LHR London Heathrow airport guide
LHR
London Heathrow
London, United Kingdom
Europe's busiest. 5 terminals — verify yours before boarding. Connections between terminals require 60+ min.
Getting from LHR to London
| Option | Cost | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heathrow Express | £25-32 | 15 min | Premium fast train to Paddington. Pricey. |
| Elizabeth Line | £12 | 30-40 min | Best value. Direct to central London (Paddington, Tottenham Court Road, Liverpool St). |
| Piccadilly Line (Tube) | £5-7 | 60 min | Cheapest. Slow but works. |
| Black Cab | £60-100 | 45-90 min | Pricey. Use Elizabeth Line unless 4+ people or 2 AM. |
| Uber/Bolt | £40-80 | 45-90 min | Pickup at all terminals. |
| National Express Bus | £10-20 | 60-90 min | Direct to Victoria Coach Station. |
Lounges
- BA Concorde Room (First Class only)
- BA First/Galleries (multiple)
- Plaza Premium (T2, T4, T5)
- No1 Lounges (T3, T5)
- Priority Pass: 10+ lounges
What to do on a layover
4h layover
Stay airside. Massive shopping. Try the Plaza Premium Arrivals Lounge for shower/food.
8h layover
Elizabeth Line to Paddington (30 min) → walk to Hyde Park or take Tube to a museum (V&A, Natural History). Back 3h ahead.
12h layover
Full afternoon. Westminster + Buckingham Palace + Borough Market. Heathrow has Hilton T4 connected, Sofitel T5 connected.
Wifi & connectivity
Free unlimited 'Heathrow Wi-Fi'. Generally fast.
Sleep + rest options
Plenty of seats in T2, T5. Yotel airside in T4. Connected hotels: Sofitel T5, Hilton T4.
⚠ Important gotcha
T5 = British Airways/Iberia. T2 = Star Alliance. T3 = mixed Oneworld/SkyTeam. T4 = SkyTeam + some others. Don't get the wrong terminal.