fare.
How to pay
- Tap a contactless bank card or phone on the yellow reader at the gate, and tap the same card when you leave. You don't need to buy a ticket.
- Children under 11 travel free on the Tube and Elizabeth line with a paying adult.
- If your bank charges fees for payments in pounds, an Oyster card avoids them. See our guide to fares and the Oyster card.
Tips before you travel
- Check the live status of the Piccadilly and Elizabeth lines before you land: weekend engineering work sometimes closes parts of the Piccadilly line.
- Terminal 4 and Terminal 5 are on different branches. When you head to the airport, check that your train goes to your terminal.
- Travelling with big suitcases at 8–9:30 am or 5–6:30 pm? Take the Elizabeth line, or wait out the rush.