Heathrow sits on the western edge of London, between the M4 and the M25. Terminals 2 and 3 share the central area, while Terminals 4 and 5 each have their own road in and their own station, so know your terminal before you set off. For drop-off charges, how early to arrive and which parking to choose, see our guide to flying from Heathrow Airport; our Heathrow terminal guide lists every airline by terminal.
By car: postcodes and junctions for each terminal
- Terminal 2: postcode TW6 1EW. Leave the M4 at junction 4, or the M25 at junction 15, and follow the signs for Terminals 2 and 3.
- Terminal 3: postcode TW6 1QG. The same approach as Terminal 2.
- Terminal 4: postcode TW6 3XA. Leave the M25 at junction 14 and take the A3113 exit signed Heathrow Airport and Terminal 4, then follow the signs.
- Terminal 5: postcode TW6 2GA. Terminal 5 has its own access road from junction 14 of the M25.
If you have booked parking off the airport, or Meet & Greet, use the postcode in your booking confirmation instead.
Routes from each direction
- From central London: head west on the A4 and M4 to junction 4 for Terminals 2 and 3. For Terminals 4 and 5, stay on the M4 to junction 4B and take the M25 south to junction 14.
- From the west (Reading, Bristol, South Wales): take the M4 east. Leave at junction 4B for the M25 south to junction 14 for Terminals 4 and 5, or stay on to junction 4 for Terminals 2 and 3.
- From the north (the M1, the M40, Oxford, Birmingham): join the M25 and head south, anticlockwise. Leave at junction 15 for Terminals 2 and 3, or carry on to junction 14 for Terminals 4 and 5.
- From the south and south-west (the M3, the M23 and Gatwick, the A3 and Guildford): join the M25 and head north, clockwise. Junction 14 comes first, for Terminals 4 and 5; junction 15 is next, for Terminals 2 and 3.
Waiting on the departure forecourts is not allowed, and Heathrow's car parks have no electric car charging. Heathrow is inside London's Ultra Low Emission Zone; our guide to clean air zones on the way to the airport explains how to check your car.
By train
Heathrow has three stations, all in Zone 6: Terminals 2 and 3, a few minutes' walk from both through a pedestrian subway; Terminal 4, below its arrivals hall; and Terminal 5, in the terminal basement.
Elizabeth line
The Elizabeth line serves all four terminals and runs through Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Liverpool Street, taking under 40 minutes to central London. Terminals 2 and 3 have six trains an hour; Terminal 4 has four an hour, to Abbey Wood via Canary Wharf; Terminal 5 has two an hour, to Shenfield via Stratford. Pay with Oyster or contactless.
Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express runs non-stop between London Paddington and Heathrow every 15 minutes. It takes about 15 minutes to Terminals 2 and 3 and about 21 minutes to Terminal 5. It does not call at Terminal 4: change at Terminals 2 and 3 for a free train, which takes about 4 minutes. The first train leaves Paddington at 04:34, or 04:55 on Sundays.
Piccadilly line
The Piccadilly line is the cheapest rail option and stops at all four terminals. It takes about 50 minutes to central London, calling at Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and King's Cross St Pancras, and Heathrow says you should never wait more than ten minutes for a train. The Night Tube runs on Friday and Saturday nights but does not serve Terminal 4.
By bus
At Terminals 2 and 3, most buses use the Central Bus Station, between the two terminals and above the Underground station. At Terminals 4 and 5, buses stop outside the arrivals level, close to the stations. TfL buses do not take cash: use Oyster or contactless.
- From west and south-west London: the 111 and 285 run to Kingston, the 105 to Southall and Greenford, the Superloop SL7 to West Croydon, and the 490 to Twickenham and Richmond via Terminals 4 and 5.
- From the north: the Superloop SL9 runs from Harrow via Northolt and Hayes, and the 278, A10 and U3 serve Hayes, Hillingdon, Ruislip and Uxbridge.
- At night: the N9 runs from Aldwych via Hammersmith, and the N30 and N40 from Acton and Ealing, between about 23:40 and 05:35.
- Between terminals: the H30 is free all day, linking the Central Bus Station with Terminals 4 and 5 and Hatton Cross.
Buses also run from Slough, Maidenhead, Staines, Woking, Bracknell and High Wycombe.
By coach
Coaches for Terminals 2 and 3 use the Central Bus Station, and at Terminals 4 and 5 they stop outside arrivals. National Express runs round the clock, with direct coaches from places including Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Cambridge, Bournemouth, Southampton, Oxford, Brighton and London, and links to Gatwick, Luton and Stansted. RailAir, run by First Bus, links Terminals 2, 3 and 5 with Reading, Woking, Guildford and Watford Junction stations; The Airline runs to Oxford and Gatwick; and FlixBus also calls. Book online with each operator.
To compare parking for your dates, see Heathrow Airport parking. Once you are inside, our page on shops, food and drink at Heathrow Airport covers each terminal.
Sorted before you fly.
