United Kingdom

London

Home of the world's oldest Underground and the red double-decker. Tap the card you already carry and ride.

Airport Access

Three ways in from Heathrow - the Piccadilly line for price (£5.90), the Elizabeth line for balance (flat £15.50), and Heathrow Express for speed (from £10 in advance). For most travelers, the Elizabeth line wins.

Updated on July 15, 2026

How to ride

1
Pick from the three options

Piccadilly for price, Elizabeth for balance, Heathrow Express if you need Paddington fast.
2
Follow the signs to the platforms

Follow "Trains" from your terminal. The Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express share a station - the Piccadilly line has its own.
3
Tap in with contactless

All three take contactless. For Heathrow Express only, buy ahead in the app - it's much cheaper.

Fares

Single fares3

Piccadilly line (Heathrow to central)

Cheapest - takes 50-60 minutes with many stops.

5.9 GBP ≈ $8

Elizabeth line (Heathrow to central)

Flat fare all day since March 2026. 30-35 minutes, straight through central London. Best for most.

15.5 GBP ≈ $21

Heathrow Express

£10 booked 30+ days ahead, £26 walk-up. 15 minutes to Paddington.

10〜26 GBP ≈ $13–35

Estimates use exchange rates as of November 4, 2026

Payment

Tap to ride

VISAMastercardAmexDiscoverDinersJCB銀聯

App tickets

Paper tickets

Quick facts

Hours

5:00–24:00

Frequency

Every 15 min (Elizabeth line)

Fares from

5.9 GBP+

Heads-up

Walk-up Heathrow Express costs far more than booking ahead

A walk-up Heathrow Express ticket (£26) costs 2.6x the advance fare (from £10). Unless you're rushing, the Elizabeth line is cheaper and runs through central London.
JCB and UnionPay contactless don't work on TfL

JCB and UnionPay contactless don't work on TfL services - have a Visa, Mastercard, or Amex ready.