Reach the station before about 23:30 (on a late flight, land by about 22:30) and the Piccadilly line, Elizabeth line or last Heathrow Express will still be running. After that it's the N9 night bus, a black cab or a minicab, except on Friday and Saturday nights, when the Piccadilly line runs all night. Heading out early? The first weekday Elizabeth line from Paddington is around 04:36. Checked August 2026.
First, what time is it really?
Late arrivals are a game of minutes, and the deciding question is whether you clear the airport before the last trains go. Remember that your landing time is not your leaving time: you still have to taxi to the stand, clear passport control, collect any checked bags and reach the station or rank. On a late long-haul arrival that easily adds an hour, so a flight that lands at 23:00 can mean you reach the platform after the last train.
Treat the times below as guides and check live times on the night, particularly the last departure for your line.
If the trains are still running
Until around 23:30 on most nights you have the usual choices. The Piccadilly line Tube is the cheapest, from about £5.60 to £5.90 with contactless, taking roughly 45 to 60 minutes into central London, and it has stations serving all the terminals. The Elizabeth line runs to Paddington and across central London for a flat £15.50 to Zone 1, taking around 35 to 40 minutes. On weekdays its last train from T2/3 is around 00:12, a little later than the Tube. The Heathrow Express is the fastest to Paddington at 15 minutes, 21 from T5, but it's the priciest of the three, and it finishes late evening rather than overnight. Check its own site for the fare on your date, since advance tickets cost much less than walk-up.
Frequencies thin out as the night goes on, so if you are cutting it fine, head straight for the station rather than stopping to eat or shop.
The all-night Piccadilly line, Friday and Saturday
There is one important exception to the last-train problem. The Piccadilly line runs a Night Tube service all through the night on Fridays and Saturdays, so if you land in the small hours on a Saturday or Sunday morning, you may still be able to take the Tube into London for the standard low fare. Trains are less frequent than in the day, so check the gap between services, but it is by far the cheapest way in after midnight when it runs. Planned engineering closures do suspend the Piccadilly line on some weekends, Night Tube included, so check TfL's status for your night before you count on it.
After midnight on other nights: the N9 night bus
On nights without the Night Tube, the N9 is the scheduled public option. This TfL night bus runs between Heathrow and central London overnight, following a route through west London to Aldwych. It is cheap at the standard TfL bus fare, but it is slow and makes many stops, so it suits travellers on a budget who are not in a hurry and are not weighed down with luggage. Confirm the current N9 timetable and stops on the night, as night-bus times can change.
Taxi or pre-booked minicab
When the trains have stopped and the night bus does not suit you, a taxi or minicab is the reliable door-to-door option, available 24 hours a day.
Black cabs wait at the marshalled ranks outside each terminal's arrivals hall, with no need to book, on a metered fare. A metered black cab to central London typically runs £75 to £130 depending on traffic and the time of day, and the night tariff is the most expensive band. A pre-booked minicab is usually cheaper and fixed in advance, commonly £45 to £75 to central London with the drop-off charge included, and the driver can meet you, which is reassuring on a late arrival. For how ride apps and pickups work, and where to meet a private driver, see the taxis guide and our guide to meeting people at arrivals.
London to Heathrow late at night or before dawn
This is the reverse problem: you're in London with a flight at 06:00 or 07:00 and want to know what actually runs. Outside the Friday and Saturday Night Tube, we haven't verified any scheduled train between roughly midnight and 04:30, so you're choosing between the N9 and a car until the first services start.
| Option | First and last service | Journey time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth line | First from Paddington toward Heathrow around 04:36 on weekdays; last toward Heathrow not published here, check the operator. From Heathrow T2/3 on weekdays: first around 05:21, last around 00:12 | About 28 minutes Paddington to T2/3 | £15.50 flat single to Zone 1 |
| Piccadilly line | Around 05:00 to 23:30; all night Friday and Saturday unless a planned closure says otherwise | Around 50 minutes from central London | From about £5.60 to £5.90 contactless, at the peak rate at all times |
| Heathrow Express | Every 15 minutes, early morning to late night; first and last train times not published here, check the operator | 15 minutes Paddington to T2/3, 21 to T5 | The priciest option; advance tickets cost less than walk-up, so check the operator |
| N9 night bus | Runs overnight from central London; timetable not published here, check TfL | Not published here, check the operator | Not published here, check the operator |
| Taxi or minicab | 24 hours | Around 45 to 75 minutes by road | Not published here for this direction; see below |
The times in the Elizabeth line row come from heathrow.com and the other figures from the operators' pages, all checked August 2026. The 04:36 is a Paddington departure, so from other Elizabeth line stations the first usable train will be later.
