Heathrow to Woking is about 15 miles and takes 25 to 40 minutes by road. The RailAir coach is the practical direct option, last published from around £11 one-way online, taking roughly 50 to 52 minutes. A taxi or ride-hailing app costs more, indicatively around £52, but is faster door to door. Checked 2026.
Taxi or ride-hailing: fastest door to door
A pre-booked taxi or minicab from Heathrow to Woking covers around 15 miles and typically takes 25 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic on the M25 and A320. Ride-hailing platforms quote an indicative fare of around £52 for the roughly 17-mile road route, though this varies with time of day, demand and the exact pickup terminal, so treat it as a guide rather than a fixed price. For a fixed quote agreed before you travel, see our guide to taxi pickup points by terminal.
A taxi makes most sense with heavy luggage, a group where the per-person coach fare adds up, or a very early or late journey when coach frequency drops.
RailAir coach: the direct budget option
RailAir's RA2 service runs directly between Heathrow Terminals 2, 3 and 5 and Woking railway station (Southside), continuing on to Guildford. It is the only public transport option that avoids going into central London and back out again, which is why it is usually both the cheapest and the most practical choice for this route.
At RailAir's last published fare update, an adult single to Woking cost from £11.00 when booked online in advance, rising to £13.00 if bought on board from the driver. Child fares are half the adult price. Fares can change, so check the current price on railair.com or the First Bus app before you travel.
Coaches run at least hourly through the day, with a denser schedule at peak times, and the journey to Woking takes around 50 to 52 minutes depending on traffic. National Express also operates route R701 to Woking as an alternative coach service; check nationalexpress.com for its current timetable and fare.
RailAir's standard luggage allowance is two bags or suitcases per person, up to 30kg each, plus hand luggage, with any extra bag charged at £5. That is a generous allowance for a coach service and worth knowing if you are travelling with a full set of check-in luggage rather than hand baggage only. Woking itself is a useful stop for business travellers too: the RA2 route passes through the town's Paragon Roundabout business district, home to companies including McLaren, before reaching the railway station.
Tickets can be bought online in advance for the best price, on the First Bus app, or on board with cash, contactless, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Buying ahead is worth doing if your travel time is fixed, since walk-up fares from the driver are consistently pricier than booking online. The app also lets you track your coach in real time, useful if you are timing a connection at either end.
Train: usually slower and pricier for this route
There is no direct rail line from Heathrow into Woking. A train journey has to route via central London, typically changing at Paddington or Waterloo, which makes it both slower and considerably more expensive than the direct RailAir coach. Fare-comparison sites list single fares from around £43 for this routing, several times the coach price, for a similar or longer overall journey time. Unless you are already planning to break your journey in London, the train is rarely the sensible option to Woking specifically.
Comparing your options
| Option | Indicative cost | Typical time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| RailAir RA2 coach (direct) | From £11 online, £13 on board | About 50 to 52 min | No change, runs at least hourly |
| Taxi or ride-hailing | Around £52 indicative | 25 to 40 min | Door to door, confirm fare before booking |
| Train (via central London) | From about £43 | Similar or longer, plus a change | Requires changing in London |
Which should you choose?
- Budget and no rush: the RailAir RA2 coach, from £11 online, direct to Woking station.
- Tight connection, heavy luggage, or travelling as a group: a pre-booked taxi, around £52 indicative, door to door.
- Already heading into London: the train, accepting the change and the higher fare.
For nearby Guildford, see our guide to Heathrow to Guildford, and for the full routes overview see popular routes from Heathrow.