London Heathrow Airport

Heathrow claims to be the world's busiest international airport. It's certainly the liveliest airport in the UK, with more than double the traffic of its nearest rival (Gatwick). More than 90 airlines carry an estimated 62 million passengers to some 200 British and overseas destinations.

The airport is located 16 miles (25 km) southwest of the city center. Three rail options are available for reaching central London:

Heathrow Express. This nonstop train service takes only 15 minutes to reach London Paddington from the rail station that serves Terminals 1, 2, and 3. Allow another 8 minutes if you're departing from the station in Terminal 4. (The shuttle connection between the two stations is free.)

Underground. Trains of the Piccadilly Line require about an hour to cover the distance from Heathrow to central London. The tube's fare is about half that of the Heathrow Express. A tourist TravelCard is an even better deal, because you can use it on other underground trains and buses to reach your hotel and explore London. (Note: Underground trains are more cramped and crowded than the Heathrow Express, so splurge on the latter if you're traveling at rush hour or burdened with heavy luggage.)

For more information, see:

Heathrow Express
Check the timetable, get ticketing information, and buy tickets online.

Heathrow Connect
Use Heathrow Connect if you need service to an intermediate station or simply want to save a few pounds.

BAA - Heathrow Airport
Terminal information, flight timetables and arrivals, tips on shopping and eating, and directions for car and bus travelers are available at Heathrow's official Web site.

BA: Connecting between Heathrow and Gatwick
Use the Speedlink bus to get from LHR to LGW or vice versa. (The bus takes 1 to 1½ hours, but you'll need to allow three hours for a connection between flights.)

For London Transport information, click on the "Other Resources" link below.

Next page: Gatwick Airport

European Travel Blog:

• EFVblog

Copyright © 1996-2010 Durant and Cheryl Imboden and their licensors.
All rights reserved./font>