Stratford to Heathrow Airport

The Stratford to Heathrow Route

If you live in Stratford or nearby Hackney – or any places in and around East London – you’ll likely use Stratford station regularly. And you can travel from here to Heathrow for your next flight, whether you’re flying for business or planning a family trip to remember.

It’s a simple journey from Stratford to Heathrow, with just two stages to the trip. The first is travelling from Stratford to London Paddington, with the second a quick 15-minute train ride on the Heathrow Express to the airport.

Here we’ll look at both legs of the journey in a little more detail.

How to get from Stratford International to Paddington

You have a few options to get from Stratford International to London Paddington. You can get a taxi from Stratford International straight to Paddington, although the journey will take you around 45 minutes depending on the traffic.

The simplest way is to walk to Stratford station – it’s around a 10-minute walk from Stratford International. From Stratford station, you have a couple of different choices for the journey to Paddington. Stratford is on the Jubilee and Central tube lines as well as the Elizabeth Line.

If you use the Jubilee Line, you’ll need to change at Westminster and take the District or Circle Line to Paddington. If you jump on the Central Line, you can change to the District or Circle Line at Notting Hill Gate, then it’s just a few stops to Paddington. Elizabeth Line services run direct from Stratford to London Paddington.

Locating the Heathrow Express platform in Paddington

Having arrived at London Paddington, you’ll need to make your way to the main station concourse to take your Heathrow Express train. If you arrive on the London Underground or the Elizabeth Line, you’ll take the escalators or the lifts up to the station concourse.

Heathrow Express trains usually run from platforms six and seven, so head through the ticket barriers with your Heathrow Express ticket in hand – either your physical ticket or on your smartphone if you’re using our Heathrow Express app.

Always check the boards at the station in case we’re running from a different platform on the day. We’re normally six and seven, but sometimes it does change.

Get aboard the Heathrow Express

The Heathrow Express is the fastest and most convenient way to get from London Paddington to Heathrow.

Our trains take just 15 minutes to arrive at Heathrow Central station and leave Paddington every 15 minutes, with four trains every hour. You can relax on our trains, with ample legroom and all the storage space you need for your luggage. We have free Wi-Fi on board, and level access ensures all our trains are accessible for wheelchair users. Children aged 15 and under travel for free on Heathrow Express, on both Standard Class and Business First Class.

Grab your tickets now

Purchase Your Heathrow Express Tickets Here

Arriving at Heathrow Airport

Our Heathrow Express trains run direct into Heathrow Airport, with no stops along the way. They first arrive at Heathrow Central train station after 15 minutes, then it’s another six minutes to Terminal 5 station.

If you’re flying from Terminal 2, 3 or 4, leave the train at Heathrow Central. You can walk to either Terminal 2 or 3 using the inter-terminal walkway. For flights from Terminal 4, take the shuttle bus from Heathrow Central and you’ll arrive at your terminal in just a few minutes. For flights from Terminal 5, stay on the Heathrow Express for an extra six minutes into Terminal 5 station.

Discover more about Heathrow’s terminals with our helpful terminal maps.

Our ticket types

Choose from a range of Heathrow Express ticket types to suit your journey and your budget.

Single

Book a Single ticket on either Standard Class or Business First Class. Pick any train on that day and travel one way either to or from Heathrow whether you're flying for business or pleasure.

A group of people buying tickets at a ticket machine

Advanced Discounted Single

Make great savings by booking your single ticket on Standard Class 45+ days in advance. Get organised with your train travel and plan a single journey to or from Heathrow for just £10. Get your advanced discount ticket. Get your advanced discount ticket here.

Same Day Return

Book a Same Day ticket if you're flying out of and returning to Heathrow on the same day. Ideal for business travelers regularly flying out of Heathrow. Hop on a morning flight for a meeting in Edinburgh or Berlin and fly home that evening, using Heathrow Express both ways.

Return

With a Return ticket on Heathrow Express, you have ultimate flexibility for your travel to and from the airport.

Whether you're away for two weeks with the family or enjoying a city break, you can travel five days after you buy the ticket and return within one month.

Carnet tickets

Available as a Carnet x6 or Carnet x12 on both Standard Class and Business First Class, you'll save money on your journeys by buying your tickets in bulk.

With a Carnet x6 you get 6 journeys for the price of 5, whilst a Carnet x12 will give you 12 journeys for the price of 9.

Family travel

Children aged 15 and under travel for free on Heathrow Express. If you're travelling as a family from Heathrow – whether to see friends or for the holiday of a lifetime – book tickets for the whole family, but only pay for the adults.