Visiting London and flying into London Heathrow Airport? Here’s the definitive guide for how to get from Heathrow to central London. We tell you all of your transport options from the airport to the city centre, how much they cost, the pros and cons of each, and other helpful tips for a smooth airport transfer.
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MORE LONDON TIPS:
Places Londoners don’t want tourists to visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZnuOIvT1LA&t
British dishes you MUST try in London: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS4jjzhwzaI&t
Why you’ll HATE London: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYjYcO46Lx0&t
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ā„ļø MORE LONDON HELP ā„ļø (some links are affiliated and help us keep producing these videos)
š Free London 101 Guide for first-time London visitors: https://goo.gl/Eh3HP3
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š Travel guides for London with Londoner-loved hidden gems, divided by area (The Casual Tourist Guides): https://bit.ly/3bgeRoj
šø London Spending Guide (includes budget calculator spreadsheet, hotel recommendations and more): https://bit.ly/3OduFqy
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š Pre-book your airport taxi: https://www.book-online-transfers.com/en/loveandlondon-airport-taxi
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About Love and London:
I’m Jess, I’ve lived in London for many years, and this channel is a London travel guide for anyone visiting the city that wants to experience it like you live here. Beyond talking about the usual London attractions, myself and my team show you some of the cooler things to do in London, that most travel guides don’t mention. Watch our videos and you’ll feel like you’ve got a Londoner friend telling you the best kept secrets in the city.
SERVICES AND LINKS (some links are affiliated, this helps us continue to create all of our FREE content at no extra cost to you, thanks for the support!):
Heathrow Express tickets: https://www.viator.com/en-GB/tours/London/Heathrow-Express-to-or-from-London-Padding[ā¦]?pid=P00091582&mcid=42383&medium=link&campaign=heathrow-video
Our preferred pre-booked taxi service: https://www.book-online-transfers.com/en/loveandlondon-airport-taxi (book taxis around the world!)
Coach tickets via Omio: https://omio.sjv.io/DK13Kq
29 Comments
Thanks Jess! I'm bummed today is my last day in London. š I usually take the underground Piccadilly & District Lines to get to my hotel which is a block away from one of the stations. I'm glad you mentioned that commuters use this, I learned that the hard way. I once had to jump on the tube early on a week day morning to catch my flight, and it was a real pain in the arse with my luggage and all the people.
Living in London and a frequent traveller via Heathrow my my personal choice and recommendation would be the Elizabeth line. Very convenient and economic plus unlike the other tube line to Heathrow (Piccadilly) it's roomier and air conditioned !
Taxis are pretty much always slower than the train if you want to go anywhere in zone 1
Another thing to mention is that both Elizabeth Line and Piccadilly will be included in the daily cap if using contactless. So if you're planning on doing a lot travelling around London the same day, it's even more economical.
A tip for visitors? To Londoners (and most other parts of the UK) a "Taxi" means a Black Cab. If you ask about where the Uber etc will pick you up, don't talk about "Taxis" it will just confuse things:)
Well Jess, amazing timing. I am from London but haven't left the country since COVID and the Elizabeth line being introduced to service. So coming back from Madrid to Heathrow next Wednesday, I was starting to search the best way to get back and you saved me a job! Thanks. Just one thing about the Piccadilly Line, it actually goes to North London as opposed to North East London with the end of the line being Cockfosters, but unlike me I doubt many of your subscribers will go North of Kings Cross. Great video as usual and you helped a local out here!
The low frequencies (relatively) of the Heathrow Express really makes it kind of a gimmick especially vs the Elizabeth line – though the Tube is still fine imo if you're not in a rush, especially if it goes where you need to š
I was in London a couple of weeks ago. I ended up taking the Piccadily line out and the Elizabeth line in to the airport. A lot of elevators in Heathrow but pretty easy to get around.
We usually take the Picadilly line as we take a train out of Kings Cross to northern England. Works fine and takes an hour. There are lifts (elevators) at Kings Cross so it's super easy if you have lots of luggage.
Thank you for the info!
