So you're visiting London and flying into the Heathrow airport? How exciting! This post is meant to help you understand the different options you have to get from the airport to downtown as well as a few tips for navigating this gargantuan airport.
Getting out of the airport, arrival lounges, trollies, and more!
Heathrow has some of the best signage of any airport I've been to—so most people should find it fairly easy to navigate. Depending on the airline you're flying, you'll be routed through a series of hallways until you arrive at the Border Force station.
Tip: Make sure you go through the right line at Border Force. There are dedicated lines for if you have an EU passport, if you're visiting from a country where visas are not required (e.g. the USA, full list here), and a final line for visitors with visas.
If you're traveling to London frequently from an approved country and have gone through the border at least four times in the past two years, you should consider registering for the UK's Registered Traveler program. It lets you go through the EU lines which are much, much faster.
Once you finish up with Border Force, you'll be dropped into the baggage claim area where you'll find plenty of free carts (or trollies as they are called here) so you won't have to worry about carrying your luggage. You'll even find vending machines where you can purchase a UK SIM card. Once you've collected your bags, you'll be able to exit through custom declarations.
Arrival lounges
Once you exit the secure area you have a few options to get from the airport to downtown London. You'll also find a series of arrival lounges including the Plaza Premium Lounge. The Plaza Premium is a part of the Priority Pass collection - so you may get free access if you have a travel credit card. They feature showers and a place to rest—perfect for anyone going right into a meeting or a day of exploring after a redeye. If you don't have a membership through Priority Pass, American Express, or any of their other partners, you can buy a day pass. The sign says shower passes start at £20. Learn more about the arrival lounges here.
Getting from the airport to London
Heathrow is a fair distance west of London proper but they've gone to great lengths to make it as easy as possible to get from the region's largest airport to downtown quickly and easily.
Fastest: The Heathrow Express is the best option for those willing to spend a little more money to get downtown quickly.
It's hard to miss the signs for the Heathrow Express. They are everywhere in the airport complimented by sales agents trying to sell you tickets. You can buy them anywhere you see these signs but I strongly suggest you book in advance. You'll save a lot of money and time.
Tip: Book your Heathrow Express Tickets early via their mobile app to save a lot of money. If you buy your tickets 90 days in advance you can get them for as low as £5.50 one-way. Buying a ticket on the mobile app for the same day costs £22 - £37 per person per direction.
Getting to the Heathrow Express is a bit of a trek from Terminal 2 (so don't give up your trolly just yet). The signage is very good—just follow the signs to "Trains." You'll have to go across an outside area to the elevators, go down to the bottom level, and walk from there. You'll pass the Tube and follow several moving sidewalks before you find the trains. Make sure you get on the Heathrow Express (not another train service). Signs and announcements are very good. Plus, the Heathrow Express is covered in purple "Heathrow Express" branding - so it's hard to miss. On the train, you'll find lots of space to put your luggage making it much easier to navigate than the Tube.
The Heathrow Express takes you directly to Paddington Station in an amazing 15 minutes. From Paddington it's easy to catch a cab or take the Tube to anywhere in the city.
Cheapest: The Tube
The London Tube will take you to downtown from Heathrow Airport (albeit a little less directly than the Heathrow Express). You'll hop on the Victoria line then, again, follow signs to "Trains" until you see the signs for the Underground. Then ride for ~12 stops to get to 'downtown'.
Tip: Google Maps works really well with the London public transportation system. You can use Heathrow's free wifi to get transit directions to your specific destination. It will tell you the timing of the next train and where to transfer.
The Tube is one of my favorite subway systems. It's clean (compared to BART in San Francisco, so I may be jaded) and the signage is very easy to follow (unlike my experience in New York City). You can also use contactless (Apple Pay, etc.) to get through the gates so you don't have to fumble around with tickets or buy a plastic card you may not use again.
If you have a lot of luggage, the Tube may be a bit awkward. During the busy times of day, the train will fill up and there is no designated place for large bags. If you're traveling during rush hour (8:00-10:00 am and 4:00- 6:00 pm) you may want to go with the Heathrow Express, which has ample space for your bags.
Most Comfortable: Uber
If you'd rather not deal with trains, you can catch an Uber or a taxi from the airport to central London. It will cost you around £40 - £50 for an UberX (the most basic option) if traffic is not bad. If you have a lot of luggage you'll likely need an UberXL (a larger SUV or van). For an UberXL you can expect to shell out £50-£60 for a one-way trip in light traffic.
Tip: If you've never used Uber before, you can get a major discount off your ride from LHR to London using this referral link to sign up. You'll be doing us a favor too—so it's a win-win!
Assuming you're flying into Terminal 2, you'll meet your Uber at the top of the short-term parking garage. When you exit the terminal, you'll see a bank of elevators (see picture below). You will want to go to the proper level using the left bank of elevators which take you to the parking garage.
If you're coming into another terminal, follow the directions on the Uber app as it varies by terminal.
Enjoy London!
Congratulations—you've made it to downtown! Enjoy your time in London and let us know in the comments what method you used!
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