A guide to Heathrow Airport in London, England. Includes information on flights to and from Heathrow, Heathrow airport hotels and parking, how to get there, airport facilities, car hire, transfers by rail, coach and bus!!

• Name: London Heathrow Airport
• Address: 234 Bath Road, Hayes, Middlesex, UB3 5AP.
• IATA code: LHR
• Telephone number: 0844 335 1801

Heathrow is found 15 miles west of the city of London. It is the world’s busiest international airport, handling 67.3 million passengers a year. (Other airports handle more passengers overall, but they’re made up of domestic rather than international travellers.) It has connections to 180 destinations worldwide. There are now 5 terminals and 2 runways, with a third one under discussion.

Heathrow has flights to 180 destinations with 90 airlines.  The top international cities are New York, Dublin, Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt.  The most popular UK destinations are Edinburgh and Glasgow.  Terminal 1 handles all the domestic flights, as well as some European and long-haul destinations.  Terminal 2 is mainly for European destinations and Terminal 3 is mainly for long haul flights.  Terminal 4 has a mixture of the two and Terminal 5 is used only by British Airways.

Need a hotel to start a stress-free trip?  The Hilton London Heathrow (****) is very close, connecting directly to Terminal 4.  The Renaissance London Heathrow (****) is well located for terminals 1, 2 and 3 and the Sofitel London Heathrow (*****) is connected to Terminal 5. There are several other hotels within the airport grounds and many of them are 4 and 5 star properties.   There is a Hotel Hoppa bus which runs between all the terminals and the main hotels nearby.  To get the best rates on hotels near Heathrow you can compare prices online.

There are several different car parks available.  For stays of up to 5 hours, it is best to use the short stay car parks which are located a short distance from each of the terminals.  The long stay car parks are further away and serviced by courtesy coaches, but are the cheapest option.  If you’re prepared to pay a little more you can use the business car parks which are closer to the terminal and have a faster and more frequent shuttle service.  For maximum convenience, a valet parking service is available.  You drop your car at the terminal forecourt and it is brought back to meet you there on your return.

Car hire is offered by Hertz, Avis, Europcar, National, Alamo, Enterprise and Budget Car Rental. This can be arranged on arrival at the desks which can be found on the ground floor in the arrivals area of each the terminals, or you can make savings by booking in advance online.

The airport is accessible via the M4 and M25 motorways. If you’re using satellite navigation, here are the postcodes you should use for each of the terminals:

• Terminal 1: TW6 1AP
• Terminal 2: TW6 1EW
• Terminal 3: TW6 1QG
• Terminal 4: TW6 3XA
• Terminal 5: TW6 2GA

The quickest way of getting to the airport from the centre of London is by the Heathrow Express. It takes just 15 minutes from London Paddington. A standard single fare is £16.50 but you can get them cheaper by booking in advance. The trains stop at Heathrow Central for Terminals 1, 2 and 3 and at Terminal 5. There is a transfer shuttle for passengers using Terminal 4. There is also a stopping service which takes about 25 minutes.

The cheapest way of getting to the airport is by underground; a single fare costs about £4. There are 3 stations – one for Terminals 1, 2 and 3 and separate ones for Terminals 4 and 5. There are also various bus and coach services connecting the airport to the centre of London, the national rail network and other local and national destinations

There is a wide range of shops available in all the terminals.  There are 85 different outlets, from exclusive names like Harrods to places like Boots where you can pick up your travel essentials.  There are also 45 different restaurants and bars throughout the terminals, from Café Nero to Carluccio’s. 

For a little pampering, there is a Be Relax Spa at Terminal 5 Satellite B where you can enjoy a massage, manicure or other beauty treatment.  No matter which airline you are flying with, you can also pay to book into an airport lounge where you will be offered a complimentary drinks in quiet surroundings. 

You can buy commission free currency in all the terminals.  American Express is in terminals 1, 3 and 4, Travelex is in all terminals and Thomas Cook is in terminal 5.  Over 50 currencies are available. 

If you’re travelling with the family, there are baby changing facilities in all the terminals, both before and after security.  It is easy to find a child friendly restaurant which will be able to provide a high chair.  You can keep 5 to 14 year olds entertained in the Jetterz Kids Club Lounge in Terminal 3 departures, which has a TV, toys and computer games.  It costs £15 per child for the first 2 hours.

Disabled visitors should note that, for security reasons, the blue badge scheme does not operate on Heathrow’s roads.  If you need special assistance at the airport, there are help phones in the car parks and on all the departure forecourts.  A free wheelchair accessible Help Bus will come to collect you.  There are a limited number of these so you should allow extra time for your journey.  A porter can be arranged to assist you with your luggage and there is also a special assistance area in each of the terminals.  All of the terminals have features such as ramps, wide access paths and disabled toilets.