A comparison between the two options.
For most travellers the Elizabeth Line is the right choice. It costs £15.50 on the day compared to £26 on the Heathrow Express (HEX), the trains are modern and comfortable. It connects directly to stations across central London without needing to change. Changing to other tube trains is easy too. The Heathrow Express makes sense if you’ve booked more than 30 days in advance, hold a railcard or need to be at Paddington in the shortest possible time.
Fares and timetables do change and while information is correct at the time of publication, you should check official Transport for London sources for accurate current information.
The basics
Both services run between Heathrow and central London. The Heathrow Express is a non-stop service to Paddington, to the north west of central London. The Elizabeth Line is a regular central London service stopping at multiple stations across the city, though less than regular tube trains, continuing east through Farringdon, the City, Canary Wharf and beyond.
Both depart from the same station at Terminals 2/3 and Terminal 5. The Elizabeth Line also serves Terminal 4. If travelling from Terminal 4, stay on the Elizabeth Line all the way into London. There is no need to change at Terminals 2/3.
Here’s the full comparison so you can decide which works best for you.
| Heathrow Express | Elizabeth Line | |
|---|---|---|
| Journey time to Paddington | 15 min (T2/3), 21 min (T5) | 29 to 30 min (T2/3), longer from T4 and T5 |
| Walk-up cost (single) | £26 Standard, £32 Business First | £15.50 contactless/Oyster, £14.70 paper ticket |
| Advance cost | From £10 (book at least 30 days ahead) | No advance booking needed, tap and go |
| Terminals served | T2/3 and T5 only | T2, T3, T4 and T5 |
| Frequency | Every 15 minutes | Every 10 min from T2/3, every 30 min from T4 and T5 |
| Children | Under 15 free in Standard Class | Under 11 free (max 4 per adult) |
| Luggage space | Generous, dedicated racks | Good but limited at peak times |
| Daily cap | Not included in TfL cap | Counts toward £16.30 zones 1-6 daily cap |
| Off-peak fare | No | No, flat fare at all times |
| WiFi and power sockets | Yes | No |
| Best for | Speed, heavy luggage, business travellers | Value, flexibility, West End and City |
Journey time
Heathrow Express
- Terminals 2/3 to Paddington: 15 minutes
- Terminal 5 to Paddington: 21 minutes
- Runs every 15 minutes
- Non-stop to Paddington only. No intermediate stops
Elizabeth Line
- Terminals 2/3 to Tottenham Court Road: approximately 35 minutes
- From Heathrow to Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and beyond
- Runs frequently throughout the day
- About 14 minutes slower to Paddington than the Heathrow Express
If Paddington is your preferred destination and you’re tight on time, the Heathrow Express wins. But if you need a station east of Paddington, the Elizabeth Line may be quicker door to door once you factor in changing trains.
Cost
Breakdown of fares
Spoiler alert: go ‘Lizzie Line’.
Louise Holden
Heathrow Express
- On the day single: £26 Standard Class, £32 Business First
- Same Day Return: from £30 Standard, £36 Business First
- Return valid within one month: £42 Standard, £46 Business First
- Children 15 and under travel free in Standard Class when with a paying adult. In Business First, the accompanying adult must hold a Business First ticket.
- Pay using Oyster card, contactless card, phone or watch. All are valid between Heathrow and Paddington
- Railcard holders save around a third off most fares
- Advance Discounted Single tickets at £10 are available if purchased at least 30 days in advance
- On the day walk-up fares are expensive at £26 Standard. There is no cheaper option without advance booking.
Elizabeth Line
- Contactless bank card or phone: £15.50
- If you tap in and out for any other travel in London that day, you won’t pay more than £16.30 in total
- No need to buy a ticket in advance
- Pay using Oyster card, contactless card, phone or watch. All are valid between Heathrow and London.
- Each passenger must use a separate contactless card or device. You cannot pay for more than one person with a single card or phone.
- Travelling as a family? Under 11s (Max 4) travel free on the Elizabeth Line when with a fare-paying adult. Children aged 11-15 travel at a reduced fare but still need their own Zip card, or the adult must buy a separate paper child ticket at the machine before reaching the barriers.
On the day, the Elizabeth Line costs almost half the price of the Heathrow Express. Unless you’ve booked well in advance, it’s hard to justify paying the premium for a 14-minute time saving.
A word of warning at the ticket machines
At ticket machines and barriers, or as you exit Customs you’ll often find Heathrow Express staff. They’re helpful, but they’re there to sell Heathrow Express tickets. It is not your only option. If you want the Elizabeth Line, be clear about it. There are separate machines for Elizabeth Line paper tickets and Oyster top-ups. Don’t end up on the wrong train by accident.
