Buses from Heathrow Airport
As Britain’s busiest airport, London Heathrow Airport caters to around 75 million passengers annually. The airport is situated just on the western outskirts of London and many choose to take the bus there to save money. Coaches run from Heathrow Airport to many main towns and cities in the UK and regular local buses also service the airport.
National Express is one of the major coach companies that run buses to London Heathrow Airport. Buses depart from Heathrow Central Bus Station (Terminals 2 and 3), Terminals 4 and Terminals 5.
Read on to learn more about the different buses, including how frequently and what time buses run and where they run to.
Travelling from London Heathrow Airport by bus
Using Trainline, you can book cheap bus tickets from London Heathrow Airport to UK destinations in just a few clicks. This will save you money on taxis, which is great if you’re on a tight budget after your holiday. We recommend that you book tickets well in advance to get the cheapest fares.
National Express runs around 200 services from Heathrow Airport every day. Many of these go from Heathrow Airport to London Victoria Coach Station, providing an accessible and comfortable way to get to London. This journey takes 35 minutes with services running from 3:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Coaches run every 30 minutes during peak times and tickets cost £5 and up. The buses depart from Heathrow Central Bus Station (between Terminals 2 and 3), Terminal 4 and Terminal 5.
London Heathrow Airport is also served by the London Underground and London Bus networks and you can use an Oyster travel card to travel to other London locations. If your flight arrives late, there’s a small YOTELAIR hotel inside Terminal 4 with rooms designed like aeroplane cabins.
Things to do around London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport is close to Windsor and accessible using the 71 or 77 bus from Heathrow Terminal 5. Windsor is famous for Windsor Castle, a historical and working royal palace, as well as for the massive Windsor Great Park.
It’s also relatively easy to take local buses from the airport to Hatton Cross and from there to Kingston Upon Thames, where you can visit Hampton Court. This enormous palace belonged to Henry VIII and is a wonderful place for learning about one of Britain’s most iconic characters.
There are also many restaurants in the towns surrounding London Heathrow Airport that serve great Indian food. If you fancy a curry, it’s worthwhile heading into Hounslow or Southall via local bus or London Underground.
Of course, Heathrow Airport is close enough to London City Centre that you can day trip there and back from the airport, as soon as you hop off your flight. You can take the Piccadilly Line to Leicester Square or Covent Garden in under an hour, from where you can walk to Oxford Street for shopping or Westminster to visit the London sites.
Looking for other ways to travel from London Heathrow Airport? You can also get the train from London Heathrow Airport.
Recommended itineraries
Need inspiration for your next trip to the UK? Pick one of our recommended itineraries below.