Airline passengers at the UK’s busiest airport, London Heathrow, are waking up to sharply increased fares on trains and Tubes to and from the centre of the capital.
Transport for London (TfL) has suddenly declared that all journeys between Zone 1 and the airport are deemed to be Peak.
Why has this happened and how can you avoid it? These are the key questions and answers.
What has happened?
Starting immediately, all journeys between Zone 1 covering central London and stations at Heathrow on the Piccadilly line of the Tube and the Elizabeth line are charged at peak rates – with a one-way fare of £5.50 on the London Underground.
Previously almost all passengers paid £3.50, so long as they avoided travelling between 6.30am and 9.30am (and outbound to the airport between 4pm and 7pm).
A £2 increase also applies from London Paddington on the Elizabeth line stopping train, which now costs £12.80 one-way.
Why has it happened?
The finances of TfL were hit extremely hard by the coronavirus pandemic, with revenue way down. The delayed launch of the Elizabeth line – which partially opened three-and-a-half years late, and is still far from complete – has also hit income.
The UK government, which makes up the shortfall, has demanded action from TfL to plug some of the funding gap.
Shashi Verma, chief technology officer at TfL, said the fare rise is “necessary to comply with the government’s funding conditions” and “will help to ensure that TfL can reach financial sustainability as soon as possible”.
He added: “Both TfL and the mayor [Sadiq Khan] remain committed to keeping fares as affordable as possible.
“Daily and weekly fare capping continue to help keep down the cost of travel across London for everyone.”
What does the airport say?
A Heathrow spokesperson told The Independent: “It’s disappointing that Heathrow’s passengers are being unfairly singled out in a funding spat between the government and TfL, just as we are all trying to get passengers back onto the railways and to maximise the benefits of the new Elizabeth line which serves the airport.”
How can I avoid the fare hike on the Tube?
Very easily – so long as you don’t mind stepping off one train and boarding the next.
Take advantage of the fact that the Underground allows free travel between Hatton Cross and all Heathrow stations.
Travelling to the airport, take the Piccadilly Line from central London to Hatton Cross, the last stop before the airport. Tap out through the gates. Outside peak hours, you will be charged £3.50. Now tap in again, go to platform level and board the next train to your destination (Terminals 2, 3 and 5, or Terminals 4 and 2, 3). When you tap out you will not be charged.
In the reverse direction, take the first train from your Heathrow station to Hatton Cross, tap out, tap in again and board the following train. The distance from platforms to gate is small – though not ideal if you are carrying heavy luggage.
While you wait, admire the “Speedbird” mosaic on the platform, which celebrated the British Airways headquarters being close by when the station opened.
Can I cut the cost on the Elizabeth line?
The same principle applies. Take any train from a Zone 1 station via London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington, the last station before Heathrow.
This costs £5 at peak times, £3.40 at other times. Again, tap out and then in, and board the train to Heathrow – which is expensive, at £6.70 peak, £6.40 off peak. But for an off-peak journey you would pay £9.80 – saving £3.
Alternatively, to Terminals 2 and 3 you can save much more by boarding the express bus X140 from outside Hayes and Harlington station, which costs £1.65. It takes around 20 minutes in moderate traffic. The total off-peak journey by train and bus from central London is £5.05.
Why are journeys other than from Zone 1 excluded?
The mayor of London says he is “helping to protect those living near and working at the airport”.
Is there anywhere good to stay in London outside Zone 1 which is still fairly central?
The obvious location is Earl’s Court, which is in both Zone 1 and 2 – which means you benefit from lower Heathrow fares. The South Kensington museums are within walking distance.
I travel to Heathrow from a railway station in south-east England with a ticket that includes an all-zones travelcard ...
You are unlikely to be affected. The move targets airline passengers on one-off journeys between central London and the airport.
Do many public transport providers charge airline passengers extra?
Yes: increasingly, people travelling by air are regarded as fair game for paying more – or, if you prefer, undeserving of subsidy.
In Barcelona, for example, the flat fare on the Metro is €2.40 – unless you are going to the airport, in which case it is €5.15, an increase of 115 per cent.
Fares on Septa Regional Rail trains from central Philadelphia to the airport are doubled.
Australia’s largest airport, Sydney, charges a Station Access Fee of A$16 (£9.40) on top of the normal rail fare on the commuter train link.
Are Heathrow Express fares increasing?
No. The fast link between Paddington and the airport is run as an independent company with very high fares – though if you book well in advance, the one-way price of £5.50 is now exactly the same as the Tube fare.
Any other tips?
For travellers in south and southwest London, the amazing X26 bus remains the optimum way to travel: £1.65 from Croydon to the airport. The fare includes any connecting bus journeys made within an hour.
