The Piccadilly line is the cheapest rail route between Heathrow and central London: £5.90 with contactless or Oyster to any Zone 1 station, charged at the same rate at any time of day, taking about 50 minutes. It serves all four Heathrow terminals, making it the only Tube or rail line that reaches Terminal 4. It's slower than the Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express, but costs roughly a third of the Elizabeth line fare and under a quarter of a walk-up Heathrow Express ticket. Checked against Transport for London's and Heathrow's own fare pages, 15 November 2026.
How much does the Piccadilly line cost from Heathrow?
A single pay-as-you-go fare from Heathrow to a Zone 1 station is £5.90 with contactless or Oyster. Transport for London charges peak fares on every Tube and Elizabeth line journey that starts, ends or passes through Zone 1 on a trip to or from Heathrow, so there is no separate off-peak discount on this particular journey, unlike most other Tube journeys, where off-peak is cheaper. This £5.90 fare has applied since TfL's fare changes took effect on 1 March 2026.
Fares to stations short of Zone 1 are cheaper, since Heathrow itself sits in Zone 6 and the fare is based on how many zones your journey covers:
| Destination zone | Off-peak single fare from Heathrow |
|---|---|
| Zone 1 | £5.90 (charged at this rate any time, through Zone 1) |
| Zone 2 | From £2.60 |
| Zone 3 | From £2.50 |
| Zone 4 | From £2.40 |
| Zone 5 | From £2.30 |
How long does the Piccadilly line take from Heathrow?
Around 50 minutes to central London. More precisely, from the Terminals 2 & 3 station, Heathrow and TfL's own figures put the journey at about 52 minutes to Leicester Square, 50 minutes to Green Park, and 59 minutes to King's Cross St Pancras. Terminal 5 is one stop further out than Terminals 2 & 3, so add a few minutes if you're starting there. Terminal 4 is on a separate loop, with a less frequent service than the other terminals.
Which terminal do you catch it from?
Heathrow has three Underground stations on the Piccadilly line:
| Station | Serves | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 | Terminals 2 and 3 | Station sits between the two terminals, linked by a pedestrian subway |
| Heathrow Terminal 4 | Terminal 4 | Below Terminal 4 Arrivals, on a separate loop with a less frequent service |
| Heathrow Terminal 5 | Terminal 5 | In the basement of the terminal building |
All three stations are in Zone 6, so the fare is the same regardless of which terminal you start from.
First and last trains, and the Night Tube
Piccadilly line trains to and from Heathrow run between 05:00 and 23:30 on a normal day, and you should never wait longer than 10 minutes for one, even off-peak. From Terminals 2 & 3, the first train to central London leaves at 05:12, and the last leaves at 23:45 (23:28 on Sundays). On Friday and Saturday nights, the Night Tube runs all night on the Piccadilly line to Terminals 2 & 3 and Terminal 5, but does not serve Terminal 4.
Piccadilly line vs Elizabeth line vs Heathrow Express
| Piccadilly line | Elizabeth line | Heathrow Express | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fare to Zone 1 | £5.90 | £15.50 (contactless) | £26 walk-up single, from £10 booked ahead |
| Journey time | ~50 minutes | ~28 minutes to Paddington | ~15 minutes to Paddington |
| Terminals served | 2, 3, 4, 5 | 2, 3, 5 | 2, 3, 5 |
| Runs all night (Fri/Sat) | Yes, except Terminal 4 | No | No |
The Piccadilly line is the only one of the three that reaches Terminal 4, and the only one with an overnight service on Friday and Saturday. If your hotel or destination is directly on the Piccadilly line route, such as South Kensington, Earl's Court or Hammersmith, it can also save you a change that the faster, pricier options would still need.
Is the Piccadilly line worth it over the Elizabeth line?
For most travellers carrying luggage and short on time, the Elizabeth line's extra speed for roughly £10 more is worth paying. The Piccadilly line makes more sense if you're not in a hurry, you're travelling light, your destination sits directly on the line without a change, or you're arriving on a Friday or Saturday night after the Elizabeth line has stopped running and need the Night Tube instead.
How to pay
Use contactless bank card, a contactless mobile wallet, or an Oyster card at the yellow readers; all charge the same pay-as-you-go fare and the system automatically applies the correct amount as you touch out. Paper single tickets are also available from machines at the station if you'd rather not use contactless or Oyster, though these typically cost more than the contactless or Oyster fare for the same journey.