From Heathrow: Piccadilly line (£5.60 off-peak, about 50-60 minutes)
The Piccadilly line is the cheapest way from Heathrow into central London. It calls at all four terminals and runs roughly every 5 to 10 minutes from around 5am to just after midnight, reaching King's Cross, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus with connections across the Tube network. Pay with contactless or an Oyster card and you are charged the standard Tube fare with the daily cap applied automatically — around £5.60 off-peak and a little more at peak times for the zone 1-6 journey. It is slower than the express trains and can be crowded with luggage at rush hour, but for anyone travelling light on a budget it is the obvious choice.
From Heathrow: Heathrow Express and Elizabeth line
Heathrow Express runs non-stop from Heathrow Terminals 2/3 and Terminal 5 to Paddington in about 15 minutes, with trains every 15 minutes. Fares booked in advance start from around £25 one way and rise close to £30 if bought on the day, making it the fastest but priciest option. The Elizabeth line, which also calls at Heathrow, is the newer alternative: it takes about 30 minutes to Paddington and continues through central London to Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf without changing, at standard Tube-and-rail pricing that is well below the Heathrow Express — typically £12-13 to zone 1 off-peak. For most visitors the Elizabeth line is the better value middle ground between the Piccadilly line and the Heathrow Express.
From Gatwick: Gatwick Express and Thameslink
Gatwick Express runs non-stop from Gatwick to London Victoria in about 30 minutes, with trains every 15 minutes through the day. The standard one-way fare is around £22.70, cheaper if booked in advance online. Thameslink is the budget alternative, running from Gatwick through London Bridge and St Pancras and on to Luton, calling at more stations and taking a little longer, for a lower fare — usually £10-20 depending on time of day and how far in advance you book. Both accept contactless payment at the barriers, and Thameslink is generally the better choice if your destination is nearer the City or King's Cross than Victoria.
Keep it handy while in London
- Add it to your home screen: works offline too
- Save your favourite spots
- Turn on Congestion Charge & ULEZ alerts (free)
Coaches: National Express from Gatwick and Heathrow
National Express runs coaches from both airports to London Victoria coach station, with connections also available to other central points. Fares from Gatwick start around £10-15 one way if booked ahead, with journeys taking about 70-90 minutes depending on traffic; from Heathrow, coaches to Victoria take roughly 45-75 minutes and cost a similar range. Coaches are the cheapest way in from Gatwick when you are not in a hurry and are useful if your hotel is closer to Victoria than to a rail terminus, but traffic on the M23, M25 or M4 means journey times are the least predictable of any option — avoid them if you have a tight connection or an early meeting.
Black cab vs ride-hailing apps, and paying contactless
A licensed black cab from Heathrow to central London typically runs £60-90 on the meter depending on traffic and time of day; from Gatwick, expect £100-130 given the greater distance, and always metered rather than fixed. Black cabs are hailed at the official rank outside Arrivals and accept card payment as standard. Ride-hailing apps such as Uber or Bolt are usually cheaper than a black cab for the same journey and let you see the fare before booking, though pickup points at both airports are set back from Arrivals and clearly signposted. Whichever train or Tube you take, pay with a contactless bank card or phone rather than buying a paper ticket — London's daily and weekly fare caps apply automatically and almost always beat a single paper fare.