Getting to Heathrow Airport
London’s Heathrow airport is the busiest airport in the UK and the 3rd busiest airport worldwide. It handles more international passengers than any other airport in the World, processing in the region of 69 million passengers through the 90 airports that offer services from there.
Whether you are planning a business trip or family holiday, getting a taxi to Heathrow airport can be convenient, comfortable and more cost effective than other options, particularly if there is more than one person travelling. Here we compare the cost and convenience of travelling in a Heathrow airport taxi with using the Heathrow Express train service.
Cost of a taxi to Heathrow Airport
Taxis to Heathrow airport can cost anywhere from £25 up to £100 or more, depending on where you are travelling from. As Heathrow is located to the west of London, if you are travelling from a town on this side of the city it can be cheaper to use a Heathrow airport taxi than any other option, particularly as you pay a fixed price no matter how many people are travelling.
If you are taking a train from somewhere in the UK to central London, at big travel interchanges like Paddington station taxi services can be easily found on the day offering onward transfers to Heathrow. However, to get a good price, regardless of whether your train runs late, fix a price with the taxi office before you get there. The journey typically costs between £30 and £40, although it can be cheaper using a comparison service like ubiCabs.
Cost of the Heathrow Express
The Heathrow Express runs from Paddington every 15 minutes and gets to the airport in just 15 minutes for terminal 1 and 3, and a little longer for terminal 4 and 5. The cost of tickets is less if you book in advance, with adult singles starting from £20 and returns from £34. If you arrive with no booking and buy a ticket on board, you could be paying as much as £25 single and £39 return.
For a family of four, or a group of friends, getting a Paddington Station taxi is a far more economical option than taking the Express, and could end up being half the price depending on the time of day you are travelling.
Considering convenience
Getting a taxi to Heathrow airport is often the most convenient and stress free option. Whether you are being picked up at home or at a travel interchange such as Paddington station taxi services will assist you with your bags and convey you in comfort and privacy right to the terminal. If you are traveling with a young family, this can be a lifesaver, particularly if your children are already tired from an early start and the previous traveling you have done.
Booking a Heathrow airport taxi
Taxis can be booked over the phone or online, and some online services such as ubicabs.com offer a cost comparison service, enabling you to get several quotes from one enquiry.
