Heathrow to Central London Taxi & Transfers

London Heathrow Airport (LHR) transfers

Heathrow to Central London: black cab £45–£85, minicab about £60–£85, Heathrow Express in 15 minutes, Elizabeth line, Tube and the £7 drop-off charge.

Updated October 2026

Heathrow to Central London transfers

London Heathrow (LHR) is 14 miles (23 km) west of Central London. It has four terminals, 2 to 5, and handled a record 83.9 million passengers in 2024, so taxi ranks and pick-up areas are busy all day.

Heathrow to Central London taxi prices

Black cab: typically £45–£85 on the meter, 30–60 minutes, plus a £2.80 rank surcharge
Pre-booked minicab: about £60–£85, fixed when you book
Chauffeur Mercedes E-Class: one firm lists about £89.50 plus VAT
Minibus for 5–8 people: from about £195

Heathrow Express, Elizabeth line and Tube

The Heathrow Express reaches Paddington in 15 minutes from Terminals 2 and 3, every 15 minutes. A standard single is about £26, or from about £10 if you book 30 days ahead. The Elizabeth line takes about 30 minutes, from about £13.90. The Piccadilly line is cheapest, about £5.80, but takes 50–60 minutes.

Heathrow drop-off charge and onward trips

Dropping off outside any terminal costs £7 per entry, 24/7, with no waiting. Pay by midnight the next day or face an £80 penalty, so ask if your fare includes it. Blue Badge holders can get a full discount, but electric cars get none. Southampton cruise port is about 68 miles away, around 1 hour 15 minutes, and Gatwick is a common airport-to-airport transfer.

Transfers in London Heathrow Airport (LHR): FAQs

How much is a taxi from Heathrow to Central London?

A black cab typically costs £45–£85, and a pre-booked minicab about £60–£85.

Is Heathrow Express faster than the Elizabeth line?

Yes, Heathrow Express takes 15 minutes to Paddington against about 30 minutes on the Elizabeth line.

How much is the Heathrow drop-off charge?

It costs £7 per entry at every terminal, paid by midnight the next day.

London Heathrow Airport (LHR) transfers

Addison Lee

Airport Pickups London (APL Cars)

Alpha Cars Crawley

Chauffeur Hire Birmingham

Circle Cars Luton

Clocktower Cars Gatwick

Green Tomato Cars

HCD Chauffeur Drive

Orion Taxis Dover

Stansted Travel Services

TOA Taxis

viaUNO Cars Southampton

Western Cars Horley

Getting around London Heathrow Airport (LHR): travel guides