Heathrow to London by Train
There are two train services from Heathrow airport to Paddington train station in central London: the Heathrow Connect and the Heathrow Express.
The Heathrow Express is a non-stop service. It costs ?21.50 for a 15-minute journey — probably one of the most expensive train journeys in the world.
The more affordable Heathrow Connect stops at a seven station in west London before reaching Paddington station. At ?10.10 it’s less than half the price of the Heathrow Express and takes 27 minutes .
The train is quickest way and most convenient way of getting to central London if you’re staying in the Paddington, Lancaster Gate or Bayswater area. It’s not as convenient if you’re staying in another part of central London, as you’ll have to take the underground, bus or taxi to reach your final destination.
Train tickets for these two services do not entitle you to 2 for 1 discounts at London attractions
Heathrow Connect train
The Heathrow Connect is the cheapest train from the airport. It stops at Hayes, Southall, Hanwell, West Ealing & Ealing Broadway and Paddington station.
Ticket cost
Journey time & timetable
Allow another 10-15 minutes for Terminal 4 & 5.
There are two trains per hour Monday–Saturday and one train per hour on Sunday.
Where to take the Heathrow Connect train
From Terminal 1, 2 or 3
The Heathrow Connect leaves from Heathrow Central station. You can walk to the station from Terminals 1, 2 or 3.
Trains usually leave from platform 2, but listen to the station announcements or check the departure board between platform 1 & 2.
From Terminals 4 or 5
The Heathrow Connect doesn’t run directly from Terminals 4 or 5. You need to take a free train transfer to Heathrow Central to connect with the service.
Just follow the signs for ‘Trains’, or ‘Heathrow Express’:
From Terminal 4
Get on the first train transfer and get off at the next stop, Heathrow Central. The journey time is 4 minutes and trains leave every 15 minutes. Walk to platform 2 and wait for the next Heathrow Connect service.
From Terminal 5
Get on the first Heathrow Express train and get off at the next stop, Heathrow Central. It takes 6 minutes and trains leave every 15 minutes. Walk to platform 2 and wait for the next Heathrow Connect service.
Where to buy Heathrow Connect tickets
Buying tickets at the airport
You might be forgiven for thinking there’s only one train service from Heathrow. The Heathrow Express is owned by the airport and is heavily promoted, unlike the Heathrow Connect. All the ticket offices and machines are branded with the purple Heathrow Express colours.
Heathrow Connect tickets are available from ticket offices and ticket machines marked ‘Heathrow Express’ (apart from the machines in Terminal 2 which only offer Heathrow Express tickets). When buying tickets from a ticket office, make sure you ask for a ‘Heathrow Connect’ ticket. You don’t want to pay for a Heathrow Express ticket by mistake.
If you buy a ticket from a ticket machine, select ‘Heathrow Connect’. When it asks you to type in the first letter of your destination, press ‘P’ for Paddington, if you’re going to central London, not ‘L’ for London.
Tickets are available from:
- Terminal 1 – the ticket office in the arrivals hall
- Terminal 4 – the ticket office or ticket machines
- Terminal 5 – the Express Rail & Tickets desk in the arrivals hall
- Heathrow Central station – ticket office or ticket machines
There are no ticket desks or machines in Terminal 2 or 3. Tickets are available from Heathrow Central, the closest train station.
Booking tickets online
Tickets can be booked on the Heathrow Connect website. There’s no benefit in booking tickets online. Tickets are the same price as the ticket offices at the airport.
Heathrow Express train
If you can afford it, or if someone else is paying, the Heathrow Express is the quickest way into central London. It’s a non-stop train from Heathrow airport to Paddington train station. It’s slightly quicker than the Heathrow Connect, but more than twice price.