Route guide
London Heathrow (LHR) → Central London
24 km (15 mi) · 45–75 min by car
All options compared
| Option | Price |
|---|---|
| Official taxi | Black cab: £60–100 (metered + tip) |
| Pre-booked transfer | Pre-booked: £40–60 (fixed) Book → |
| Train / bus | Heathrow Express: £25, 15 min to Paddington. Piccadilly Line: £5.50, 50–60 min. |
Transfer service comparison for this route
| Service | Price | Meet & greet | Best for | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome Pickups | £50–70 | ✓ Inside terminal | Families, premium | Check price → |
| Kiwitaxi | £40–60 | ✓ Arrivals hall | Vehicle variety | Check price → |
| GetTransfer | £35–50 | Varies | Budget travelers | Check price → |
| intui.travel | £38–55 | ✓ Most drivers | Shared options | Check price → |
GBP and EUR rates for standard sedan to central London Zone 1. T5 pickups are slightly more expensive than T2/T3 due to distance. Canary Wharf, Wembley, Richmond quoted separately. Updated March 2026.
Cheapest option
GetTransfer bids from £35
Best option
Welcome Pickups — meet-and-greet inside the terminal, flight tracking, fixed price
Journey time by time of day
| Time of day | Expected duration | Traffic |
|---|---|---|
| Early morning (5–7am) | 35–45 min | Light — best time to travel |
| Morning rush (7–10am) | 60–90 min | Heavy — M4 congestion, avoid if possible |
| Midday (10am–4pm) | 45–60 min | Moderate — generally smooth |
| Evening rush (4–7pm) | 60–90 min | Heavy — worst on Fridays |
| Evening (7–11pm) | 40–55 min | Light — comfortable ride |
| Late night (11pm–5am) | 30–40 min | Minimal — fastest journey times |
Times are to central London (Zone 1). Add 10–20 minutes for South London, Greenwich, or Canary Wharf destinations.
For detailed meet-and-greet instructions applicable to all transfer services, see our step-by-step guide to booking airport transfers.
• Terminal 4: Arrivals hall near the information desk. Smaller terminal, easy to spot your driver.
• Terminal 5: Arrivals hall level. This is a large terminal — walk past all the shops and your driver will be near the exit doors. Allow 10–15 minutes from gate to meeting point.
4. Walk to the car. Your driver will lead you to the car park — usually a 3–5 minute walk. At T5, some services use the short-stay car park (2-minute walk); others use the business car park (5 minutes).
All transport alternatives compared
| Option | Price | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-booked transfer | £35–70 | 45–75 min | Groups, families, door-to-door Book → |
| Black cab | £60–100+ | 45–75 min | Spontaneous, solo, expense accounts |
| Uber | £30–55 | 45–75 min | Solo daytime travelers |
| Elizabeth Line | £12.80 | 40 min to Paddington | Budget, central destinations |
| Heathrow Express | £25 (£5.50 advance) | 15 min to Paddington | Speed, Paddington area |
| Piccadilly Line | £5.50 | 50–60 min | Ultra-budget, light luggage |
| National Express | £6–10 | 60–90 min | Budget, Victoria Coach Station |
Which service wins for this route
LHR → central London is the single most competitive airport transfer market on this site. The Elizabeth Line at £13.30 is excellent for solo travelers — any pre-booked transfer has to earn its premium. GetTransfer bidding wins for couples and small groups, with winning bids of £40–55 routinely undercutting traditional London car services. Welcome Pickups (£65–95) is our pick for families with young children — the free child seats plus door-to-door service genuinely beats the Elizabeth Line + Tube + walking routine with kids and luggage. Kiwitaxi at £55–85 is the business-travel default: reliable, fixed, named driver. intui.travel has solid London coverage but rarely leads; it's a decent fallback when the others are unavailable.
Real traveler tips
Heathrow T5 is Terminal 5's dedicated pickup point and is separated from T2/T3 by the Central Terminal Area. The walk between terminals is 5–10 minutes — drivers meeting at the wrong terminal cost time.
T5 immigration for non-UK arrivals can run 45–60 minutes at peak evening times (Elizabeth Line arrivals 18:00–21:00). Mention your terminal when booking — it genuinely changes the driver's planning.
The A4/M4 Hogarth Roundabout bottleneck is legendary. Drivers who know the Chiswick back-streets can save 15–20 minutes during rush hour; drivers who don't lose the same time grumbling about traffic.
For Canary Wharf or City of London, the Elizabeth Line is genuinely faster than road regardless of traffic. For Kensington, Notting Hill, or Mayfair, road is usually the better choice.
Luggage and special requirements
Standard sedan: Fits 3 passengers with 3 standard suitcases + carry-ons. If you have more, book a minivan or MPV.
Oversized luggage: Ski equipment, surfboards, or golf bags require a specific vehicle — mention this during booking. Kiwitaxi and GetTransfer have the widest vehicle selection.
Child seats: UK law requires approved child seats for children under 12 or 135 cm. Welcome Pickups provides them free on every LHR booking — this is a genuine advantage over London black cabs, which are not required to carry seats. Kiwitaxi offers as a paid add-on.
Wheelchairs and mobility: Request a wheelchair-accessible vehicle at booking. Welcome Pickups and Kiwitaxi have dedicated accessible vehicle options. Allow extra time for boarding.
Tips for this route
Heathrow has 5 terminals. Share your flight number so the driver tracks your arrival terminal. The Heathrow Express is fastest but pricey — the Piccadilly Line is cheap but slow with luggage. For 2+ people, a pre-booked transfer beats the Express on per-person cost.
Frequently asked questions
Pre-booked transfers range from £35 (GetTransfer bids) to £70 (Welcome Pickups premium). Black cabs cost £60–100+ on the meter. The Elizabeth Line is £12.80 per person but doesn't go door-to-door.
Typically 45–75 minutes depending on traffic and your exact destination. Early mornings and late nights can be as fast as 30–40 minutes. Rush hour (7–10am, 4–7pm) can extend to 90+ minutes.
Drivers meet you in the Arrivals hall of your terminal, usually holding a name board with your name. Most services send the driver's photo and phone number beforehand. At Terminal 5, allow 10–15 minutes from your gate to the meeting point.
During the day, Uber is often similar (£30–55). But Uber has surge pricing after midnight, during bad weather, or at peak times — when prices can exceed £80. Pre-booked transfers have fixed prices regardless of time or conditions.
Check your airline's website or the Heathrow airport website. The four active terminals are: T2 (Star Alliance), T3 (oneworld + others), T4 (limited airlines), T5 (British Airways). Always share your flight number with your transfer service so they can track the correct terminal.
Yes — all four services offer minivans (up to 6 passengers) and minibuses (up to 16). Kiwitaxi and GetTransfer have the widest vehicle selection. For groups of 3+, a transfer is almost always cheaper per person than individual train tickets.
Need a full comparison? See our detailed comparison of all 4 transfer services for London with prices, ratings, and our verdict.
Book your transfer
Compare all four transfer services for this route:
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For the full picture of transport options in this city (trains, buses, taxis, and the best neighborhoods), see our complete London airport guide.