SMART TRAVELLER HEATHROW

From Heathrow to London by road

Heathrow is 25km west of central London, with many (mostly) efficient public transport options. Consider the alternatives before hiring a car, and if you are heading for the centre of town, make sure you factor in any extra costs. Most vehicles have to pay a congestion charge of £11.50 per day for driving inside central London between 0700-1800 Monday to Friday (see tfl. gov.uk for more details); enforcement is strict and fines for non-payment are severe.

Traffic congestion is often heavy – the average speed on central London’s roads is currently around 8mph. In outlying traffic arteries congestion is also commonplace, including the routes to and from Heathrow.

BLACKCABS

These tend to be expensive – fares can average around £1 per minute, meaning a trip into London might cost around £45£90. The advantage is that they can use the (faster) bus express lanes on the M40 when there’s traffic congestion in other lanes.

Gett and Hailo are black cab-hailing apps that allow you to pre-book or request last-minute pick-ups.

MINICABS

Many local companies serve Heathrow, so depending on where you are heading in the Greater London area, it may be worth finding a mini-cab or chauffeur company.

TAXI PICK-UP

If you arrange a taxi or mini cab pick-up, there are Authorised Vehicle Areas where taxis of all types are expected to wait if, for instance, your flight is delayed. They can then go to the Short

Stay Car Parks (at Terminals 2,3,4 or 5). Drivers have to pay to park, and wait there or come into the airport to collect you.

UBER

You can request a fare estimate based on your destination without having to confirm. Expect to pay around £45 to reach central London. Pickup is at each terminal’s Short Stay Car Park. At the time of going to press, Transport for London, the transport licensing body, has chosen not to renew Uber’s operating licence in London – but Uber’s 40,000 London drivers continue to operate while the case is contested in further court

appeals.

CARHIRE

Primarily useful if your onward destination is not central London. There are car hire operators at all terminals, with reception desks from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, National and Sixt. To drive towards central London from Heathrow, take the M4, which is connected to the M25 – the main orbital motorway that encircles most of Greater London.

CARSHARE

This is a car hire model that allows rental by the minute, hour or day. Cars are accessed electronically and can be parked across Greater London. Currently, Zipcar dominates; the Zipcar Flex scheme, new in 2017, allows you to collect a car in one location and leave it in another. The main disadvantage is that you

need to register beforehand. The Zipcar collection point at Heathrow is at Terminal 5. Other options include Sixt’s

Drivenow (which also has a Heathrow depot) and Carplus. Other companies such as Blue City, Co-wheels Car Club, E-Car Club, Hertz24/7 and Enterprise Car Club don’t currently have car share depots at Heathrow.

COACHES

National Express is the UK’s largest scheduled coach operator, offering more than 200 services every weekday to and from Heathrow from 154 pick-up points. Coaches call at all Heathrow terminals and have air-conditioning, leather reclining seats and wifi. Oneway fares start from £6. Many Heathrow services go directly to the terminals, while others from around the UK involve a change at Victoria Coach Station before onward travel to Heathrow.

Transport for London, the transport licensing body, has chosen not to renew Uber’s operating licence in London – but Uber’s 40,000 London drivers continue to operate while the case is contested in further court appeals