The answer
Walk past everyone selling tickets. Follow "Trains" signs, tap your bank card at the gate, take the Elizabeth line — £15.50 flat, 30 min, direct to central London.
Nothing to buy, no queue, trains every 5–10 min. Your contactless card or phone is the ticket.
Tight budget? Same station, different platform: Piccadilly line (Tube) — £5.90, 50–60 min.
Hotel at Paddington + in a rush? Heathrow Express, 15 min — but £26 on the day (£10 if booked 30+ days ahead).
⚠️ The traps (walk past these)
The "official" fast-train sellers — £26
On the way to the trains, people in official-looking clothing offer the "fast train to London". They are legitimate Heathrow Express staff — but official doesn't mean cheapest. The Express is £26; the Elizabeth line from the same station corridor is £15.50, and the Tube is £5.90. Keep walking to the gates.
Do this: don't buy anything from a person. Tap your card at the gate.
Taxi touts inside arrivals
Anyone who approaches you offering a taxi inside the terminal is unlicensed. Real London taxis never tout — they wait at the rank outside.
Do this: ignore them. Use the signed taxi rank outside, or pre-book a fixed-price transfer.
Airport currency exchange & ATMs
Terminal exchange desks run some of the worst rates in the UK. You don't need cash for the train — every gate takes contactless.
Do this: pay by card. If you truly need cash, use a bank ATM in the city, not the airport.
SIM card vending machines
Arrivals-hall SIM machines and kiosks charge 2–3× city prices for the same data.
Do this: use Wi-Fi (free at Heathrow) to reach your hotel, then buy a SIM from any supermarket or phone shop — or set up an eSIM before you fly.