One of the ways you can transfer between London Heathrow Airport and central London is by Heathrow Express. This train offers the fastest connection from the airport to the city centre, taking just 15 minutes to or from Paddington Station.
It is the time saving alternative to the London Underground or tube which takes much longer at 45 minutes or more. Services operate four times per hour so the most you will wait is 15 minutes for a train. There is a price difference between this and the Tube as you will see.
Booking and Fares
You can book your tickets online in advance or at the train station. Tickets are not specific to a particular service which takes any worry about missing your train out of the equation. Anytime return tickets in Express Class cost £37 while a one way will cost £25. Off peak one way tickets are £22. A reader commented below on the fact you can get fares as cheap as £5.50 one way. The further in advance you book, the cheaper it seems to be (I checked!), so booking far ahead leads to quite tasty savings.
Earn Airline Miles
Earning miles is possible on Heathrow Express. As a member of the British Airways Executive Club, you can book through the Avios link and earn 10 Avios per pound spent which is quite nice.
Members of Heathrow Rewards can also earn points for travel on the service. You can then either use the points or transfer them to partner schemes.
Express Class On Board
Most of the train is devoted to Express Class carriages. These feature seats in a two by two arrangement, with luggage storage facilities located nearby in easy to see areas.
Heathrow Express Business First
In the very front of the train is the Business First cabin. This exclusive cabin offers far more space than Express Class with seats arranged in as single seats down each side of the carriage. As a result, the aisle is also very wide.
Overall Thoughts
Heathrow Express is the fastest way from London Heathrow Airport to Paddington station in Central London. As there is a price premium for speed, it is generally aimed at those who need to be in town as fast as possible or those who prefer much more comfort than the London Underground.
I think it would be best for people who have a lot of luggage as the Tube is terrible with a lot of bags. Also, the free WiFi and device charging points are a godsend when travelling so these elevate the service above the underground as well.
What do you think of the Heathrow Express? Regular user or think it’s overpriced and not worth it? Thank you for reading and please feel free to leave your comments and questions below.
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Have to follow up (and agree) on what Robert already commented below…..as someone who travels to London at least once a year and stays in the West-End or Kensington/Hyde Park, I found the Express to not be convenient at all. Putting price aside for a moment (and yes, there might be some folks that $$ isn’t an issue and would gladly pay for the service), it really doesn’t save you any time unless you are staying right there in the Paddington area. The up to 15 minute wait kills a lot of the time savings, then there is the transfer… Read more »
I agree with what you’re saying and transferring to the Tube with bags is a major pain. I’ve done it before and it’s not pretty. Thanks for the comment!
Have used this once. Was actually preferable to the Tube.
I rarely use it but when I do it’s definitely far nicer than the Tube.
Just to say because I didn’t know it until recently, but ALL star alliance gold members can upgrade for free to business class on the HEX. This makes it quite compelling. You just buy a full price standard class ticket and show your card.
That’s good to know. I believe there is a similar agreement for British Airways Gold Frequent Flyers in place with Heathrow Express as well. Thanks for letting me know!
There’s another option: Heathrow Connect. About 10 pounds one way. Every 30 minutes, and takes half an hour, so on average not much quicker than the tube. https://www.heathrowconnect.com/tickets
Appreciate that – I’ll have to give it a go next time I am going to or from Heathrow. Thanks for the heads up!
I work in the city and live near waterloo and fly out of LHR 2-3x a month for the past 8 years. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve taken the Heathrow express. Its eye wateringly expensive; has to be time exactly right or else it takes the same time or longer; and still involves a taxi/tube on the London side. On a mile for mile basis its the most expensive RR in the world which in it of itself isnt a deterrent – it just doesn’t confer any real benefit unless the final destination is… Read more »
I will admit that anytime I have taken the Heathrow Express it has always had very few people on board. I think almost everyone goes by Tube by comparison. You are right on the times too – on this last trip I arrived at the platform and it was 15 minutes until the next train. Not great having to cool my heels, but not a lot of choice since I had pre booked. Thanks for the comment!
I have to say, that I’ve never used the Heathrow Express. Like Alhitmi mentioned: Paddington. Wow. If I need to travel to Stratford it’s almost senseless. For 5,5 GBP it’s a great deal if you have to visit the Paddington area, but I’m quite sure that the new “Elizabeth Line” will ruin Heathrow Express.
Yes, I was reading about the Elizabeth Line yesterday and saw the route. I thought the same thing, it may nab some traffic from the Heathrow Express for sure. I’d say that has definitely been taken into consideration though!
I never understand why anyone would take Heathrow Express, yes it takes only 15 minutes to Paddington, but what then?? you have to transfer to your hotel, which can takes more than half an hour in London traffic. I always stay near one of the Piccadilly line stations and it takes me about 50 minutes from the hotel to the terminal for the unbelievable price of 3 Pounds
Yes, I usually stay in Hammersmith or Hounslow which are easy to get to on the Tube. I guess if you have to be in a meeting or you’re running late or for the reasons I mentioned in my post, you’d take the Heathrow Express. Thanks for the comment!
if you buy 90 days in advance, it’s only £5 one way.
Wow, I just had a look and it’s cheaper the further out indeed. I can see it as low as £5.50! Now that is something I didn’t know. I will update the post above to reflect that. Thanks for the heads up!!
Only at weekends. Cheapest on a weekday is £12
Ahh, thanks for that!