How to Get from Heathrow to Central London by Tube (All Your Options Compared)

You’ve landed, cleared passport control, and you’re standing in arrivals wondering how to get into the city. Good news: getting from Heathrow to central London by Tube is easy, cheap and runs from early morning until late at night. The harder question is which train to take, because Heathrow has three rail links and the price gap between them is huge.

This guide compares every option side by side: the Piccadilly line, the Elizabeth line and the Heathrow Express, plus the night bus and taxis for when the trains stop. All fares are current for 2026 and paid with a contactless card or Oyster unless noted.

The quick answer

• Cheapest: Piccadilly line, £5.90, about 50 to 60 minutes.
• Best all-rounder: Elizabeth line, £15.50, about 30 to 35 minutes, with room for luggage.
• Fastest: Heathrow Express, 15 minutes to Paddington, £26 on the day or from £10 booked well ahead.

If you’re staying in the West End, Covent Garden or Piccadilly Circus, the Piccadilly line takes you straight there. If you’re staying near Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road or the City, the Elizabeth line is hard to beat.

Heathrow to central London: all your options at a glance

Check the TfL Single Fare Finder before you travel, as fares change every March.

Option 1: the Piccadilly line (the cheapest way into London)

The Piccadilly line is the original Heathrow to central London Tube route, and at £5.90 it is still the cheapest by a wide margin. TfL’s March 2026 fare rise added just 10p to this journey.

Where to catch it. There are Piccadilly line stations at Terminals 2 & 3, Terminal 4 and Terminal 5. Follow the purple-and-white Underground signs from arrivals; it’s a 5 to 10 minute walk at most terminals.

Where it goes. Trains run straight through West London into the heart of the city. Key stops for visitors:

• Hammersmith (about 30 min) for West London hotels
• Earl’s Court and Gloucester Road for budget and mid-range hotels
• South Kensington for the museums
• Knightsbridge and Hyde Park Corner
• Green Park, Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square for the West End
• Covent Garden, Holborn and Russell Square
• King’s Cross St Pancras for Eurostar and trains north

How long it takes. Allow 50 minutes to Earl’s Court and around an hour to Piccadilly Circus. Trains run every few minutes for most of the day.

The catch. It stops everywhere, gets crowded at rush hour, and the current trains have no air conditioning and little luggage space. New air-conditioned, walk-through Piccadilly line trains are being tested in London and are due to enter passenger service from late 2026. Until they’re running widely, avoid weekday rush hours (7:30 to 9:30am and 4:30 to 7pm) if you have big bags.

Night Tube bonus. On Friday and Saturday nights the Piccadilly line runs all night, making it the best option for late arrivals at the weekend.

Read our full Piccadilly line guide for what to do at every stop.

Option 2: the Elizabeth line (the best all-rounder)

For most visitors, the Elizabeth line is the best way from Heathrow to central London. It’s twice as fast as the Piccadilly line, air-conditioned, step-free at most stations and has space for suitcases.

What it costs. Since 1 March 2026 the fare is a flat £15.50 to any Zone 1 station at any time of day, or £14.60 if you only go as far as Paddington. TfL scrapped the cheaper off-peak Heathrow fare, which used to be £13.90. It is technically TfL rail rather than the Underground, but you tap in and out exactly as you would on the Tube.

Where to catch it. Elizabeth line stations are at Terminals 2 & 3, Terminal 4 and Terminal 5. Follow the purple Elizabeth line signs; at Terminals 2 & 3 they’re separate from the Piccadilly line platforms.

Where it goes. Unlike the Heathrow Express, it doesn’t end at Paddington. It carries on underground through the centre:

• Paddington (about 30 min)
• Bond Street for Oxford Street and Mayfair
• Tottenham Court Road for Soho and the West End
• Farringdon for Clerkenwell and Thameslink trains to Gatwick and Luton
• Liverpool Street for the City and Shoreditch
• Whitechapel and Canary Wharf

How often. Trains run every 10 to 15 minutes from Heathrow. Last departures are around 11:30pm.

Good to know. Some trains start at Terminal 4 and others at Terminal 5, but all call at Terminals 2 & 3. Travel between the Heathrow terminals on the Elizabeth line is free.

