Heathrow Airport - Information for Travellers

London is one of the biggest cities in the world with an ever increase population and Heathrow Airport forms a big part of what it is today. The airport, the largest airport in the UK, is one of the busiest places in the world. The airport has five terminals, making it look more like a giant town or a smaller city within itself. As traveller, you need to know about the airport transfer options available to you to get into or out of Heathrow Airport. 

Expansion

The great Heathrow Airport was established back in 1940s but due to inadequate planning and inability to take timely actions, the area was not expanded as per growth. However, revamping of T2 or The Queen’s Terminal and addition of Terminal 5 significantly improved the situation.

Here are some of the airport transfer services that you can use to get from Central London to Heathrow Airport.

Taxis or Minicabs

The famous black cabs of London are available outside every terminal. However, the time required to get to London from the airport depends on congestion, time of the day, and distance. You can expect the journey to take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours. Many travellers who find it prohibitively expense to travel on a black cab can also hire a minicab. Minicabs are a relatively cheaper yet comfortable airport transfer option available.  The amount of minicab fare will again vary with the type of service, mileage and other factors.

Train

Heathrow is directly linked with Paddington by Heathrow Express & Connect. Besides, short traveling time you would be able to enjoy a comfortable ride. Many express coach services are connected with different train. Some of the main stations connected with the network include St Pancras, King Cross, Victoria, Paddington, Marylebone, Liverpool Street, and Euston. Make sure you know in advance the number of meters you would need to walk before you reach your intended destination or onto some other mode of transport.

Coaches

There are many coach services which operate directly from Heathrow Airport to different cities in the UK. Most coach services use Terminal 5 to provide their airport transfer services. You can check with your coach service for timings, pricing, and information.

The Tube

It is very easy get on tube from Heathrow Airport to central London. The Piccadilly Line directly connects all terminals to central London and stops at every station which is close to any major landmark of the city. As it has to stop at so many stops, the traveling time does increase significantly. You can use Oyster Cards or Travel Cards to get better value for money. The trains depart from Terminals 4 & 5 and stop at Terminals 1 & 3 before heading to London. However, trains from other terminals may or may not stop before leaving the airport.

There are many ways to get from Heathrow Airport to London. You need to make sure that you understand the type of transport, its costs, and the time required. Besides, you must also know about your last stop and from there what mode of transport you would need to get to your final destination. Try to get a flight to Heathrow Airport which gets you there on day time. Traveling at odd times is not only unsafe but usually costs more when all public transport facilities may not be available.