Accommodation Airports & Transfers London Transport What To Do Contact Us

Heathrow Airport Underground Link
Cheapest, Most Frequent & Most Crowded Link into London



London Heathrow
London Transfers
London Transfer Guide

London Taxi Transfer
London Underground

National Express Bus
Heathrow Express Train
Heathrow Connect Train
Sky Shuttle Hotel Bus

Group Transfers
Inter Airport Transfers
Heathrow - Gatwick
Heathrow - Stansted
Heathrow - Luton
Cruise Port Transfers
Heathrow - Dover
Heathrow-Southampton

Heathrow - Harwich
UK Transfers
South East
South
South West & Wales
Midlands
North
Hotels & Lounges
Heathrow Hotels
Bed & Breakfast
Family Rooms
Hotels + Parking

Airport Lounges
Heathrow Day Rooms


Heathrow Hoppa Bus
Parking
Long Term Parking
Hotels + Parking
Heathrow Parking Map
Other London Airports
Gatwick Airport
Stansted Airport
Luton Airport











The London Underground comes out to Heathrow in the form of the Piccadilly Line. The big attraction is price, frequency and speed. (45-60 minutes to most hotels in Central London with trains around every 5 minutes). London Heathrow Underground Transfer
Heathrow
to London
Transfers
Choose The
Right Transfer
Heathrow Express Train
Heathrow Connect Train
London
Underground
National
Express Bus
Hotel
Shuttle Bus
Taxi
Groups
5 or More
The downside is crowded carriages and around 20 stations into town. There will be an Underground station near your ultimate destination, (after perhaps a change).
Heathrow Airport is in Zone 6 of London's zoned transport system.


Underground
Map

 
The Underground carriages become grossly overcrowded during peak rush hours. Heathrow is first stop so you will get a seat, getting off in Central London with lots of luggage at this time maybe an experience you can do without after a long flight.

When you are returning to Heathrow make sure you board the right train.
Not all Piccadilly Line trains go to Heathrow and trains that visit Terminal 4, do not visit Terminal 5 and vice-versa.

Fares

Heathrow Airport is in Zone 6. Nearly all hotels visitors will use are in Zone 1 or 2. The Fare is £4.00 adult into Central London.
Consult our London Underground page for more details. You will probably find it advantageous to purchase a travel pass called The Travelcard or Oyster Card - you can purchase these at the Underground ticket offices at Heathrow.
Important! Different Trains Visit Different Terminals.
Since the opening of Terminal 5 on 27th March 2008, a rather complicated routing of Underground trains at Heathrow applies.
Crudely, there are two different routes that Underground trains take, if you are travelling to Terminal 4 or Terminal 5 make sure you board the right train!.
Trains normally alternate between the different routes, if yours is not the first train, the next Heathrow train will be.
  • Route 1 (Terminal 4) - Incoming trains from London will branch off after Hatton Cross station to Terminal 4. After Terminal 4 the train loops around to Central (Terminals 1,2,3) before going back to London. These trains do not go to Terminal 5 and do not travel the other way from Central to Terminal 4.
  • Route 2 (Terminal 5) - Incoming trains from London will go straight to Central (Terminals 1,2,3) before going onto Terminal 5 where the train terminates. After a short while the train will return to London the same way. These trains do not visit Terminal 4.
Train Times
The first train to central London leaves Heathrow at around 5.15 a.m. , (45 minutes later on Sundays). The last train leaves at around midnight (60 minutes earlier on Sundays).
The first train from central London arrives at Heathrow at around 06:30 (08:00 on Sundays) and the last train leaves around 00:00 (23:30 on Sundays).

There is a night bus, route N9 which runs throughout the night at 30 minute intervals from the central bus station. The route includes stops at Hammersmith, Knightsbridge, Hyde Park Corner and Piccadilly. This bus starts/ends at Terminal 5 and also visits the Central Bus Station for Terminals 1,2 and 3. Terminal 4 is not visited this service.
London Underground Cash Fares (from 2 Jan 2009 )
Zones
Adult
Child*
Oyster Card PAYG
Peak Off Peak
1
£4.00
£2.00
£1.60 £1.60
1-2
£4.00
£2.00
£2.20 £1.60
1-4
£4.00
£2.00
£2.80 £2.20
1-6
£4.00
£2.00
£3.80 £2.20
* Childrens Fares

Children under 11 can travel free (see below), 11-15 years can pay £0.50 with an Oyster Card.

Free Travel For Children On Buses & Underground


Under-5s
Children under five can travel free at any time on the Tube, DLR, buses and trams as long as they are accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket. Children in this category do not need Photocards.

Children 5-10
Under-11s can travel free at any time on buses and trams without the need for a Photocard.
They can also travel free at any time on the Tube and DLR when they are travelling with an adult who has a valid ticket. Up to 4 children under 11 years old accompanied by a paying adult travel free on the London Underground.
Under-11s travelling with an adult will not be issued with tickets but will be allowed to pass through the ticket gates at stations. Again no Photocard is required for children travelling with adults.
Unaccompanied children between 5 and 10 must have a valid Photocard.

11-15s
Children aged 11-15 travel free at any time across the bus network, but must have a Photocard.
11-15 year olds have a £1 daily cap and £0.55 single journey fare with Oyster Card on the Tube but must have a Photocard.

