Heathrow Airport: terminals, drop-off charge and getting there

Heathrow Airport has four terminals (2, 3, 4 and 5), a £7 charge each time a vehicle enters a terminal drop-off area, and rail links to central London. Check your terminal before you leave and pay the drop-off charge on time.

Everything below was read on Heathrow's own pages on 5 November 2026. Heathrow's pages on the drop-off charge, rail and security show no update date, so check them in the week you travel: charges, services and rules can change.

Heathrow has four terminals: 2, 3, 4 and 5. Your airline decides which one you use, and Heathrow runs a terminal finder where you look up the terminal your airline uses. Check it before you set off.

If you need to move between terminals, Heathrow's transfer guide covers travellers who are not flying or who have booked two separate flights and are self-connecting. It asks you to pick the terminal you start from and the one you need.

Terminal 4 has changed for drivers. Heathrow says its multi-storey car park closed on 23 June 2026 and that all passenger parking has moved to Zone A of Park & Ride. Parking is covered below, and the Terminal 4 guide carries Heathrow's current wording.

Heathrow lists three rail routes to the airport. The table gives what its rail page says about each. Heathrow gives no journey time for coaches, buses or taxis, so use its journey planner for those on the day.

Heathrow's transport pages also list coaches and buses to “hundreds of stops all over the UK”, taxis and minicabs, and driving. For how drop-off charges and rail links compare across the other airports, see our guide to UK airports.

The Terminal Drop-Off Charge page says a £7 charge applies every time a vehicle enters the terminal drop-off areas, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

You can pay online, by the automated phone service on 0330 008 5600, or through autopay, and only by card: cash and cheques are not accepted. If you pay after using a drop-off zone, payment must be made by midnight on the next day. Heathrow says there is no option to pay at an airport ticket machine or in the terminal drop-off zones.

Non-payment results in an £80 Parking Charge, reduced to £40 if it is paid within 14 days.

Heathrow's hand baggage and liquids page says liquids in containers of up to 2 litres can stay inside your cabin bag through screening, without being taken out. It also says to leave laptops, tablets and other large electronic devices in your bag.

One condition applies to devices: if one cannot be switched on during screening, you may not be able to take it on board, so charge your phone and laptop before you leave home. Heathrow also lets you pre-book a priority service through security on its own website.

Liquids rules differ from one UK airport to the next, so if your return flight leaves from another airport, read our guide to liquids in hand luggage at UK airports.

Heathrow's parking page describes three official products. Terminal Parking, previously called Short Stay, is the closest car park to your terminal and is available at Terminals 2, 3 and 5. Meet & Greet is a short distance from the departures and arrivals halls, also at Terminals 2, 3 and 5. Park & Ride, formerly Long Stay, is Heathrow's cheapest pre-bookable official parking product.

Two dates matter. Heathrow says Terminal Parking is no longer available at Terminal 4 from 23 June 2026, and its page shows pre-booking online until 1 February 2027. It says you can cancel up to two hours before your booked arrival time.

We do not book or rank parking and we quote no parking prices: prices and availability change, so read them on Heathrow's page for your dates.

Start with your terminal, then the charge, then your bag. The baggage rules guide and the travel tips for UK travellers cover the rest of the trip.

• Your terminal
  Look up your airline on Heathrow's terminal finder before you set off.
• The drop-off charge
  £7 each time a vehicle enters the terminal drop-off areas, paid by card by midnight on the next day at the latest.
• Your route
  Heathrow Express, the Elizabeth line and the Piccadilly line each have their own journey time and stops.
• Liquids and devices
  Containers of up to 2 litres and large electronics stay in your cabin bag; a device must switch on at screening.
• Parking
  Read Heathrow's own page for your dates, and note the Terminal 4 change.
• The return leg
  Another airport may have another liquids rule.

• How many terminals does Heathrow have?

  Four: Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5. Heathrow runs a terminal finder where you look up the terminal your airline uses, and a transfer guide for moving between terminals.

• How much is the Heathrow drop-off charge?

  £7 every time a vehicle enters the terminal drop-off areas, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, according to Heathrow’s Terminal Drop-Off Charge page, which shows no update date. Check the page before you travel.

• How do I pay the Heathrow drop-off charge?

  Online, by the automated phone service on 0330 008 5600, or through autopay, by card only. If you pay after the visit, payment must be made by midnight on the next day. You cannot pay at an airport ticket machine or in the drop-off zones.

• What happens if I do not pay the Heathrow drop-off charge?

  Heathrow says non-payment results in an £80 Parking Charge, reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days.

• Is there free drop-off at Heathrow?

  Heathrow says free drop-off is available at its Park & Ride car parks. Blue Badge holders can apply for a 100% discount on the charge, and there are no exemptions or discounts for electric vehicles.

• How long does it take to get from Heathrow to central London?

  Heathrow gives 15 minutes between London Paddington and Terminals 2 and 3 on the Heathrow Express, under 40 minutes to central London on the Elizabeth line, and under an hour on the Piccadilly line.

• Can I take liquids through Heathrow security?

  Heathrow says liquids in containers of up to 2 litres can stay inside your cabin bag through screening. Laptops, tablets and other large electronic devices also stay in your bag.

• What are Terminal Parking, Meet & Greet and Park & Ride at Heathrow?

  They are Heathrow’s official parking products. Terminal Parking is the closest car park to your terminal, Meet & Greet is a short distance from the departures and arrivals halls, and Park & Ride is the cheapest pre-bookable one. Terminal Parking is no longer available at Terminal 4 from 23 June 2026.