The Heathrow Free Travel Zone

Heathrow Airport has 4 terminals separated in 3 disconnected areas. This means that Heathrow Airport needs to provide a way to get its passengers between the terminals. This can be done by using local buses, the national rail network consisting of TfL Rail (soon to be the Elizabeth Line) and Heathrow Express, and the Piccadilly Line.

A TfL Rail 345 at terminal 5

The Terminals

Heathrow Airport consists of 4 separated terminals which are numbered 2-5. There used to be 5 terminals but terminal 1 closed down in 2015 and currently terminal 4 is also closed (temporarily) due to COVID-19.

Terminals 2 and 3 are located together at Heathrow Central which is located between the two runways of the airport. This does mean that road access to these terminals is only possible by a tunnel which connects the area to the north side of the airport. Terminal 4 is located on the south side of the airport and terminal 5 is located on the western side of the airport.

What's Free

The free blue terminq transfer ticket which states not for paddington as that requires payment

To allow for transfers between the separate terminals Heathrow Airport has made certain journeys on the public transport network free. On the mainline network (TfL Rail and Heathrow Express) using an Oyster Card, or equivalent card/device, any journey between the 3 terminal stations is free despite needing to touch in or out.

Heathrow also provides special, blue in colour, free transfer tickets which allow transfer between the terminals using the national rail network with an explanation of what they can be used for on the back.

The back of the free transfer ticket explains that it allows you to travel between the 3 Heathow stations

On the Underground (specifically the Piccadilly line) any journey between the 3 terminal stations is also free providing you enter and exit the network correctly. But because Heathrow terminal 4 is only served by a one way loop from Hatton Cross to terminal 4 then to terminals 2&3, a transfer to terminal 4 requires a change at Hatton Cross. This means that at Hatton Cross, if coming from terminals 2&3 or 5, you’ll be charged the normal amount if you leave the station but will be charged nothing if you change trains and exit at terminal 4.

An Underground symbol at terminal 5 leading to the Piccadilly Line

Buses

The Heathrow Free Travel zone also used to apply to local buses around the 4 terminals. But because of the Pandemic the airport decided to no longer pay bus operators to provide a free service. This ended on 12th June 2021 which means that currently it is very difficult to leave Heathrow on foot for free. Free travel on buses around Heathrow might be reintroduced in the future but I fear that this temporary change will become permanent.

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