Destinations
London: Arriving at Heathrow and Getting Around
Airport: LHR — London Heathrow
Heathrow to central London by tube, Elizabeth line and express train, plus how contactless payment and zones work on your first day.
Heathrow has four working terminals and three rail options into central London. Which one you take is mostly a trade between money and about twenty minutes.
Getting into the city
- Elizabeth line — the sensible default. Around 30 to 40 minutes to Paddington, Bond Street and Liverpool Street, and it takes contactless payment.
- Heathrow Express — 15 minutes to Paddington, considerably more expensive, cheaper if booked in advance.
- Piccadilly line — the slowest and cheapest, around an hour, with luggage-unfriendly stairs at some stations.
- Taxi or ride-hailing — an hour or more in traffic, and priced accordingly.
Paying for transport
Tap in and out with the same contactless card or phone. There is no need to buy an Oyster card, and daily and weekly caps apply automatically. On buses you tap in only.
Where to base yourself
South Bank and Southwark put you within walking distance of the river and the main galleries. Bloomsbury is quiet, central and close to St Pancras. Shoreditch suits food and evenings more than sightseeing.
Day one notes
- Stand on the right on escalators.
- Museums with free entry still ask for a timed booking at busy periods.
- Pubs stop serving food earlier than most visitors expect.
- Rain is not a plan-changing event here; carry a layer and keep going.
