Contactless and Oyster can be used to travel with Heathrow Express. Simply touch in at the start of your journey and out at your destination and you will be automatically charged for the journey you make.
People Also Ask
The journey from Heathrow Airport to London Paddington takes about 15 minutes, and trains operate from approximately 5.20am until midnight. You can use Visitor Oyster Cards ** for payment onboard.
The Heathrow Express station is close to T3. Once you start down the ramp to the inter-terminal walkway it's only about 2 minutes to the station entrance. Add a couple more minutes to get from Arrivals to that ramp, plus 2-4 minutes to reach the platforms by lift or escalators.
Children cannot travel unaccompanied in Business First Class. Child Oyster cards (5–10 Zip Oyster photocard, 11–15 Zip Oyster photocard, Visitor Oyster card or a blue Oyster card with the Young Visitor discount applied) can be used to travel free on Heathrow Express.
Free London Underground services and shuttle trains (Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express) are available for inter-terminal transfers between Heathrow Terminals 2&3 and Heathrow Terminal 5.
Adult pay as you go with a Visitor Oyster card on TfL Rail costs for a single journey is £5.60 Peak/Off-Peak. Travel on Heathrow Express costs the same as a Peak or Off-Peak Express Single (£25 any-time).
Contactless cards are also subject to the same price capping as an Oyster Card, so you never pay more than you would have spent had you purchased a daily travel card. You are also able to take advantage of the 'bus hopper' fare. However, you won't get the same discounts available with the Visitor Oyster Card.
The Elizabeth Line is about half the price of a full-fare Heathrow Express ticket, but takes twice as long to reach Paddington. Trains depart every 30 minutes and it takes just 35 minutes to travel between Paddington Station and Heathrow.
The TFL train is also less frequent than the Heathrow Express, every 30 minutes instead of every 15 minutes with Heathrow Express. The TFL Rail Heathrow train visits Terminals 2 and 3 as well as Terminal 5. Both Heathrow Express and TFL Rail trains share the same platforms at Heathrow Central.
Elizabeth line fares are the same as the Tube on journeys within TfL's fare zones, which extend to Brentwood in Essex. However, beyond this, special fares kick in.
When to arrive. We recommend getting to the airport three hours before your flight if you're travelling internationally, or two hours if you're travelling domestically or to Europe.