Cheap Minicabs to and from Heathrow Airport

Your Complete Guide to London Heathrow Airport(LHR)

Heathrow is one of the busiest airports around the world with most people flying in for the first time. So, this article is to help first-time visitors in finding their way around, what to do and what to avoid, general updates, travel tips, and lastly how they can enjoy their stay at the airport the most.

• Brief History and Basic Information about Heathrow
• Arriving at Heathrow Airport
• Entertainment and Facilities
• Terminals of Heathrow Airport
• How to Travel Outside Heathrow?
• Private Hire Mini-Cab and Mini Mini-Cab
• Travelling from London To Heathrow
• FAQ

Brief History and Basic Information about Heathrow

Today, Heathrow airport is one of the six airports serving London and its surroundings. The other five airports are London City, Luton, Stansted, Southend, and Gatwick. Heathrow airport was originally built as a small airfield in 1929 which was developed as a fully functional commercial airport in 1946. Until 1966, the airport was known as London airport. The area today’s terminal 2 is situated at was called Heathrow Farm. So, that’s where the airport’s current name came from. The airport is operated and managed by a company named Heathrow Airport Holdings Ltd. So, here was a bite-sized history of this airport.

Size, Location, and Area of Heathrow Airport

Heathrow Airport is not only the UK’s busiest airport but also the largest in terms of area. The airport covers a massive area of 12.14km² which makes it Europe’s biggest too. To get a clear picture of how big that area is, do know that it can take anywhere from 3 to 4 hours in going around on foot.

Besides its immense size, the airport has a hexagram shape that can be seen from above. It is because the airport used to have six runways in different directions. Today, Heathrow Airport has two runways in east-west directions. Besides these two, there are plans of making a third runway for future expansions.

The airport is located at a distance of around 24 kilometres from central London in the London Borough of Hillingdon. By road, it can take anywhere above 50 minutes via M4 and A4. There are many methods of travelling to and from the airport that are further mentioned in detail both inside and outside the airport.

Arriving at Heathrow Airport

As previously mentioned, Heathrow is one of the biggest airports in the world. During normal operations(before the pandemic situation), the airport receives flights from 84 countries and is used by many airlines around the world. However, because of the Covid situation, the operations have greatly reduced.

Countries with heightened cases have often been mentioned in the red list with even lesser flights. So, it is better to go to their official website to read about the status of a particular country before booking a flight to know what documents and procedures may be required to make your stay at Heathrow. Following are the things that are important to know before booking a flight:

• Immigration and Passport
• Passing Through Full Body Scanners or Manual Checking
• A Revised Customs Policy
• Pandemic Situation Control

Immigration and Passport

During the Covid restrictions time, passengers have to register to the UK government passenger locator. There’s a form available on the UK government website before booking your flights. Besides the Covid regulations, now the passengers from the EU have to go through extra steps in the immigration and passport checking process. As for the documents required in this phase, a valid password is enough to get you through after the standard procedure.

Passing Through Full Body Scanners or Manual Checking

Heathrow London airport is one of the safest around the world with the deployment of aviation security. For better security, sometimes the army may be deployed. Also, the airport is equipped with full-body scanners. These scanners show a cartooned image of the people passing through. You can also request a manual body search. However, it is better to get an update beforehand on the methods of search because of the Covid situation.

A Revised Customs Policy

The UK has exited the European Union on January 1st, 2021. Therefore, the blue channel for EU countries is no longer operational. Now, the passengers either must travel through the green channel or the red one. The Green channel is for the passengers that do not have anything to declare. Passengers who have things worth more than £10,000 with them need to declare goods to UK customs and pass through the red channel.

For passengers with connecting flights, the customs are cleared at their destination. If you are checking in to the next flight yourself, you need to clear customs at Heathrow airport. As for the payable amount of customs and taxes, you can check the government’s official website.

Pandemic Situation Control

Before going through everything, one thing stays mandatory during your stay at Heathrow: a face covering. From checking in to the airport and every step involved whether it is terminal to terminal travel from shuttles or anything else, you should be wearing a mask at all times. It applies to all passengers and staff to ensure everyone’s health.

Also, Heathrow advises the passengers to carry a hand sanitiser with them of any volume below 100ml. Depending on the location and flights, passengers may be asked to show a negative Covid test.

Getting vaccinated before booking a flight from Heathrow Airport, or at any airport now, is highly advisable. You can save yourself from a lot of hassle if you are fully vaccinated at Heathrow Airport.

If you are fully vaccinated, you need to book and take a day 2 lateral flow test. Also, you need to fill a passenger locator form. If you are not fully vaccinated, you need to take a Covid test before departure from your location. Further, you need to take a day 2 and day 8 PCR test.

Also, signing up for the passenger locator form is mandatory. Lastly, a 10-day quarantine is also a must. It could be at a house or is there any other place. To stay at any Covid hotel, you have to book 10 days before the flight. It will cost you anywhere from £2250 to £2400 for a 10-day stay. You can get further information from Government’s official website about Covid hotels.

