Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Heathrow Airport is one of the world’s busiest airports. Think about it: 75 million passengers a year on 500,000 flights from 185 destinations riding 80 airlines, like some kind of global maypole dance.
Orientation
Heathrow’s terminals are numbered T-1 through T-5. Though T-1 is now closed for arrivals and departures, it still supports other terminals with baggage, and the newly renovated T-2 (“Queen’s Terminal”) will likely expand into the old T-1 digs eventually. Each terminal is served by different airlines and alliances; for example, T-5 is exclusively for British Air and Iberia Air flights, while T-2 serves mostly Star Alliance flights, such as United and Lufthansa. Screens posted throughout the airport identify which terminal each airline uses; this information should also be printed on your ticket or boarding pass.
You can walk between T-2 and T-3. From this central hub (called “Heathrow Central”), T-4 and T-5 split off in opposite directions (and are not walkable). The easiest way to travel between the T-2/T-3 cluster and either T-4 or T-5 is by Heathrow Express train (free to transfer between terminals, departs every 15–20 minutes). You can also take a shuttle bus (free, serves all terminals), or the Tube (requires a ticket, serves all terminals).
If you’re flying out of Heathrow, it’s critical to confirm which terminal your flight will use (look at your ticket/boarding pass, check online, or call your airline in advance) — if it’s T-4 or T-5, allow extra time. Taxi drivers generally know which terminal you’ll need based on the airline, but bus drivers may not.
Services
Each terminal has an airport information desk (long hours daily), exchange bureaus, ATMs, a pharmacy, a VAT refund desk (you must present the VAT claim form from the retailer here to get your tax rebate on items purchased in the EU), and baggage storage (£6/item up to 2 hours, £11/item for 2–24 hours, not open overnight). Heathrow offers both free Wi-Fi and pay Internet access points (in each terminal, check map for locations). You’ll find a post office on the first floor of T-3 (departures area). Each terminal also has cheap eateries.
Heathrow’s small “Tourist Information Office” (tourist info shop), even though it’s a for-profit business, is worth a visit if you’re nearby and want to pick up free information, including the London Planner visitors guide (long hours daily, 5-minute walk from T-3 in Tube station, follow signs to Underground; bypass queue for transit info to reach window for London questions).
Getting into the City Center
You have several options for traveling the 14 miles between Heathrow Airport and downtown London:
- Tube: about £12 round-trip, 6/hour, about 2 hours round-trip
- National Express bus to Victoria Coach Station (5-minute walk from Victoria Tube/train station): £16–20 round-trip plus about £5 for connecting Tube fare, 1–2/hour (less frequent from Victoria Station to Heathrow), 1.5–2.5 hours round-trip depending on time of day plus about 10 minutes round-trip for every stop between Tube stations out from Victoria
- Heathrow Express express train to Paddington Station: £37 round-trip (£5 more if you buy your ticket on board) plus about £5 for connecting Tube fare, 4/hour, daily 5:00–24:00, 30 minutes round-trip to downtown from Heathrow Central Station serving T-2/T-3, for T-4 take free transfer to Heathrow Central, add 15 minutes from T-5 and about 10 minutes round-trip for every stop between Tube stations out from Paddington
- Just Airports offers a private car service between Heathrow (and other London airports) and the city center; see website for price quote
- Taxi: About £70/group each way, roughly 2 hours round trip — but beware traffic delays
Gatwick Airport (LGW)
More and more flights land at Gatwick Airport, which is halfway between London and the south coast. Gatwick has two terminals, North and South, which are easily connected by a free monorail (two-minute trip, runs 24 hours daily). Note that boarding passes say “Gatwick N” or “Gatwick S” to indicate your terminal. British Airways flights generally use Gatwick South. The Gatwick Express trains stop only at Gatwick South. Schedules in each terminal show only arrivals and departures from that terminal.
Getting into the City Center
Gatwick Express trains are the best way into London from this airport. They shuttle conveniently between Gatwick South and London’s Victoria Station, which is a reasonable walk, or easy Tube ride, from many of London’s iconic sights (£35 round-trip, at least 10 percent cheaper if purchased online, Oyster cards accepted but no discount offered, 4/hour, 30 minutes, runs 5:00–24:00 daily).
London’s Other Airports
There’s a small chance you might use Stansted (STN) or the far-to-the-north Luton (LTN) airports, and an even slimmer chance you’re connecting via the tiny-but-central City Airport (LCY) or the far-to-the-east Southend Airport (SEN). Each of these is connected to the city center by train and/or bus.
Connecting London’s Airports by Bus
A handy National Express bus runs between Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, and Luton airports — easier than having to cut through the center of London — although traffic can be bad and can increase travel times.
Buses between Heathrow Airport and…
- Gatwick Airport: £25, 1–6/hour, about 1.5 hours — but allow at least three hours between flights
- Stansted Airport: £27, 1–2/hour direct, 1.5 hours
- Luton Airport: £27, roughly hourly, 1 hour