Which terminal changes the train
The Elizabeth line has six trains an hour at T2/3, four at T4 and only two at T5. If you're flying from T5, the Heathrow Express (21 minutes from Paddington) is the frequent option, and a missed Elizabeth line train there costs you a longer wait. Before you pick a train, confirm your terminal with our guide to finding your Heathrow terminal.
Taxi or minicab from London to Heathrow
We haven't got a verified fare for this direction. The £75 to £130 metered and £45 to £75 pre-booked ranges above are for Heathrow to central London, and the same road is about 18 miles, so they're a reasonable guide, but ask for a fixed quote. Ask too whether a pre-booked quote includes the £7 Heathrow forecourt drop-off charge. For an early start, the practical points on booking, and what happens if the car doesn't show, are in will my taxi turn up for an early Heathrow flight.
If your flight is at 06:00 or 07:00
This is our own arithmetic from the figures above, not an operator timetable. Heathrow advises arriving about 2 hours before short-haul and 3 hours before long-haul.
- 06:00 short-haul means being there around 04:00. The first Elizabeth line train from Paddington (around 04:36) reaches T2/3 a little after 05:00, which is under an hour before departure. Don't rely on it. Take the Night Tube if it's a Friday or Saturday night, or book a car.
- 07:00 short-haul means about 05:00. The 04:36 from Paddington lands you a little after 05:00, so you'd have just under 2 hours. That's workable with hand luggage and online check-in, but there's no spare train if you miss it.
- Long-haul before about 08:00 means being at the airport around 05:00 or earlier, which is before you could realistically arrive on the first Elizabeth line train. Book a car, or take the Night Tube if the night allows.
The morning security peak of roughly 05:00 to 08:00 at T3 and T5 can add more than 20 minutes, so for a 07:00 departure the car is the lower-risk choice. Our guide on whether 2 hours is enough at Heathrow goes through the bag-drop and security side.
A simple late-night plan
Due in before about 22:30? Aim for the train and check the last departure for your line as you walk. Landing later, or carrying a lot of luggage, means a taxi or pre-booked minicab, so you're not stranded at a closed station. In the early hours of a Saturday or Sunday, check whether the Night Tube covers you, because it's the cheapest way in when it runs. Full night and off-peak details are on the public transport guide.
More
More: Overview, Public transport, FAQs.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Heathrow to London after midnight? On Friday and Saturday nights the Piccadilly line runs all night. On other nights, use the N9 night bus, a black cab from the rank, or a pre-booked minicab. Trains generally stop running around 23:30.
Does the Tube run all night from Heathrow? Only on Fridays and Saturdays, when the Piccadilly line operates a Night Tube service into central London for the standard low fare. On other nights the last Piccadilly line train is around 23:30.
What is the cheapest way from Heathrow to London late at night? When it runs, the all-night Piccadilly line on Friday and Saturday is cheapest at about £5.60 to £5.90. Otherwise the N9 night bus is the cheapest option, though it is slow and makes many stops.
How much is a taxi from Heathrow to London at night? A metered black cab typically runs £75 to £130, with the night tariff being the most expensive band. A pre-booked minicab is usually cheaper and fixed, commonly £45 to £75 to central London with the drop-off charge included.
Will I catch the last train if I land at 23:00? Possibly not. After landing you still have to clear immigration, collect bags and reach the station, which can take an hour on a late long-haul flight. Check live last-train times, and have a taxi or minicab as a backup.
What is the first train from London to Heathrow in the morning? The first Elizabeth line train from Paddington toward Heathrow is around 04:36 on weekdays, and the Piccadilly line runs from around 05:00. We haven't got a verified first Heathrow Express time, so check the operator.
How do I get from London to Heathrow at 3am or 4am? Before the first trains, your options are the Piccadilly line Night Tube (Friday and Saturday nights only), the N9 night bus from central London, or a taxi or pre-booked minicab. Check the N9 timetable with TfL, as we haven't verified it.
Can I get the train to Heathrow for a 06:00 flight? Not comfortably. The first Elizabeth line train from Paddington (around 04:36) reaches T2/3 a little after 05:00, under an hour before departure, and Heathrow advises about 2 hours for short-haul. Use the Night Tube on a Friday or Saturday night, or book a car.
Is a 07:00 flight possible by the first Elizabeth line train? For short-haul with hand luggage, just about. The first train from Paddington gets you to T2/3 a little after 05:00, just under 2 hours before departure, with no spare train if you miss it. For long-haul, use a car.
How much is a taxi from central London to Heathrow? We haven't verified a fare for this direction. The Heathrow to central London figures are £75 to £130 metered or £45 to £75 pre-booked, so ask for a fixed quote and whether a pre-booked quote includes the £7 Heathrow forecourt drop-off charge.
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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.