Entertainment and Facilities

Once you are through the hectic part, it is time for you to have a proper Heathrow London experience. In addition to air traffic and international incoming passengers, the airport is also well-known for its world-class facilities. There is a range of restaurants, shops, spas, prayer rooms, charging spots, and much more. You can even find a hairdresser in the vicinity of Heathrow airport.

Restaurants at Heathrow Airport

There are over twenty plus restaurant brands currently working at Heathrow Airport in T5, T3, and T2 terminals. T4 terminal is currently not operational until the end of 2021. Yet, even without those included, there are so many options:

• Big Smoke
• Caviar House & Prunier Sea Food Bar
• Caviar House Oyster Bar
• Costa
• Gordon Ramsay Plane Food
• Starbucks

Shops at Heathrow Airport

Heathrow offers a complete shopping experience with over fifty-five brands and multiple branches across the four operational terminals. You can buy clothes, shoes, accessories, food, wine, baggage, and even makeup. Famous brands operating at

• Boss
• Boots
• Bulgari
• Burberry
• Fendi
• Cartier

Hotels at Heathrow Airport

Many hotels are just a walk of a few minutes from the terminal. Aerotel is connected to terminal 3 arrivals. World-famous Hilton hotel with three restaurants and fitness centres. At terminal 5, you have a luxury hotel with 605 rooms, two restaurants, and conference facilities. Tips for booking hotels: Before you book a room at any hotel keeps in mind the following tips:

• Comparing the prices of hotels using hotel comparison websites can save time.
• Make a phone call to the hotel for details.
• Check details about the cancellation fee. Select hotels where cancellation charges are not applied.
• Ensure that you have checked the discounts available.
• Connecting hotel booking to flight booking. This is more appropriate and hassle-free.
• Signing up for loyalty cards at the hotel provides free offers and upgrades for future reference.
• Check reviews before booking a hotel.

Other Services at Heathrow Airport

There are many other services available like

• All-faith prayer room
• Baggage trolleys at important spots
• Wifi
• Device Charging spots
• Designated Smoking areas
• Toilets
• Showers
• Cash machines
• Money exchanges

Terminals of Heathrow Airport

The airport currently has four terminals for commercial flights. Those are T2, T3, and T5. T4 is to stay closed until the end of 2021, and the flights from this terminal are relocated and distributed among the other three. If you have a connecting flight, you may have to travel to a different terminal.

Inter Terminal Travel

Terminal T2 and T3 are at walking distance from each other. It will take you twelve to fifteen minutes to walk from T2 to T3. T4 is not in operation at the moment. You can travel through shuttles and London Underground services are available for inter-terminal travel. Maps and signboards are there to guide you about the locations and routes for inter-terminal travel. So, finding a suitable shuttle won’t be much of a hassle. Pandemic SOPs may still cause changes in the routes, but you can still find your way quite easily.

Parking

When it comes to parking, Heathrow London offers a complete spectrum of options. These options are named Short Stay, Valet Parking, Meet & Greet, Long Stay, Business, and POD parking. They are all unique and mostly functional. In total, Heathrow airport London has over eleven car parks. Getting to the parking area and exiting the airport are the parts where first-time visitors struggle the most. So, we will briefly explain every parking method.

Short Stay

Short stay is the type of parking suitable for drive-up customers and drop-offs and pickups by other cars. If you have someone coming over to pick you up or you want to take an Uber, short stays are where you should be. All the short stays are at a small two-to-three-minute walk from the respective terminals. All the parked cars are under 24/7 surveillance for security. Also, the parks are well lit and have wheelchair facilities nearby. The prices of parking start at £5 per hour. This fee is also applicable to private cars and Mini-Cab services like Uber even if you do not park for long. Good news for people who travel through motorcycles and electric cars as there are services like parking and charge facilities.

Valet Parking

Valet is the fastest option for parking with a no-wait guarantee from Heathrow management. All cars are monitored 24/7 during their stay. The option of valet parking is open only for Terminal 5 passengers. There is an option of getting a quote for parking on the official website of Heathrow London.

Meet & Greet

Meet & greet is a self-park option where you park your car on your own. There are designated spaces for parking your vehicles. Again, there is 24/7 security and surveillance available. Moreover, you can get cleaning options too.

Long Stay

Long stay is for passengers who want to park their cars and travel. These car parks are at some distance from the terminals, but shuttles are available for transport. On parking your cars, the first 30 minutes and connecting shuttle are for free. The prices for long-stay parking are the most economical. From a security aspect, you do not have to stress as you get the same level of security as other parking methods. Long stay parks for Terminals 2/3 and 5 are currently operational which is another plus.

Business

Business is another parking service by Heathrow transfer with bus shuttles dropping off and picking up passengers from their selected forecourts. But because of the pandemic situation, this service is currently suspended for all terminals until further instructions from management.

POD Parking

POD parking is the most innovative method of parking at Heathrow Airport. This service includes travelling through a driverless electric vehicle for drop-offs and pickups. It runs on sustainable energy resources and is a futuristic addition to the airport.

