How do you get from Heathrow to Canary Wharf?

The simplest way is the Elizabeth line, which runs direct from all three Heathrow stations to Canary Wharf with no change. The journey takes about 50 to 55 minutes and a single costs around £15.50, with your contactless card capped at £16.30 for the day. Checked August 2026.

The direct option: Elizabeth line

Canary Wharf sits on the Elizabeth line, the same purple line that serves Heathrow, so you can travel the whole way on one train without changing. Trains run from the Heathrow stations east through Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Liverpool Street, then on to Canary Wharf and out towards Abbey Wood. For anyone heading to the Docklands business district with luggage, not having to change is the main reason this beats every other route.

The Heathrow Elizabeth line single is £15.50 to any Zone 1 station. Canary Wharf is in Zone 2, so the exact single can be a few pence different, but a contactless or mobile tap is capped at £16.30 for all your travel that day in Zones 1 to 6, so you will not pay more than that however many trains you take. Tap in and out with the same card or device. Confirm the exact Canary Wharf single on the TfL fare finder if you need it to the penny.

Trains are frequent, though the number depends on which terminal you start from:

Allow roughly 50 to 55 minutes from the central terminals. From Terminal 5, add a few minutes because some trains start at T5 and others need a quick same-platform connection at the central terminals. Check the on-platform screens or the TfL Go app before you set off.

What about the Heathrow Express?

The Heathrow Express is faster to Paddington, 15 minutes from T2 and T3 or 21 minutes from T5, but Paddington is the wrong direction for Canary Wharf. You would then have to change onto the Elizabeth line and ride back east through the stations you could have stayed on. Since the Express costs £26 walk-up (from £10 if you book 30 or more days ahead) and still needs a change, it makes little sense for this trip. The direct Elizabeth line is both cheaper and simpler.

The Piccadilly line

The Piccadilly line Tube is the cheapest rail option out of Heathrow, from about £5.60 to £5.90 with contactless, but it does not go to Canary Wharf. You would ride into central London and change onto the Elizabeth line or the Jubilee line, adding time and a luggage-heavy interchange. If saving a few pounds matters more than a direct trip, it is possible, but most people find the direct Elizabeth line worth the difference.

Taxi or private hire

A black cab or pre-booked minicab will take you door to door, which can be worth it late at night, with heavy bags or in a group. Canary Wharf is further east than central London, so expect to pay more than a central fare. A metered black cab to central London typically runs £75 to £130 depending on traffic and time of day, and an east London drop-off sits above that, so treat any figure as indicative and get a fixed quote from a private-hire operator before you travel. Ride apps such as Uber, Bolt and FreeNow all work at Heathrow, but they cannot pick up at the terminal forecourt. You have to walk to your terminal's short-stay car park pickup point to meet the driver. Remember too that an app does not guarantee a driver or hold a car for your flight, and supply is thin from around midnight to 10am, so for a timed or early trip a pre-booked minicab that holds a car is the safer option. See our Heathrow taxis guide for how that works.

Which should you pick?

For almost everyone, the direct Elizabeth line wins on price, simplicity and luggage handling. Take a taxi only if you are travelling at an hour with no trains, have a lot of bags, or the door-to-door convenience is worth roughly five to eight times the train fare to you. Heading somewhere else on the Elizabeth line instead? See our guide to Heathrow to St Pancras for the Eurostar.

More

More: Overview, Public transport, Taxis, FAQs.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a direct train from Heathrow to Canary Wharf? Yes. The Elizabeth line runs direct from all three Heathrow stations to Canary Wharf with no change, taking about 50 to 55 minutes.

How much is the Elizabeth line from Heathrow to Canary Wharf? A single is around £15.50. Because Canary Wharf is in Zone 2, use contactless and your daily fare is capped at £16.30 for Zones 1 to 6.

How long does Heathrow to Canary Wharf take? About 50 to 55 minutes on the direct Elizabeth line, depending on which terminal you start from.

Is the Heathrow Express good for Canary Wharf? Not really. It only goes to Paddington, which is the wrong direction, so you would have to change and ride back east. The direct Elizabeth line is cheaper and simpler.

Do Elizabeth line trains run often from Heathrow? Up to six an hour from Terminals 2 and 3, about four from Terminal 4 and about two from Terminal 5. Check the platform screens before you travel.

Last verified August 2026 by the Heathrow Airport Guide editorial team. Prices and timetables change, so confirm the specifics on the official Heathrow Airport website before you travel.