Transferring Terminal 3 to Terminal 5 at LHR

Can anyone tell me the easiest way to transfer between Terminal 3 and Terminal 5? I was told taking the Heathrow Connect service would work and it would be free - is that correct?

You use the Heathrow Express service to get between Heathrow Central (T1/3) and T5. The Heathrow Connect service terminates at Heathrow Central.

Yes this journey free.

[mitchja]

Yes, the Heathrow Connect service is indeed free between terminals (it's actually the same trains/platforms as the Heathrow Express service that takes you into central London). The trains just go via the terminals & central station first.

Make sure you follow the signs to the correct platform as there are separate trains to T5 & T4 from the central station.

BAA don't seem to make things very clear as every time I've used this, I've always seen people trying to pay to just transfer terminals. You don't need a ticket at all to just transfer terminals.

In total it should take you no more than 30 mins to transfer from T3 to T5 (most of that time is actually taken up by walking from T3 arrivals area down to the central station, the actual train journey takes under 5 mins!!)

Once you reach T5 (trains arrive/depart in the lower level), just jump in one of the lifts or use the escalator and go right to the top level which is the departures/check-in area)

Are you flying into T3, and out of T5, or is there some reason why you would be landside in T3 and needing to get to T5, like being forced to collect your bags, or wanting to spend time in an arrivals lounge? The easiest way to get from T3 to T5 if you are transferring (at least most of the time) is to go through connecting flights. Otherwise yes, easiest from T3 is to take the train as the central station is actually closest to T3, and typically less of a zoo than the Tube station.

[honey lamb]

The Heathrow Express goes to T5, Heathrow Connect goes to T4.

i do this regularly & by prefrence avoid the flight connections centre (purple signs) which provides free coaches between terminals. the one issue with this route is that there is an additional security check when you re-enter your terminal & the queues tend to be horrendous. I have to say though its been a while since i've tried this & things might have improved.

my preference is to use the route suggested above; exit T3 as an arriving passenger & follow the signs for Heathrow Express. it's about a 5-10 minute walk underground to the Heathrow Central station, generally there's a train within 10 minutes & it takes around 5-7 minutes for the train to arrive at T5 where you take an automatic lift up to departures. The whole trip from T3-T5 usually takes me around 15-20 minutes

i do this regularly & by prefrence avoid the flight connections centre (purple signs) which provides free coaches between terminals. the one issue with this route is that there is an additional security check when you re-enter your terminal & the queues tend to be horrendous. I have to say though its been a while since i've tried this & things might have improved.

If the bags are tagged through I would go through flight connections. At T5 after you get off the bus you are hearded onto the security area upstairs where all the land side passengers are joining so no difference in queues - and it will be quicker than clearing passport control in T3, going through customs, bagae hall, down to train station etc etc

[honey lamb]

i do this regularly & by prefrence avoid the flight connections centre (purple signs) which provides free coaches between terminals. the one issue with this route is that there is an additional security check when you re-enter your terminal & the queues tend to be horrendous. I have to say though its been a while since i've tried this & things might have improved.

If the bags are tagged through I would go through flight connections. At T5 after you get off the bus you are hearded onto the security area upstairs where all the land side passengers are joining so no difference in queues - and it will be quicker than clearing passport control in T3, going through customs, bagae hall, down to train station etc etc

It depends on the time of day. I did the Flight Connections route last November from T5 to T1 on a flight that arrived at 8:15pm. There was no-one else on the bus and it was the easiest and quickest transfer I have ever done that way.

In contrast I have done it from T3 to T1 (pre-T5) first thing in the morning when all the east coast USA, south east Asia and Oz flights arrive and have waited for over 40 minutes to get a bus between terminals. I have also seen the queue for Flight Connections in T3 so backed up that it has been along the main passageway from flights long before the turn-off for Flight Connections.

the main reason i started using the landside route is that when heading from T5-T3 via Flight Conections you hit the main security queue with no fast track, but when travelling UC you get to use the UC wing at T3 & fast track security.

i just got used to using the landside routes & prefer it now

Soory my comments were specific to a T3 to T5 transfer.... I appreciate connecting to other terminals will have different processes (it the T3-T1).

[honey lamb]

Soory my comments were specific to a T3 to T5 transfer.... I appreciate connecting to other terminals will have different processes (it the T3-T1).

I realise that but the reality is that there are times of the day when there are huge volumes of traffic regardless of the airline and early morning is one of those when there is bound to be a log-jam.

I recall in the time I was waiting the 40 minutes to get on the bus to T1 someone behind me complained that there wasn't a train connection between terminals such as there was in Ican'trememberwhat airport. I pointed out there was but you had to clear customs and immigration as you had to do in many other countries

I realise that but the reality is that there are times of the day when there are huge volumes of traffic regardless of the airline and early morning is one of those when there is bound to be a log-jam.

I recall in the time I was waiting the 40 minutes to get on the bus to T1 someone behind me complained that there wasn't a train connection between terminals such as there was in Ican'trememberwhat airport. I pointed out there was but you had to clear customs and immigration as you had to do in many other countries

its a good point & makes you realise how poorly signed the landside routes are. The whole process is designed around funneling people through the 'Flight Connection Centre' which in reality isn't a centre at all, its a connection route.