How to Travel Outside Heathrow?

For travelling outside Heathrow London, you can take the train, Uber, and local hire Mini-cabs. Every means of transportation has its pluses and minuses. So, here we will go through them to help you know what will best suit you.

By Train & Bus

London is known for its London Underground railway and network of buses. Both trains and buses are accessible from all four terminals of Heathrow Airport. For a standard travelling time for comparison among the terminals and the fastest methods for travelling, we will consider the period for Central London.

From T2 & T3

Heathrow airport bus station is a five-minute walk from terminals T2 & T3. The train takes approx. 1 hour and 10 minutes to reach Charing Cross Station which is only a one-minute walk from Central London.

From T4

Before getting into trains and a bus to Central London, first, you need to walk for six minutes to Heathrow Terminal 4(also known as stop 11). From there, you can take Heathrow Express to Paddington station. There’s a further 9-minute walk to the Bishops Bridge Road bus stop. By getting on that train, you can reach the Trafalgar Square stop which is a two-minute walk from Central London. First, two train journeys will take approximately 14 and 22 minutes. The bus from Paddington will take around 22 minutes as well. The total time of travelling is 1 hour and 31 minutes.

From T5

There is a two-minute walk from terminal 5 to Heathrow Express T5. The rest of the travelling is the same as with T4.
Trains and buses are affordable options for transfer. Also, you get the whole London experience. However, they take more than double the amount of time and involve a lot of walks. Another downside is that they are not the best means of transport for the disabled and families with children.

Private Hire Mini-Cab and Mini Mini-Cab

London’s iconic Mini-cabs, minicabs, and private hire car services are some of the best ways of getting around the city. They know all the directions and can help you with the fastest routes in the city. The designated area for private hires is at a walking distance from Terminal 2 & 3. The travelling time with one of these can take 40 to 50 minutes to get to Central London. So, for many people taking a Mini-Cab or minicab to Heathrow Airport London may seem like the best solution. However, there are some negatives of hiring a local and cheap minicab service to and from Heathrow Airport London.

As for the negatives of hiring a Mini-Cab, first-time visitors and tourists do not know how much the fares should be. In addition, availability is another factor that can bother a lot of passengers. Lastly, some passengers may not find it safe to travel with someone without a trusted third-party involvement.
So, there are issues with every means of transport to travel from the airport to the city.

Travelling from London To Heathrow

Travelling is one of the most important concerns for anyone who is coming to Heathrow London for the first time. So, this section is especially useful for passengers who travel by car. Before getting into the directions and roads involving the passenger movement from the airport, it is to be noted that Heathrow London has set-down lanes outside all terminals.

The passengers can get off from there for the terminal but cannot catch a private hire or a car. It is because security does not allow waiting. For that, the drivers have to use short-stay areas and Authorised Vehicle Areas. The directions for set-down lanes are as follows:

For Terminal 2 & 3

Terminals 2 & 3 are really close to each other and have the same route. So, the directions for their set-down lanes are the same. To reach there, you need to take an exit from M4 and M25, depending on what approach you take to the airport. There are signboards to guide you to the terminals.

For Terminal 4

The terminal is accessible via A4 and M4. Again, signboards are guiding the location to the terminal. But this terminal is closed until the end of 2021, and all flights are divided into three other operational terminals. So, do contact the airline to know about your new assigned terminal.

For Terminal 5

There is a separate designated road for terminal 5. It is near Western Perimeter Road accessible through junction 14 on M25. If you are coming from M4, you need to take an exit on 4b and follow M25 until you reach junction 14.
So, these are the ways from where you can reach the terminal to take a flight.

F.A.Q

Q1) Is there a minicab rank at Heathrow airport?
Answer: Yes. Each terminal has Mini-Cab drop-off and pick-up points, making it simple to get out of the car and to the check-in desk in minutes.
Q2) Why is Terminal 4 of Heathrow Airport closed?
Answer:Terminal 4 is shut down because of the Covid-19 situation until the end of 2021. The flights from T4 are distributed and relocated to the functioning terminals.
Q3) What is the procedure for non-vaccinated passengers?
Answer: Non-vaccinated passengers are to take a negative Covid-19 test before departure. Upon arrival, they need to take Day 2 and Day 8 PCR tests. Lastly, there is a 10-day stay at one of the quarantine hotels for £2,225 or above.
Q4)Can passengers be dropped at set-down lanes at Heathrow Airport?
Answer: The passengers can be dropped at Heathrow Airport but can not be picked from the set-down lanes. It is because the security does not allow waiting for passengers in these lanes.
Q5) What’s the fastest way from Heathrow London to Central London?
Answer: The fastest mode of travelling from Heathrow to anywhere in the city is through cars. Personal cars, Mini-cabs, and minicabs are all excellent for this purpose.
Q6) Is there Free parking at Heathrow London Airport?
Answer: No, the parking at Heathrow is not free. There are different fees for every mode of parking at Heathrow London Airport.