How they compare
What the Heathrow Express does better
- Faster: 14 minutes quicker to Paddington, which matters if you’re cutting it close for a meeting or connection.
- More luggage space and a quieter, less crowded carriage than the Elizabeth Line at busy times.
- Free WiFi and at-seat power sockets throughout both classes.
- Business First includes Fast Track security (worth £12.99 per person). See the small print section below before relying on this.
- Book 30 days ahead and Standard tickets start from £10, which changes the calculation considerably.
- Railcard holders save around a third off most fares.
- Children aged 15 years and under can travel unaccompanied if they have a flight booking or boarding pass. Proof of age may be required.
- Children aged 15 years and under, when accompanied by an adult, travel free in Standard Class. You still need to book a ticket for them.
- On the day tickets are expensive at £26 Standard. There is no cheaper walk-up option.
- Non-stop to Paddington only. No use if your destination is east of central London.
What the Elizabeth Line does better
- Significantly cheaper on the day at £15.50 with no booking required.
- Direct connections to Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf without changing trains.
- Modern, comfortable trains with good luggage space.
- Your contactless bank card or App covers the whole journey. No separate ticket needed.
- The Zone 1-6 daily cap of £16.30 means once your total travel reaches that figure, all further journeys that day are free. The more you travel, the better value your Heathrow fare becomes. This applies for travel on the Tube, Buses, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and National Rail services.
- Each passenger needs their own separate contactless card or device. One card cannot cover multiple passengers, you’d need to purchase paper tickets at the station.
- About 14 minutes slower to Paddington than the Heathrow Express.
Fast Track: the small print
Fast Track security is included with Business First on the Heathrow Express, but there are conditions that Heathrow Express don’t always mention.
- Valid for departing passengers only. It does not apply on arrival.
- Fast Track operates between 06:00 and 21:00 only.
- Each passenger must hold their own Business First ticket. Accompanied guests cannot use your ticket.
- You must present both your Heathrow Express Business First ticket and your airline boarding pass at the Fast Track entrance.
- You can purchase Fast Track security for £12.99 independently of your airline
- Entry is not guaranteed. In practice, some passengers have been refused at the gate despite holding valid tickets. Allow extra time and don’t rely on Fast Track as your only buffer.
- Always check the current Heathrow Express Business First page for the latest conditions before travelling.
What about the Piccadilly Line?
The Piccadilly Line also runs from Heathrow to central London and is worth a brief mention, though it is not a viable alternative for most travellers with luggage.
- Cheaper fares at £5.90 one way
- Serves more central London stations including Knightsbridge, Earl’s Court, King’s Cross and beyond
- Trains leaving Heathrow are a lot less busy. Returning from central London is often standing room only.
- The Night Tube runs 24 hours on Friday and Saturday nights
- Around 50 minutes to central London compared to 35 minutes on the Elizabeth Line
- No air conditioning: uncomfortable in summer and unpleasant with luggage
- Older, smaller trains. Standing room only at busy times with very limited luggage space
- Departs from different platforms to the Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express. Follow the signs carefully.
- Each passenger needs their own separate contactless card or device
For most travellers with luggage the Elizabeth Line is the better choice despite costing more. The time saving and comfort are worth the extra £9.60 in our opinion.
Our verdict
For most travellers, the Elizabeth Line is the right choice. It’s fast, frequent, comfortable and roughly half the price on the day.
The Heathrow Express makes sense if you’ve booked 30 days in advance at the lower fares, you hold a railcard or you need to be at Paddington in the shortest possible time. Business First and its Fast Track inclusion is useful for some business travellers, but read the small print above before relying on it.
If you’re staying at a Heathrow hotel before an early morning flight, neither train may be your best option. Check the Bus Details tab on each hotel’s entry in our Hotel Directory for local bus options, which are often the quickest and cheapest way to reach your terminal.
Make sure every adult in your group has their own contactless bank card or device before you reach the barriers. You cannot pay for two people with one card. If anyone in your group doesn’t have contactless, buy paper tickets for them at the machines before joining the queue at the barriers. Children aged 11-15 travelling on the Elizabeth Line will need either a Zip card or a paper child ticket bought at the machine.
Sources and links
Heathrow Airport: Heathrow Express fares, timetable and Business First Fast Track
Heathrow Express: official website including fares and ticket types
Heathrow Express: timetable and service information
Heathrow Airport: all rail options including Elizabeth Line and Piccadilly Line
Transport for London: single fare finder, check current fares
TFL travel rules for under 18s
Free and discounted travel
Transport for London: adult fares 2026 official PDF
Information correct at time of publication. Please check current fares before travelling.