Obtaining a Photocard
Visitors to London can order a Photocard in advance for their children and collect on arrival.
Note you must apply at least three weeks in advance of your visit.
Advance application for Child Photocard

Child Discounts Without Photocards
Child Travelcards
For visitors with accompanied children of 11-15 years old you can avoid the whole photocard issue by simply purchasing a child Travelcard. There are children's Travelcards available where no photocard is required,

Accompanied Child Day Travelcard £1
Adults with valid Travelcards can buy child rate Off-Peak Day Travelcards (valid in all zones) at a reduced price of £1 for up to 4 children (aged 5-15 years inclusive). The adult must accompany these children at all times. These £1 Travelcards are only valid at off peak times, so if you want to travel at peak times you need a 'standard' child's Travelcard that is more expensive.
No Photocard is required for an accompanied Child Day Travelcard.

Underground Child Fares
There is a cash child flat fare of £2 per journey on the London Underground. No Photocard is required.
Using The Underground
There is a manned ticket office at all stations. The ticket offices accept credit and debit cards and also sell the Travelcard travel pass and Oyster Cards.

Next to the manned ticket offices are always at least one bank of automatic ticket machines (see picture left).

These can you save you a lot of time if there are queues at the manned ticket office. They take credit and debit cards as well as cash.

To gain access to the platforms, and to exit a station you have to pass through automatic barriers, (pictured left). You are allowed through by inserting your ticket into a slot in the barrier, or if you have an Oyster Card swiping it over the yellow pad.
If you have a single ticket, the barrier at your destination will not return your ticket. There is usually a manned side gate by the barriers.

All Underground trains run at about 1-5 minute intervals between around 05:00 and 24:00. On Sundays, trains will start later.
London Travelcard Fares 2009

The London Travelcard was the original London public transport pass and comes as a ticket on card which you dispose off when finished with.
In 2003, the Oyster Card was introduced. This is a smart card electronic device. The Oyster Card is very flexible and is the lowest cost way of travelling in London. Nearly all Londoners have Oyster Cards. However Travelcard still has its place, especially for short term visitors.

We have a dedicated page addressing the Oyster Card v Travelcard what is best for you debate. For short term visitors to London, the Travelcard is still often the optimum solution.

The Travelcard allows unlimited travel on the Underground (Metro), buses and trains in the London urban area. You also get a discount on many of London's scheduled river services too. London public transport is divided up into six circular zones radiating out from the centre. You pay more, the more zones you need. Most visitors will only need Zones 1/2 where all the attractions are. (Heathrow Airport though is in Zone 6)

London Travelcard Prices Purchased in London (from 2 Jan 2009 )
Zones
Day
Day
(Off Peak*)
3 Day
3 Day
(Off Peak*)
7 Day
1-2
£7.20
(£3.60)
£5.60
£18.40
(£9.20)
-
£25.80
(£12.90)
1-4
£10.00
(£5.00)
£6.30
-
-
£36.80
(£18.40)
1-6
£14.80
(£7.40)
£7.50
(£2.00)
£42.40
(£21.20)
£21.20
(£6.00)
£47.60
(£23.80)
* Off peak = after 09:30 Monday to Friday, all day Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays.
(£?.??) =
Child under 16 years old fare. (Free travel available, see child fares)
Children's Fares (Children Less than 16 Years Old)

Free Travel For Children On Buses & Underground And The Need For Photocards

Under-5s
Children under five can travel free at any time on the Tube, DLR, buses and trams as long as they are accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket. Children in this category do not need Photocards.

Children 5-10
Under-11s can travel free at any time on buses and trams without the need for a Photocard.
They can also travel free at any time on the Tube and DLR when they are travelling with an adult who has a valid ticket. Up to 4 children under 11 years old accompanied by a paying adult travel free on the London Underground.
Under-11s travelling with an adult will not be issued with tickets but will be allowed to pass through the ticket gates at stations. Again no Photocard is required for children travelling with adults.
Unaccompanied children between 5 and 10 must have a valid Photocard.

11-15s
Children aged 11-15 travel free at any time across the bus network, but must have a Photocard.
11-15 year olds have a £1 daily cap and £0.55 single journey fare with Oyster Card on the Tube but must have a Photocard.

Obtaining a Photocard
Visitors to London can order a Photocard in advance for their children and collect on arrival.
Note you must apply at least three weeks in advance of your visit.
Advance application for Child Photocard

Child Discounts Without Photocards
Child Travelcards
For visitors with accompanied children of 11-15 years old you can avoid the whole photocard issue by simply purchasing a child Travelcard. There are children's Travelcards available where no photocard is required,

Accompanied Child Day Travelcard £1
Adults with valid Travelcards can buy child rate Off-Peak Day Travelcards (valid in all zones) at a reduced price of £1 for up to 4 children (aged 5-15 years inclusive). The adult must accompany these children at all times. These £1 Travelcards are only valid at off peak times, so if you want to travel at peak times you need a 'standard' child's Travelcard that is more expensive.
No Photocard is required for an accompanied Child Day Travelcard.

Underground Child Fares
There is a cash child flat fare of £2 per journey on the London Underground. No Photocard is required.