London Heathrow (LHR) is one of Europe's busiest airports and sits about 24 km from the center. The good news is that there are many well-organized ways into town. The main routes: the Underground (Piccadilly line) — ~$7, the cheapest; the Elizabeth line — ~$16, fast and comfortable; the Heathrow Express — ~15 minutes, the fastest but priciest. Let's see which to choose.
🚇 Ways into the center
- Piccadilly line (Underground) → center: ~50-60 min, ~$7 (contactless/Oyster)
- Elizabeth line → Paddington / center: ~30-40 min, ~$16
- Heathrow Express → Paddington: ~15 min, ~$32 (cheaper online)
- National Express coach → Victoria: ~45-70 min, ~$11
- Taxi (black cab) or Uber: ~40-70 min (traffic-dependent), ~$90-130
🚆 Elizabeth line and Underground — the best value
If budget is your concern, the Piccadilly line (dark blue) links Heathrow directly to the center — Green Park, Leicester Square, King's Cross. It's ~50-60 minutes to the center and costs ~$7 with a contactless card. This is the cheapest option and takes you straight in, with no changes.
If you want a bit more comfort, the Elizabeth line (purple) is faster and roomier — about 30 minutes to Paddington, from where you can reach the whole center easily. For both, pay with a contactless bank card or Oyster — the daily cap protects you from overpaying.
Don't buy a separate ticket — just tap a contactless bank card or phone on the yellow reader on entry and exit. The system works out the cheapest fare for you at the end of the day.
🚄 Heathrow Express — the fastest
If time is worth more than money, the Heathrow Express whisks you from Heathrow to Paddington in just ~15 minutes. It's the fastest route, but also the most expensive — ~$32 for a ticket bought at the gate. Buying online in advance drops the price significantly (often by 30-50%).
The Heathrow Express is worth it if you're staying near Paddington or have a tight schedule. Otherwise the Elizabeth line is almost as convenient, for far less.
A Heathrow Express ticket is most expensive at the gate — if you choose this option, always buy it online in advance. Last-minute buying is a waste of money.
🌙 Taxi, Uber and late-night arrivals
London's black cab and Uber operate from Heathrow, but it costs ~$90-130 to the center and eats a lot of time in traffic. A taxi is only worth it if you have lots of luggage or are traveling as a group. For late-night arrivals, the Piccadilly line runs all night on weekends (Night Tube), and until roughly midnight on weekdays.
If you arrive on a night flight, plan the transfer in advance. Always take a taxi at the official rank or book via an app — see avoiding taxi scams.
💡 Tips
- To plan the whole trip from Tbilisi to London, see Tbilisi → London
- The UK currency is the pound sterling (GBP); you don't need a separate ticket for the Underground/bus, a contactless card is enough
- Georgian citizens need a visa for the UK — submit your application well before the flight
- For getting around London's transport, see the Europe public transport guide
- For other European transfers, see Paris CDG → city
- Find a cheap ticket to London on the Travel365 price calendar
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