Alternatively, you could not go to Heathrow Airport. Flight critics lambast Heathrow as the worst airport in Europe; it has unfriendly staff who handle things terribly when something goes wrong. My favoured airport, when given the option, is Gatwick, even though I live just a short bus ride away from Heathrow. Even Stansted is preferable to Heathrow. Luton, although I've never used it, has a less-than-stellar reputation too, but not as bad as Heathrow.
Taxi from Heathrow usually costs around Ā£40, although since I last checked it could have gone up with inflation.
If you are at your hotel & need to go back to the airport, avoid asking the reception to arrange a courtesy car. They will charge you around double the cost of a black cab. Instead simply ask them to call a taxi, or (in the bigger hotels) switch on the "Taxi" light on the outside of the hotel, & tell the taxi driver to take you to the airport. You will save around Ā£40 doing this.
If you fly into Heathrow & hire a car to get into London, you will struggle to find parking when you get to your hotel & will usually end up doing more walking than had you taken public transport. The car rental desks are for people who aren't going to London & will rent a car, drive it round the M25 & off onto one of the other routes radiating out from metropolis to rural areas.
Absolutely though, DO NOT SET UP YOUR APPLE PAY AT THE FAREGATE, set it up in the lift or on the escalator. If you need a little extra time, stand to the right of the escalator & do it as you travel. If you're having internet problems, pull over to the side just like if you were on a highway. You will cause a pedestrian traffic jam if you stop before going through the barrier.
Explication very neccesary
i liked the way that the last time i went to heathrow bus station, the co-driver was hilarious…"and that no entry sign"…at arrival at heathrow bus station….omg…and the co-driver's top tips on the "no-entry", the reversing and the "hogging" the lanes….omg, he was a newbie, but his crew-mate did practically everything for him!….i bet his thought on his first journey "this isn't for me"…normally on national express i have a lot of fun…
If you are staying by Paddington you can get Express tickets in advance for as low as 5:50 pounds If you know your going a month or so in advance I did that on my lasts trip
You can also get the normal surburban train from Heathrow to Paddington for about Ā£12 and 30 mins. Avoid this at rush hour as it will be packed with commuters
Wow. I took Elizabeth line yesterday to Heathrow Terminal 2, the bloody train was over 25 mins delayed from Canary Wharf; itās just too unpredictable with delays, and I missed my flight to Brussels, I learnt a harsh lesson of leaving earlierā¦ Iād definitely take Heathrow express from Paddington or consider flying strictly from Gatwick via London Bridge overground
You can use the same contactless payment card for travel within London on the buses, tube and trains (some exceptions such as Heathrow Express as it is not operated by TFLš) but the tube from Heathrow is included. You will be charged per journey but the max cost each day is capped. (Ā£11.70 as of 21.10.23)
Jess, Can you take a dog on any of these transports? I have a friend that has a service dog and will be going to London after the new year.
(Also…idea for a new video…Dogs in London. You could talk about things you can do/can't do in London with your dog.)
love this, this video came at the perfect time, going to london tuesday!
Hello there beautiful you are my dream date woman girlfriend kevin
Flown into London 3 times in 10 years, and usually use the Piccadilly or the Heathrow Express. But this was before the Elizabeth Line was open. So will take that, or H Express next time, or maybe even a coach so I can see something.
Just returned from London. We booked our Heathrow express tickets about 3+ months in advance – Ā£5.50 one way. Used this many times.
was returning from Tokyo to London Heathrow a couple weeks back, used the Heathrow express as part of my journey to return to London Kings Cross so I could catch a train back up North. Although Im a UK resident I am not a London expert by a longshot, and I took the Heathrow express expecting it to be the same as any other tube train, the only thing I had on my mind was getting back home as quickly and conveniently as possible. Used my debit card for payment and didn't get my travel bill till a couple days later, and when I saw I was charged almost 30 quid to take 2 tube trains to kings crossed i was absolutely shocked, especially after returning from Japans super affordable train fares. I thought I might have forgot to scan a gate somewhere and thats why I was being charged so much. This video enlightened me why my travel bill was so much, thanks for the info
I've only flown from to Heathrow once and took the Tube option and it is very convenient but yeah, if it's crowded and carry big luggage it's a uncomfy
Good advice but you didn't say the busiest times on the Elizabeth Line
Can you do a halal food guide to muslim? (if you dont know what halal means, it is no pork, alcohol and no other haram stuff).