Heathrow Terminal 3 to Terminal 5
Part of the full London in One Day: Westminster
Heathrow’s Terminal 3 and Terminal 5 stand on opposite sides of the airport, and the way between them depends on whether you have been through passport control: passengers changing planes take a free bus, and everyone else a free train, about 15 to 20 minutes door to door.
Changing planes: the free connections bus
Passengers flying in to Terminal 3 and out of Terminal 5 on a connecting ticket don’t need to go through passport control. Follow the purple Flight Connections signs from the arrival gate to the transfer bus, which runs between the terminals about every 10 minutes, and expect a security check on arrival at Terminal 5 before reaching the departure gates. Bags checked through to the final destination travel on their own.
The free train from Heathrow Central to Terminal 5
Anyone who has come out through arrivals, on separate tickets or to collect bags, goes between the terminals by train. The Heathrow Express and the Elizabeth line, London’s east-west railway, both run from Heathrow Central station, beneath Terminals 2 and 3, to Terminal 5 in about 5 to 7 minutes, and the ride is free between Heathrow’s own stations: tap in and out with a contactless card or phone and nothing is charged, or take a free transfer ticket for the Heathrow Express from the machines. Allow 15 to 20 minutes from terminal to terminal, with the walk to and from the platforms; the Heathrow guide covers the trains into London from the same station.
At Terminal 5, lifts and escalators come up from the platforms into the departures hall.
Leaving the airport on a long connection
With more than five or six hours between flights and the right to enter the UK, the train from the same station reaches Paddington in central London in 15 minutes, and the main London guide covers a few hours in Westminster. A luggage storage point near Paddington keeps the bags off the streets.
How much time a Terminal 3 to Terminal 5 change takes
The transfer itself takes 15 to 20 minutes, but a connection also means leaving the plane, security at Terminal 5, and the walk or train to the gate, since Terminal 5’s further gates are in two satellite buildings reached by a short underground train after security. Check the airline’s minimum connection time, and on separate tickets, with bags to collect and check in again, allow a good deal more.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Heathrow Terminal 3 to Terminal 5?
If you are changing planes and stay behind passport control, follow the purple Flight Connections signs to a free transfer bus, which runs about every 10 minutes and ends with a security check at Terminal 5. If you have come through arrivals, take the free train: the Heathrow Express or the Elizabeth line from Heathrow Central station, under Terminals 2 and 3, to Terminal 5, a ride of about 5 to 7 minutes, or 15 to 20 minutes door to door.
Is the train between Heathrow terminals free?
Yes. Train journeys between Heathrow's own stations are free on both the Heathrow Express and the Elizabeth line. Tap in and out with a contactless card or phone and nothing is charged, or take a free transfer ticket from the machines at the station for the Heathrow Express.
How long should I allow to change from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5?
The trip itself takes 15 to 20 minutes by train, a little longer on the connections bus, but a connection also includes leaving the plane, security at Terminal 5 and the walk to the gate, and Terminal 5's furthest gates are a further train ride from the main building. Check the airline's minimum connection time, and on separate tickets with bags to collect and check in again, allow a good deal more.
Do I go through security again between Terminal 3 and Terminal 5?
Yes. Passengers changing planes on the Flight Connections route are screened again at Terminal 5, and anyone who has come through arrivals checks in or drops bags and goes through security as normal.