Heathrow Terminals 1,2,3 tube station
Encyclopedia
Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 is a London Underground
station at Heathrow Airport
on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line
. The station is situated in Travelcard Zone 6
.
to the airport. The preceding station, Hatton Cross
, had opened as the interim terminus in 1975. At its opening, the station served as the terminus of what became known as the Heathrow branch of the line — previously it had been the Hounslow branch. It was the first time that an airport had been directly served by an underground railway system.
With the development of the airport's new Terminal 4 underway for which a separate Underground station would be provided, the station was renamed Heathrow Central Terminals 1, 2, 3 on 3 September 1983. The station gained its present name on 12 April 1986, the same day that services began at Heathrow Terminal 4
.
The Terminal 4 station is located on a unidirectional single track loop from Hatton Cross to Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3. On the opening of the Terminal 4 station most direct services from Hatton Cross ceased, with most Piccadilly Line trains going first to Terminal 4. Some early morning trains still went directly to Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 to the confusion of some passengers.
For the construction of the tunnel to the new Heathrow Terminal 5 station
, the loop track and Terminal 4 station closed temporarily on 7 January 2005 and Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 once again became the terminus of the line. This situation continued until 17 September 2006, when the Terminal 5 tunnel works were sufficiently complete for the loop tunnel and Terminal 4 station to reopen.
Heathrow Terminal 5 station opened on 27 March 2008, but the frequency of trains on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line remained the same as previously, with services from Hatton Cross to Heathrow split. Alternate trains run either to Terminal 4 (around the loop and back to Central London
via Terminals 1, 2, 3), or direct to Terminals 1, 2, 3 and Terminal 5.
Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 has a double crossover directly to the east which can be seen from the platform. The station has six escalator
s of which two operate from the platform to the ticket hall area and two operate in the opposite direction; the other two connect the ticket hall area to the surface. A mezzanine floor between the platform and ticket hall levels provide staff accommodation and facilities. Trains may serve platform 1 from either direction but platform 2 may only be served by eastbound trains. British Transport Police
maintain a presence at Heathrow.
Now Terminal 5 is open, and once the transfer of airlines at Heathrow from other terminals is completed, the existing Terminal 2 will be demolished and a new terminal (called "Heathrow East") will be built in its place. This may mean that the station will need to be renamed, or at least have the reference to Terminal 2 removed from its name. Current proposals suggest the station will revert to its original name of Heathrow Central.
In contrast to the Heathrow Express
, London Underground services do not provide free transfer between terminals. Passengers using the Piccadilly Line to travel from Terminal 4
to Terminals 1, 2, 3 would need to purchase a ticket, and no direct services exist in the other direction. Airline passengers connecting between terminals at Heathrow can travel free of charge on the Heathrow Express
to Terminal 5, or by using the Heathrow Connect
service to Terminal 4.
As of 14 February 2010, the station is undergoing renovation works which will feature an extended control room, the remaining two (of six) escalators being refurbished, a station enhancement and two Step Free Access lifts from the ticket hall (located near the bottom of the escalators from street level) to the platforms. Step Free Access to street level will continue to be served by the two BAA lifts to the Coach station.
- transport map for Heathrow showing Underground, Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect rail, and the N9 night bus
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
station at Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line
Piccadilly Line
The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark blue on the Tube map. It is the fifth busiest line on the Underground network judged by the number of passengers transported per year. It is mainly a deep-level line, running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1, with...
. The station is situated in Travelcard Zone 6
Travelcard Zone 6
Fare zone 6 is an outer zone of Transport for London's zonal fare system used for calculating the price of tickets for travel on the London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway and, since 2007, on National Rail services. The zone was created in January 1991; from May 1983 it had...
.
History
The station opened as Heathrow Central on 16 December 1977 as the final phase of the Piccadilly Line's extension from Hounslow WestHounslow West tube station
Hounslow West is a London Underground station in Hounslow in west London. The station is on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line, between Hatton Cross and Hounslow Central stations. The station is located on Bath Road about 600m from the junction of Bath Road, Great West Road and Great...
to the airport. The preceding station, Hatton Cross
Hatton Cross tube station
Hatton Cross tube station is on the Heathrow branch of the London Underground Piccadilly line. It is in Travelcard Zones 5 and 6 and stands between the Great South West Road and the Heathrow Airport Southern Perimeter Road....
, had opened as the interim terminus in 1975. At its opening, the station served as the terminus of what became known as the Heathrow branch of the line — previously it had been the Hounslow branch. It was the first time that an airport had been directly served by an underground railway system.
