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Original poster

how long does it take to get out of heathrow airport?

69 replies

polkaday · 17/04/2023 23:09

Trying to decide what time to book onward bus tickets for. (Cannot believe how expensive getting the train is - about £100 per person each way!). Flight gets in about 8am to terminal 4, how long would it take to get to the bus? Not sure if 9.45 is shaving it fine, but next option is about 1pm :(

OP posts:

Knockon · 17/04/2023 23:12

Depends really. Mostly the last two times I flew in there were baggage handling delays of up to an hour. Oh and my husband was left on a plane for an hour because there was no one to connect the air bridge to the plane! Although this meant their bags were ready when they got off…

greenthumb13 · 17/04/2023 23:23

9:45 should be fine ithink unless something goes really wrong

Guavafish1 · 17/04/2023 23:26

Go for 1pm.

9.45am if you have a flexible/refundable ticket.

Twike · 17/04/2023 23:28

9:45 is fine. Unless it goes completely tits up.

Youngatheart00 · 17/04/2023 23:29

Where are you flying from?

You need to build in the risk of a flight delay leaving your departure airport as well as the general congestion for landing slots / gates at Heathrow. I’ve not usually found Heathrow bag for the baggage carousel although some gates are 10 mins or so from them.

In your shoes I’d probably book the later one and take the pressure off - get a coffee or something to eat at the arrival terminal and read a book. Much less stress.

Original poster

polkaday · 17/04/2023 23:36

Will be getting off a 12 hr flight so dont really want to be waiting around if it can be avoided

OP posts:

Whataretheodds · 17/04/2023 23:39

Are you flying economy, what day of the week, and do you have hold luggage?

Original poster

polkaday · 17/04/2023 23:40

yes economy, saturday and yes hold luggage @Whataretheodds

OP posts:

Original poster

polkaday · 17/04/2023 23:45

how long would it take to get to the central bus station from terminal 4?

OP posts:

Guavafish1 · 17/04/2023 23:49

You have to take a underground train to terminal 2/3 then walk about 10-15 mins to bus Central.. so about 30-40 mins.

It will depend on if your flight arrives on time; baggage; passport control etc

I would just advise flexible ticket, just incase there is an unexpected delay.

moveoverye · 17/04/2023 23:49

polkaday · 17/04/2023 23:45

how long would it take to get to the central bus station from terminal 4?

Oh the disoriented hours I spent wandering the bowels of Heathrow late at night trying to find the central station…

All I can say is, if you’re there during the day and have a good sense of direction then probably much less time than it took me. However I would allow half an hour at least.

Original poster

polkaday · 17/04/2023 23:51

trouble is, they are different bus services. theres only 1-2 services running per day with each so if I missed the 9.45 then the next option is 5pm with the same provider or if I opt for a different company then its 1pm..

1pm seems the safest option but its an awful long time to wait from 8am after such a long flight and with still a long onward journey.

OP posts:

Guavafish1 · 17/04/2023 23:58

Difficult ... I suppose you could risk it

moveoverye · 18/04/2023 00:03

Is it a National Express type situation?
Would it be worth getting the tube into London and looking for an alternative bus from Victoria coach station for example?

cherrypied · 18/04/2023 00:19

Where are your travelling to?

We usually clear Heathrow after an hour so theoretically the 9.45 is fine.

We are ar King's Cross in 1.5 hours but we always go 3 hours after landing as a contingency.

What would your ideal time be? Then work from that point. Are you efficient with streamlined bags or do you have millions of carryons and back packs? I have one wheeled case and a backpack and and Super efficient at navigating most airports now. Except Gatwick foxed me last year.

Youdoyoubabe · 18/04/2023 00:23

9.45 should be very achievable. I fly from Heathrow alot and usually takes 30 minutes but can be an hour with luggage. An hour and a half would be very rare.

Original poster

polkaday · 18/04/2023 00:39

Options are 10:05 from Hounslow / terminal 2/3 (I think this may be the central stop)

or 9.45 from terminal 4 (where we arrive)

just thought, 2hrs is usually fine for a connecting flight so should be ok for a bus surely? If not we’d have to buy another ticket on the day for a different service

OP posts:

dunBle · 18/04/2023 00:49

Just checking, where are you trying to get to, and have you made sure that your train journey isn't trying to send you via the expensive Heathrow Express, rather than the cheaper and not vastly slower Elizabeth Line?

Guavafish1 · 18/04/2023 01:42

Go for 9.45 at terminal 4!

katscamel · 18/04/2023 05:17

So many factors to take into consideration and its always when you've got a short connection that things go wrong.
To be safe.... landing time + 15 minutes to actually get off the plane, 20 mins to get to passport control,(maybe a bit more for a loo stop), 10 - 15 mins from passport to bags. Have you got bags to pick up? Add another 20 mins minimum.... 5-10 mins from getting bags and through customs (as long as you're not stopped).
Then 10/15 mins to coach stop at T4.
If T2 then another 30 mins.
Book the 9.45 but make sure you book the ticket that let's you use the next coach if you miss it.

Two other alternatives.... depending on how much luggage you've got....train to Victoria and then head to the coach station..... or have a look and see of Megabus go where you want.

A short connection time can be very stressful I did it Xmas Eve from T?? (Can't remember which one) to T2 bus station...never again. Luckily made it but...

Caspianberg · 18/04/2023 06:20

I would take the tube? Where do you need to go?

KickAssAngel · 18/04/2023 06:27

Depends how long it takes to get through immigration then get luggage. I've waited over an hour before now just to get within sight of immigration. Last time I flew there was a delay of 20 minutes to connect us to the walkway. Any airport where you have to do immigration and baggage collection is think 2 hours the minimum for a connection. If the bus is another 30 minutes away, then I wouldn't want to get a bus before 11 am. That gives you 2 hours of waiting around which isn't great, but grab some lunch and it isn't that long.

aramox1 · 18/04/2023 07:29

Don't forget the Elizabeth line, gets you to Paddington or Liverpool St. there's a lot of walking from some bits of Heathrow tho, maybe 30-60 mins from plane to train

Willmafrockfit · 18/04/2023 07:33

i found there was quite a bit of walking when i went to pick up dd recently via tube
and she was through in an hour
although the signs said could be up to 4 hours

DibbleDooDah · 18/04/2023 07:33

I have flown into Heathrow three times in the last two months. Each time I have had to wait on the plane whilst ground crews come to connect the air bridge (we were parked at the gate). Shortest wait was 20 mins. Longest wait was over an hour.

Once we had actually got off the plane everything was very quick though - out the airport in less than half an hour.

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