New to the line? Our Elizabeth line explained guide covers every stop.

Option 3: the Heathrow Express (the fastest)

The Heathrow Express isn’t the Tube, but it’s the fastest rail link into London: 15 minutes non-stop from Terminals 2 & 3 to Paddington, or 21 minutes from Terminal 5.

What it costs. A walk-up standard single is £26, up from £25 after the 2026 price rise. Book at least 30 days ahead for a fixed date and you can pay as little as £10, which undercuts the Elizabeth line. You can tap in with contactless, but you’ll pay the full Express fare, and it does not count towards your TfL daily cap.

Where to catch it. From Terminals 2 & 3 and Terminal 5. It doesn’t serve Terminal 4: take the free Elizabeth line hop to Terminals 2 & 3 and change there.

The catch. It only goes to Paddington. Unless your hotel is nearby, you’ll need to change onto the Tube or Elizabeth line, which eats into the time saving. For most journeys beyond Paddington, the Elizabeth line gets you there in a similar overall time for less.

Worth it if: you’ve booked an advance fare, you’re staying near Paddington, or you’re on a business trip and every minute counts.

When the trains stop: night buses and taxis

Landing late on a weeknight? The Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express wind down around 11:30pm, and the Piccadilly line shortly before midnight (except Friday and Saturday, when it runs all night).

Night bus N9. Runs from Heathrow Central Bus Station through Hammersmith, Knightsbridge and Trafalgar Square to Aldwych. It costs a single bus fare and you can pay by contactless. Expect 75 minutes or more, and it’s a squeeze with large cases.

Coach. National Express runs from Heathrow Central Bus Station to Victoria Coach Station, from about £5 to £8 if booked ahead. Handy if you’re staying near Victoria.

Black cabs and ride apps. A black cab to central London typically costs £75 to £110 depending on traffic and time. Ride apps and pre-booked fixed-price transfers are usually cheaper. For a group of three or four with luggage, a fixed-price transfer can cost about the same as three or four Elizabeth line fares, and drops you at the door.

Which option is best for you?

Practical tips for your first Tube journey from Heathrow

• Skip the ticket machine. Tap a contactless bank card or phone on the yellow reader at the gates, and tap the same card or device when you leave. Using two different cards (say, your phone then your physical card) means you’ll be charged two incomplete journeys. See our Oyster vs contactless guide.
• Daily caps protect you. Piccadilly line and Elizabeth line fares count towards the daily cap, so if you arrive and keep travelling, you won’t pay more than the Zones 1 to 6 cap that day. The Heathrow Express doesn’t count. Full details in our Tube zones and fares guide.
• Kids under 11 travel free on the Tube and Elizabeth line with a paying adult.
• Check for strikes and closures on the TfL website before you fly. Weekend engineering works can close parts of the Piccadilly line, and our Tube strike guide covers the alternatives.
• Need step-free access? The Elizabeth line is step-free from Heathrow to most central stations. Many Piccadilly line stations in central London still have stairs; read our step-free London guide first.
• Avoid rush hour with luggage, especially on the Piccadilly line.

FAQ

What is the cheapest way from Heathrow to central London? The Piccadilly line, at £5.90 with contactless or Oyster.

Is the Elizabeth line part of the Tube? Not officially, but it works the same way: tap in and out with contactless or Oyster, and fares count towards the same daily cap.

How long does the Tube take from Heathrow to central London? About 50 to 60 minutes on the Piccadilly line, or 30 to 35 minutes on the Elizabeth line.

Does the Tube run 24 hours from Heathrow? Only the Piccadilly line on Friday and Saturday nights. On other nights, use the N9 night bus.

Can I use contactless on the Heathrow Express? Yes, but you’ll pay the full £26 fare. Booking ahead online is far cheaper.

Your London trip starts here

Now you know how to get from Heathrow to central London by Tube, plan what to do once you’re there. Start with our 3-day first-timer itinerary, or grab our free 3-Day London Tube Itinerary PDF to have every route in your pocket. [EMAIL CAPTURE CTA]

Affiliate placements: Heathrow Express advance tickets (in the Express section), hotels near Paddington (Express and Elizabeth line sections), airport transfer comparison (taxi section), travel insurance (practical tips).