The fastest way from Heathrow to central London is the Heathrow Express, reaching Paddington in 15 minutes for fares starting at £10.00 when booked in advance. The cheapest is the London Underground, from £5.50, taking under an hour. The Elizabeth line sits in between, reaching central London in under 45 minutes for £13.90.
Heathrow Express: fastest, priciest of the trains
Non-stop trains run every 15 minutes from all terminals to London Paddington, with a journey time of just 15 minutes from Terminals 2 and 3. Fares start from £10.00 for a single ticket booked in advance online or at the airport; walk-up prices on the day are typically higher, so booking ahead is worth it if your travel time is fixed. From Paddington, you can transfer straight onto the London Underground or the Elizabeth line to continue to other parts of the city.
London Underground: the cheapest option
The Tube is Heathrow's cheapest rail link into central London, with fares starting from £5.50 and trains running roughly every 10 minutes. Heathrow has three Underground stations, serving Terminal 2/3 and Terminals 4 and 5 respectively, all on the Piccadilly line. Journey time to central London is under an hour, longer than the Express or the Elizabeth line but noticeably cheaper. Pay with a contactless bank card or Oyster card for the simplest fare, or buy a single ticket or travelcard at the station.
Elizabeth line: a middle ground
London's newest rail line reaches central London in under 45 minutes, with trains roughly every 30 minutes from Heathrow. A single fare to central London, zone 1, costs £13.90, paid the same way as the Tube, by contactless card, Oyster card, or a ticket bought at the station. The Elizabeth line also has the advantage of running through to east London and Essex, and connecting easily with Reading, so it is useful beyond a simple airport-to-centre trip.
Coach
Coaches run from Heathrow to Victoria coach station and many other UK destinations, picking up outside Terminals 4 and 5 and from Heathrow's Central Bus Station, a short walk from Terminals 2 and 3. Prices start from £10, similar to the Heathrow Express, but journey times are longer since coaches travel by road rather than rail.
Taxi
A black cab can be hailed from outside the terminal, or you can pre-book a minicab in advance. Heathrow's own guidance is to allow at least an hour to reach central London by car, and journey times vary with traffic and time of day, so a taxi is rarely the fastest option even though it is the most direct, door-to-door choice.
Driving yourself
If you are hiring a car and driving into London yourself, factor in the congestion charge and the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charge, both of which apply in central London. Check current charge amounts and zone boundaries on tfl.gov.uk before you travel, since these are set and updated by Transport for London rather than Heathrow.
Comparing your options
| Option | Fare from | Journey time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heathrow Express | £10.00 (advance) | 15 minutes to Paddington | Speed, fixed schedules |
| London Underground | £5.50 | Under 1 hour | Lowest cost, flexible ticketing |
| Elizabeth line | £13.90 | Under 45 minutes | Balance of speed and reach, connections east |
| Coach | £10 | Longer, road-dependent | Direct to Victoria, no transfers |
| Taxi | Metered/quoted | At least 1 hour | Door to door, luggage, groups |
Which should you choose?
For most travellers with no luggage constraints and a fixed appointment time, the Heathrow Express offers the most predictable, fastest journey for a moderate premium over the Tube. Budget travellers or anyone without a tight schedule are usually better off on the Underground, since the saving over the Express adds up quickly for a family or a group. If your final destination is closer to the Elizabeth line's stops, particularly east London, it can beat both the Express and the Tube on convenience despite costing more than the Tube. Taxis make the most sense for groups with heavy luggage or a very early or late arrival when rail frequency drops.
FAQs
Answered below are the questions travellers most often ask about getting from Heathrow into central London.