Heathrow Express is the fastest way to travel between central London and Heathrow Airport. Departing every 15 minutes from London Paddington station, the non-stop service speeds to Heathrow Central in only 15 minutes, with just a further six minutes to terminal five.
The service was launched in June 1998 and is operated by BAA. On average, 16,000 passengers use the service each day, and over 50 million people have travelled on Heathrow Express since launch.
Customers can settle down with complimentary copies of the Financial Times and select magazines, use the extendible tables to catch up on some work, watch Onboard TV, make use of the free Wi-Fi internet access and enjoy uninterrupted mobile coverage. Heathrow Express keeps all passengers entertained during their journey with Express TV, which includes up to date BBC news and weather programming. There are also quiet zones where mobile phone use is prohibited and Express TV does not play.
Heathrow Express cabins are designed to be level with the platform, making it easier to get luggage onboard. The First Class cabin is a delight for business travellers, delivering a high-end travel experience. First Class cabins also stop by station exits, guaranteeing quicker and easier access to the terminals. These spacious cabins feature plush leather-trimmed seats and personal tables. All cabins are climate controlled and include modern, accessible toilet facilities.
Heathrow Express now offers Wi-Fi free to all customers on the train, courtesy of T-Mobile. A typical broadband connection speed of 2 Mbps is available throughout the entire journey, even in the six kilometre tunnel.
In December 2009 Heathrow Express made Paddington station the first UK railway station to offer flight information display screens and airline check in services. They consist of three machines located below the screens and next to the Heathrow Express ticket office. The machines are easy to use with touch screen facilities, allowing customers to print their boarding pass and view their flight information before they even arrive at the airport. Proceeding direct to bag drop, customers can bypass the check-in queues helping them to feel more at ease on their journey.
Since its launch, Heathrow Express has established itself as the first choice for passengers seeking the quickest way to and from Heathrow Airport. The carbon-efficient trains are fitted with electrical regenerative brakes, which reduce speed by converting kinetic energy into another useful form of energy. This is how over the last decade the service has regenerated enough energy to boil 400 million kettles.
Heathrow Express has achieved the top score in the National Passenger Survey carried out by Passenger Focus, the independent national rail consumer watchdog. Heathrow Express scored 92 percent in overall satisfaction in 2008 and 2009. Passenger Focus consults 50,000 passengers a year to produce the survey, which reveals a nationwide picture of passengers’ satisfaction with rail travel.
