On this page (10 sections)
What are the train options to Heathrow?
Three rail services run between London and Heathrow: Heathrow Express, the Elizabeth Line, and the Piccadilly Line. They cover the same broad route into the airport but differ sharply on speed, price, and where they start. The whole choice comes down to one trade-off: the faster the train, the more it costs.
Heathrow Express is the quickest, at 15 minutes from Paddington, and the priciest on the day. The Piccadilly Line is the cheapest, at £5.90 from central London, and the slowest, at the better part of an hour. The Elizabeth Line sits in the middle on both counts, direct across central London in about 30 minutes for £15.50. This page sets them side by side; for the full detail on fares, timetables, and stations, follow the link to each service's own guide.
Heathrow trains compared
The headline figures for an adult single from zone 1:
| Service | Single, zone 1 | Journey | Runs from | Frequency | Serves T4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heathrow Express | £25 | 15 min | Paddington | Every 15 min | No |
| Elizabeth Line | £15.50 | About 30 min | Central London | About every 10 min | Yes |
| Piccadilly Line | £5.90 | About 50 min | Central London | Every few min | Yes |
Times are to the central station for Terminals 2 and 3. Heathrow Express runs only from Paddington; the other two cross central London, so the Elizabeth Line is about 40 minutes from Liverpool Street and the Piccadilly Line about 55 from Kings Cross St Pancras. Heathrow Express also sells an advance single from £10, which is the one case where it undercuts the Elizabeth Line.
Which train should I choose?
The right train depends less on where the airport is and more on where you start, how much luggage you have, and what your time is worth. A quick guide by situation:
- On a budget: the Piccadilly Line, the cheapest by a wide margin at £5.90.
- Short on time: Heathrow Express, 15 minutes from Paddington and unbeaten on speed.
- Carrying heavy luggage: Heathrow Express or the Elizabeth Line, both with proper luggage space, rather than the cramped Tube.
- Travelling late at night at the weekend: the Piccadilly Line, the only train that runs through the night on Friday and Saturday.
- Starting in west London: the Piccadilly Line or the Elizabeth Line, which you can often join without going into the centre first.
- Starting in the east or at Canary Wharf: the Elizabeth Line, which runs there directly without a change.
- Starting outside zone 1: the Elizabeth Line or the Piccadilly Line, where the fare is set by the zones you cross and the daily cap applies.
- Flying from Terminal 4: the Elizabeth Line or the Piccadilly Line, the only trains that stop there.
For most travellers from central London with a normal amount of luggage and no particular rush, the Elizabeth Line is the sensible default. It is direct, far cheaper than Heathrow Express, and faster than the Piccadilly Line.
Heathrow Express in brief
Heathrow Express is a dedicated non-stop service between Paddington and the airport, run by the airport itself rather than as part of the London network. It reaches the central terminals in 15 minutes and Terminal 5 in 21, every 15 minutes through the day. It is the fastest train and the most expensive on the day, at £25 for a standard single, though an advance single booked well ahead can fall to £10.
It suits travellers from near Paddington who want the shortest possible trip and will pay for it, and it is sharpest value booked early. The full picture, including Business First, returns, and railcards, is on the Heathrow Express guide.
The Elizabeth Line in brief
The Elizabeth Line is the direct main-line train across central London to the airport, run by Transport for London. It reaches the airport in about 30 minutes from Paddington, stopping at Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, and Liverpool Street on the way, so it often saves a change. A pay as you go single from zone 1 is a flat £15.50, and it is the only train other than the Piccadilly Line to serve Terminal 4.
For most journeys from central London it is the best balance of speed, comfort, and cost. The detail on fares, the daily cap, and the three Heathrow stations is on the Elizabeth Line to Heathrow guide.
The Piccadilly Line in brief
The Piccadilly Line is the deep Tube line that runs from central London out to Heathrow, calling at every terminal. It is the cheapest train by far, at £5.90 from zone 1, and the slowest, at around 50 minutes to an hour from the centre. It is also the only route that runs through the night, on Friday and Saturday.
It earns its place for budget travellers, for anyone already on the line, and for late-night weekend journeys, as long as you can manage your luggage on a busy Tube. The full guide, including the Hatton Cross split for Terminal 4 and Terminal 5, is on the Piccadilly Line to Heathrow page.
Which terminals does each train serve?
All three trains call at the central station for Terminals 2 and 3, but they differ at the satellites. The key split is Terminal 4, which Heathrow Express does not reach at all.
- Heathrow Express: Terminals 2 and 3, and Terminal 5. Not Terminal 4.
- Elizabeth Line: all four, with dedicated stations at Terminal 4 and Terminal 5.
- Piccadilly Line: all four, with Terminal 4 and Terminal 5 on two branches that split after Hatton Cross.
If you are flying from Terminal 5, all three trains reach it. If you are flying from Terminal 4, you need the Elizabeth Line or the Piccadilly Line. Terminals 2 and 3 share one station, so any of the three works for either.
Tickets and payment
Contactless and pay as you go Oyster work on all three trains: tap in and out and the fare is charged automatically. The differences sit around that. The Elizabeth Line and Piccadilly Line are part of the Transport for London system, so the zones 1 to 6 daily cap of £16.30 applies and a zones 1 to 6 Travelcard is valid on both.
Heathrow Express stands apart. It sets its own fares, Travelcards are not valid, and there is no daily cap, but it is the only one of the three with an advance ticket, the £10 single that rewards booking ahead. Tapping in with contactless on Heathrow Express simply charges the £25 standard single. In short, book ahead for Heathrow Express, and just tap in for the other two.
Delays and disruption
The three trains run on different infrastructure, which is useful when one is disrupted. The Elizabeth Line and Piccadilly Line are part of the Transport for London network and can be affected by signal faults, engineering, or strikes. Heathrow Express runs on the Great Western main line and is most often disrupted by weekend engineering between Paddington and Hayes. When one route is down, the others usually keep running.
Because live status changes by the hour, this page does not carry the current position. Check the Transport for London service status page or the TfL Go app for the Elizabeth and Piccadilly Lines, and National Rail Enquiries for the wider network, before you travel.
Getting onward at the London end
Where the trains leave you in London matters as much as the airport end. Heathrow Express terminates at Paddington, where you change onto the Underground, the Elizabeth Line, or national rail to go further. The Elizabeth Line is itself a through service, so from the airport you stay on board across central London to Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Canary Wharf, and beyond without changing.
The Piccadilly Line is also a through Tube service, running across the centre and out to the north-east, with interchanges to most other lines along the way. For journeys that end in central London it often needs no change at all, which is part of why it stays competitive despite the slow run.