With the development of the airport's new Terminal 4 underway for which a separate Underground station would be provided, the station was renamed Heathrow Central Terminals 1, 2, 3 on 3 September 1983. The station gained its present name on 12 April 1986, the same day that services began at Heathrow Terminal 4
Heathrow Terminal 4 tube station
Heathrow Terminal 4 is a London Underground station at Heathrow Airport on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line. The station is situated in Travelcard Zone 6.The station opened on the 12 April 1986 to serve the then recently opened Heathrow Terminal 4...
.
The Terminal 4 station is located on a unidirectional single track loop from Hatton Cross to Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3. On the opening of the Terminal 4 station most direct services from Hatton Cross ceased, with most Piccadilly Line trains going first to Terminal 4. Some early morning trains still went directly to Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 to the confusion of some passengers.
For the construction of the tunnel to the new Heathrow Terminal 5 station
Heathrow Terminal 5 station
Heathrow Terminal 5 station is a shared railway station at London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 which was opened on 27 March 2008. It was designed by architects HOK International in conjunction with Rogers, Stirk, Harbour & Partners....
, the loop track and Terminal 4 station closed temporarily on 7 January 2005 and Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 once again became the terminus of the line. This situation continued until 17 September 2006, when the Terminal 5 tunnel works were sufficiently complete for the loop tunnel and Terminal 4 station to reopen.
Heathrow Terminal 5 station opened on 27 March 2008, but the frequency of trains on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line remained the same as previously, with services from Hatton Cross to Heathrow split. Alternate trains run either to Terminal 4 (around the loop and back to Central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
via Terminals 1, 2, 3), or direct to Terminals 1, 2, 3 and Terminal 5.
Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 has a double crossover directly to the east which can be seen from the platform. The station has six escalator
Escalator
An escalator is a moving staircase – a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of individual, linked steps that move up or down on tracks, allowing the step treads to remain horizontal.Escalators are used around the...
s of which two operate from the platform to the ticket hall area and two operate in the opposite direction; the other two connect the ticket hall area to the surface. A mezzanine floor between the platform and ticket hall levels provide staff accommodation and facilities. Trains may serve platform 1 from either direction but platform 2 may only be served by eastbound trains. British Transport Police
British Transport Police
The British Transport Police is a special police force that polices those railways and light-rail systems in Great Britain for which it has entered into an agreement to provide such services...
maintain a presence at Heathrow.
Now Terminal 5 is open, and once the transfer of airlines at Heathrow from other terminals is completed, the existing Terminal 2 will be demolished and a new terminal (called "Heathrow East") will be built in its place. This may mean that the station will need to be renamed, or at least have the reference to Terminal 2 removed from its name. Current proposals suggest the station will revert to its original name of Heathrow Central.
In contrast to the Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express is an airport rail link from London Heathrow Airport to London Paddington station in London operated by the Heathrow Express Operating Authority, a wholly owned subsidiary of BAA. It was opened by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1998...
, London Underground services do not provide free transfer between terminals. Passengers using the Piccadilly Line to travel from Terminal 4
Heathrow Terminal 4 tube station
Heathrow Terminal 4 is a London Underground station at Heathrow Airport on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line. The station is situated in Travelcard Zone 6.The station opened on the 12 April 1986 to serve the then recently opened Heathrow Terminal 4...
to Terminals 1, 2, 3 would need to purchase a ticket, and no direct services exist in the other direction. Airline passengers connecting between terminals at Heathrow can travel free of charge on the Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express is an airport rail link from London Heathrow Airport to London Paddington station in London operated by the Heathrow Express Operating Authority, a wholly owned subsidiary of BAA. It was opened by the then Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1998...
to Terminal 5, or by using the Heathrow Connect
Heathrow Connect
Heathrow Connect is a train operating company in London provided jointly by Heathrow Express and First Great Western, connecting Heathrow Airport with station. The service follows the same route as the Heathrow Express service but serves intermediate stations en route, thus connecting several...
service to Terminal 4.
As of 14 February 2010, the station is undergoing renovation works which will feature an extended control room, the remaining two (of six) escalators being refurbished, a station enhancement and two Step Free Access lifts from the ticket hall (located near the bottom of the escalators from street level) to the platforms. Step Free Access to street level will continue to be served by the two BAA lifts to the Coach station.
Transport links
London bus routes 105, 111, 140, 285, A10, U3, Express routes 724 and X26 and LSP routes 75, 76, 441, 555, 740, A30, A40 and Night route N9.External links
- transport map for Heathrow showing Underground, Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect rail, and the N9 night bus