With flights to over 200 destinations from over 80 airlines, Heathrow is London’s and the UK’s largest and busiest airport. It is also well-served from the SWR network, with coach and bus links from a number of different interchange stations.
Read on for more information about getting to Heathrow Airport with South Western Railway.
Where is Heathrow Airport?
Heathrow Airport is located in the London Borough of Hillingdon, close to Staines and around 15 miles west of central London.
Heathrow is a well-connected destination. It can be reached from several SWR stations via frequent bus and coach services including from:
- Feltham Station for travellers from Twickenham, Richmond, South London (via Clapham Junction).
- Staines Station for travellers from Ascot, Bracknell, Chertsey
- Woking Station for travellers from Southampton, Salisbury, Portsmouth and stations to the south and south-west
- Guildford Station for travellers from Dorking, Clandon, Ash
- Basingstoke Station for travellers from Winchester, Andover, Salisbury
Move left and right to view the full table
please note: if your preferred route doesn't serve the terminal you need, free transfers are available between terminals using a combination of trains and buses - please see the 'Getting Between Terminals' section below.
Heathrow Airport (Terminals 2, 3, 4 & 5) via Feltham
To get to Heathrow Airport from Twickenham, Richmond and South London (via Clapham Junction), take a South Western Railway train to Feltham.
There are two bus route options from Feltham station, depending on which terminal you are travelling to:
- Route 285 to Terminals 2 & 3
- Route 490 to Terminals 4 & 5
Both routes depart from bus stop M on Hounslow Road. This stop can be reached via the exit at the front (London end) of platform 1, and is approximately 80m from the exit via an upwards step-free ramp.
Terminals 2 & 3
For Terminal 2 or 3, take bus route 285 towards Heathrow Central Bus Station. Buses leave approx. every 10-15 minutes and the journey takes approx. 20-25 minutes to Heathrow Central Bus Station, from where it is a short 5-10 minute walk to Terminal 2 or 3.
Terminals 4 & 5
For Terminals 4 or 5, take bus route 490 towards Heathrow Terminal 5 (via Terminal 4). Buses leave every 10-15 minutes and the journey takes approx. 15-20 minutes to Terminal 4 and approx. 30-35 minutes to Terminal 5.
For more information about these routes, click here for route 285 and here for route 490.
Other ways to get to Heathrow Airport with SWR
As well as the routes described above, you can also reach Heathrow Airport by bus / coach from several other stations served by South Western Railway, for example:
Planning your Journey and buying tickets
It’s straightforward to plan your journey to Heathrow Airport by train and bus with SWR, and several routes also offer rail+bus through-tickets.
To plan your journey and buy tickets online, simply select your desired terminal as your destination in the journey planner, using the “bus” option (for example, Heathrow Terminal 2 (Bus)). If you are buying a through-ticket from a ticket vending machine or station ticket office, please choose Heathrow Bus as your destination.
Note: there may be a choice of fares offered depending on the route taken – please make sure you purchase the correct ticket for your desired route. Through-tickets to Heathrow from the SWR network are only available on bus routes from Woking and Guildford (RA2), Feltham (285, 490) and Reading (RA1) stations.
If a journey plan or fare is not available for your preferred route, please plan your journey and buy a train ticket to the relevant interchange station, and purchase your bus ticket separately from the bus driver. All of the bus services listed on this page accept contactless payment on-board, while some also accept cash.
For more information about these bus services, please follow the links in the sections above.
Helpful Information for Your Heathrow Journey
When should I arrive at Heathrow Airport?
To ensure a smooth departure, it’s recommended you arrive at Heathrow Airport:
- 3 hours before long-haul (international) flights
- 2 hours before European flights
- 90 minutes before domestic flights (within the UK)
Be sure to check with your airline for any specific check-in deadlines or advice for your route.
What’s the Difference Between Terminals at Heathrow?
Heathrow has four passenger terminals in operation: Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5. Each serves different airlines and has varying facilities. If you’re unsure which terminal your airline uses, check your flight confirmation or visit the official Heathrow terminal guide.
Here’s a quick overview of the airlines serving each terminal:
- Terminal 2 – The Queen’s Terminal
Star Alliance airlines (e.g., Lufthansa, United, Singapore Airlines). Aer Lingus, SAS.
- Terminal 3
Most Oneworld airlines (e.g., American Airlines, Cathy Pacific, Qantas, some British Airways flights), Virgin Atlantic, Delta, Emirates.
- Terminal 4
Most SkyTeam carriers (e.g., Air France, KLM), Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways.
- Terminal 5
Most British Airways flights, Iberia.
Getting Between Terminals
Heathrow provides free transport between terminals using a combination of trains and buses:
Heathrow Express (Free within Heathrow)
- Between Terminals 2 & 3 and Terminal 5 (every 15 minutes)
- Follow signs to “Trains"
Elizabeth Line (Free within Heathrow)
- Between Terminals 2 & 3 and Terminal 5 (every 30 minutes)
- Between Terminals 2 & 3 and Terminal 4 (every 15 minutes)
- Follow signs to “Trains”
London Underground Piccadilly Line (Free within Heathrow / Hatton Cross)
- Between Hatton Cross, Terminals 2 & 3 and Terminal 5
- Between Hatton Cross, Terminal 4 and Terminals 2 & 3 (one direction only)
- Follow signs to “Underground”
Free shuttle buses
- Route H30 runs between Terminals 4 and 5 (every 20 minutes), taking approximately 15 minutes. Also serves Hatton Cross and Central Bus Station early in the morning.
- Buses depart from Terminal 4 bus stop 11 (located on Arrivals level), and Terminal 5 bus stop 20 (located on arrivals level).
Be sure to allow time when connecting between terminals, especially if you’re catching a connecting flight or using bus services to reach your final terminal.
Please note that, to use train services to transfer between terminals, you will need to use an Oyster or contactless card (you will not be charged), or obtain a free train transfer ticket from a ticket machine at the station (Heathrow Express and Elizabeth Line only). No ticket or card is required to use the H30 bus service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Other Airport Links with SWR
SWR also provide links to several other major airports in the South and South West of England including:
