Travel cost guide

Tube to Heathrow Terminal 4: Fares, Times & Loop (2026)

Take the Piccadilly line directly to Heathrow Terminal 4. Check the £4.00 off-peak and £5.90 peak fares, one-way loop, last trains and accessibility.

Quick answer

Take a westbound Piccadilly line train whose destination display says Heathrow Terminal 4. From central London it runs directly to Terminal 4 without a change. TfL’s March 2026 Zones 1 to 6 pay-as-you-go table lists £5.90 peak and £4.00 off-peak, and Heathrow advises allowing about 50 minutes between the airport and central London. The important detail is the airport loop: after Hatton Cross the train reaches Terminal 4, then continues through Terminals 2 and 3 before returning to Hatton Cross and central London.

Diagram of the Heathrow Terminal 4 Piccadilly line loop showing the correct outbound and return stop order

By Majid Khan, founder of AirportCosts · Last updated: 2026-09-06 · How we check costs

Decision guide

How to choose

Read the airport destination before boarding

Terminal 4 is not merely the stop before Terminal 5. The two terminals sit on different Piccadilly line branches, so a train displaying Heathrow Terminal 5 will not call at Terminal 4. Check the front of the train and the platform display before boarding, especially at a busy central station where several westbound destinations share the same platform. If you board the wrong Heathrow train, the clean correction is usually at Hatton Cross; waiting for the right branch is quicker than reaching the wrong terminal and trying to cross the airport with luggage.

Find the station below Terminal 4 Arrivals

The Underground station is below Terminal 4 Arrivals. Follow the London Underground signs within the terminal; there is no outdoor shuttle between the Tube station and Terminal 4. TfL lists gates, a ticket hall, lifts and Wi-Fi. Lifts support a step-free route between terminal and platform, but that wording must not be stretched into a promise of level boarding. TfL’s current step-free guide does not give Terminal 4 the same carriage-specific level-boarding instruction published for some other Heathrow platforms, so travellers who cannot manage a step or gap should check the live accessible journey before travel.

Understand the return journey through Terminals 2 and 3

The return journey explains why the route map can feel counter-intuitive. A Piccadilly line train leaving Terminal 4 first calls at Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3, then Hatton Cross, before continuing east towards central London. TfL’s current timetable examples show Terminal 4 to Terminals 2 and 3 taking about five minutes. Heathrow’s free-travel map says Underground travel between its terminal stations is free, although an Oyster or contactless card is still required to operate the gates. Use the same card or device throughout; a physical bank card and its phone-wallet version count as different payment methods.

Do not rely on Night Tube for Terminal 4

Terminal 4 does not have Piccadilly line Night Tube service. That matters for an early flight, a late landing or a Friday and Saturday night journey when travellers may assume all Heathrow branches run overnight. Heathrow’s published planning table also gives Terminal 4 different first and last train times by day, with a notably earlier Sunday finish. The table itself says to confirm with TfL and is not a substitute for a dated journey plan. Check the live last useful train after allowing time for immigration, baggage reclaim and the walk from Arrivals to the station.

Use the right inter-terminal or faster rail alternative

For Terminal 5, do not stay on a Terminal 4 loop train expecting it to continue there. Heathrow’s current free-travel map directs Underground passengers to change at Hatton Cross. The free H30 bus is the direct alternative between Terminal 4 and Terminal 5 and does not require Oyster or contactless. For a journey from central London, the Elizabeth line is the faster rail alternative for many travellers and serves Terminal 4 four times an hour towards Abbey Wood. Compare the whole journey from the hotel or home, including the London interchange, luggage, service time and final terminal, rather than choosing from one fare or one advertised duration.

Terminal 4 route decisions

The journeys that travellers most often confuse

The Tube fare is simple; the branch and direction are where mistakes happen. Details checked against TfL and Heathrow on 6 September 2026.

Journey	What to board	Cost or time	Critical check
Central London to Terminal 4	Piccadilly line destination: Heathrow Terminal 4	£5.90 peak / £4.00 off-peak; about 50 min from central London	A Terminal 5 train uses the other branch
Terminal 4 to central London	Piccadilly line via Terminals 2 and 3	About 5 min to T2&3, then Hatton Cross	The return stop order follows the one-way loop
Terminal 4 to T2&3	Piccadilly line, next stop	Free inter-terminal Tube travel	Oyster or contactless is still needed for the gates
Terminal 4 to Terminal 5	Free H30 bus, or Tube with a change at Hatton Cross	H30 about every 20 min	Terminal 5 is not the next stop on the loop
Late Friday or Saturday night	Check TfL plus H30, bus or licensed car options	No Night Tube at Terminal 4	Night Tube serves other Heathrow stations, not T4

TfL’s 2026 fare table supports the £5.90 peak and £4.00 off-peak Zones 1 to 6 fares. Heathrow’s terminal map and Underground guide support the loop, station location, inter-terminal rules and lack of Night Tube at Terminal 4. Check the live TfL journey before travel.

Practical checks

Before you choose this route

These checks keep the guide useful for real journeys rather than just repeating the headline fare or fastest advertised journey time.

Board a Terminal 4 train

At Hatton Cross the airport branch splits. Check the train and platform display for Heathrow Terminal 4 before boarding. A Terminal 5 train uses the other branch and will not call at Terminal 4.

Keep one payment method

Tap in and out with the same Oyster card, contactless card or phone. A physical card and the same card in a phone wallet are treated as different payment methods, which can stop TfL joining the journey correctly.

Plan the late journey separately

Terminal 4 has no Night Tube service. Check the dated TfL journey and the final flight or hotel connection rather than assuming Friday or Saturday Night Tube trains serve every Heathrow terminal.

Specific guidance

Where Travellers Usually Misjudge The Journey

These are the details that change the real-world value of the route after the headline fare or journey time has already caught attention.

Terminal 4 Sits On A One-Way Airport Loop

From central London, a Terminal 4 train leaves Hatton Cross and calls at Terminal 4. On the return journey, the same loop continues from Terminal 4 to Terminals 2 and 3 before Hatton Cross and central London. That is why the platform pattern looks different in each direction.

A Terminal 5 Train Is The Wrong Branch

Terminal 4 and Terminal 5 are not consecutive stops on one airport branch. If the destination display says Terminal 5, wait for a Terminal 4 train. Fixing the mistake at the airport means backtracking through Hatton Cross or using Heathrow’s inter-terminal options.

The Last Useful Tube Is Earlier On Sunday

Heathrow’s published planning table shows a much earlier Sunday last departure from Terminal 4 than on other days. The table is old enough that it should not be treated as a live promise, so use TfL’s dated timetable before relying on the final service after a flight.

Lifts Do Not Prove Level Boarding

TfL lists lifts at Terminal 4 Underground station, supporting a step-free route between the terminal and platform. The current step-free guide does not give Terminal 4 the same level-boarding carriage instruction published for some other Heathrow stations. Travellers who cannot manage a step or gap should check the live accessible journey or ask TfL staff rather than assuming train-to-platform access.

Related airports

Airport guides

LHR

Heathrow Airport

Heathrow has the widest rail choice, but the cheapest, fastest and easiest option depends heavily on your terminal and final London stop.

Cost signals

Fees and friction to compare

Airport	Best public link	Drop-off fee	Main caution
Heathrow Airport	Heathrow Express	GBP 7 per entry	A 15-minute train is not a 15-minute hotel journey

Save money

Money-saving tips

Small changes that cut the real cost of this journey.

Traveller questions

Questions Travellers Ask Before Booking

These answers focus on the decision points that change the real cost, not just the advertised journey time.

Does the Piccadilly line go directly to Heathrow Terminal 4?

Yes. Piccadilly line trains run directly from central London to Heathrow Terminal 4. Check that the destination display says Heathrow Terminal 4: Terminal 5 trains take the other airport branch after Hatton Cross.

How does the Heathrow Terminal 4 Tube loop work?

A Terminal 4 train runs from Hatton Cross to Terminal 4, then continues around the one-way loop through Terminals 2 and 3 and back to Hatton Cross before heading towards central London. The outbound and return stop order therefore looks different.

How long does the Tube take to Heathrow Terminal 4?

Heathrow advises allowing about 50 minutes between Heathrow and central London. A current TfL timetable example takes about 35 minutes from Earl’s Court to Terminal 4. Your total depends on the starting station, wait, interchange and any engineering work, so check the dated journey.

How much is the Tube to Heathrow Terminal 4?

TfL’s March 2026 Zones 1 to 6 pay-as-you-go table lists £5.90 peak and £4.00 off-peak. Heathrow Terminal 4 is in Zone 6. Use TfL’s Single Fare Finder for the exact origin, direction and time, and use the same Oyster card or contactless device at both gates.

Where is Heathrow Terminal 4 Underground station?

Heathrow says the Underground station is below Terminal 4 Arrivals. Follow the London Underground signs inside the terminal. TfL lists a ticket hall, gates, lifts and Wi-Fi at the station.

Does the Night Tube serve Heathrow Terminal 4?

No. Heathrow and TfL both exclude Terminal 4 from the Piccadilly line Night Tube route. Friday and Saturday Night Tube trains serve Terminal 5, Terminals 2 and 3 and Hatton Cross, but a Terminal 4 journey needs another option when its normal service has finished.

Is Heathrow Terminal 4 Underground station step-free?

TfL lists lifts at Terminal 4, which supports step-free travel between the terminal and platform. That does not automatically mean level boarding between platform and train. Check TfL’s current step-free guide and live lift status if a step or gap is not manageable.

How do I get from Heathrow Terminal 4 to Terminals 2 and 3 by Tube?

Board the Piccadilly line at Terminal 4; the next Underground stop on the one-way loop is Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3. Heathrow’s free-travel map says inter-terminal Underground travel is free, but Oyster or contactless is required to operate the gates.

How do I get from Heathrow Terminal 4 to Terminal 5?

Terminal 4 and Terminal 5 use different Piccadilly line branches. Heathrow’s current map says to change at Hatton Cross when using the Underground. The free H30 bus is the direct alternative between Terminals 4 and 5 and does not require Oyster or contactless.

Is the Tube or Elizabeth line better for Terminal 4?

The Tube is cheaper from central London at £5.90 peak or £4.00 off-peak, but it is slower and has less luggage space. The Elizabeth line serves Terminal 4 with four trains an hour towards Abbey Wood and can be easier for Paddington and central stations on that line. Compare the complete journey from your actual starting point.

Which central London stations have a direct Tube to Terminal 4?

Direct Piccadilly line trains can run from King’s Cross St Pancras, Holborn, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Green Park, South Kensington and Earl’s Court. Not every westbound Piccadilly train serves Terminal 4, so check the destination before boarding.

How we keep this accurate: fares and fees are checked against official operator and airport sources, last reviewed 2026-09-06. We update the figures when operators change them, but prices can change without notice, so confirm the live fare before you book.

More: how we check costs · editorial policy · about AirportCosts