Heathrow to the City of London

How does the time change through the day?

From an early landing, the City is a smooth run. Between 05:30 and 07:00, the drive usually takes 40 to 45 minutes. From 07:30 to 09:30, the M4, the Cromwell Road and the Embankment all fill up, and an hour or more is realistic. Midday journeys sit around 50 minutes; late evening journeys are the quickest of all.

If you land at 06:30 with a meeting at 10:00, a car is comfortable. If you land at 08:00 with a meeting at 10:00, the train is the safer bet.

Which line does the chauffeur take into the City?

The usual route runs along the M4 and the A4 to Hyde Park Corner, then along the Embankment beside the river to Blackfriars and up into the City. The Embankment is often quicker than the route through the West End, and it delivers you to the southern side of the Square Mile. For addresses near Liverpool Street or Moorgate, the chauffeur may cut north through Holborn instead.

Where can the car drop you at your office?

Several City streets, including the Bank junction, are restricted to buses and cyclists for much of the working day, and some lanes and courts are closed to vehicles entirely. A chauffeur unfamiliar with the City can lose ten minutes circling a building.

Tell us the building and the entrance you use, ideally the one your reception gives to taxis and couriers. Many towers have a side entrance or a set-down bay on a quieter street. The chauffeur will go straight there and help with your bags into reception.

Car or Elizabeth line?

The Elizabeth line runs directly from the Heathrow stations to Farringdon, Liverpool Street and Moorgate, with no change. At busy times, it will usually beat a car, and for a single traveller with a small case, it is often the right choice.

The car wins when you have more luggage than a weekend bag, when several colleagues are travelling together, when you want to take calls in private on the way, or when you land late at night. It also saves the walk from arrivals to the platform at Heathrow and from the City station to your office, which with a large case adds up.

Can you go straight from a night flight to a meeting?

Many travellers do. Some airlines offer arrivals lounges at Heathrow with showers and breakfast, which can be worth an extra half hour before the drive. Tell us if you plan to use one, and the chauffeur will wait and meet you at the lounge exit rather than in the main arrivals hall.

If you need to drop luggage at a hotel before the meeting, we can include a stop on the way, or take the bags on to the hotel after you are dropped at the office.

What if a team lands on different flights?

Deal teams and project groups often arrive at Heathrow on two or three flights within a couple of hours, sometimes at different terminals. We can meet each flight separately and bring everyone to the same office or hotel, or hold the first arrivals briefly so that two colleagues share a car. Send us the flight numbers and the destination, and tell us which you prefer: speed for each person, or fewer cars.

For regular arrangements, such as a monthly board meeting with directors flying in from abroad, we can keep the same chauffeurs and the same pickup plan each time, so nobody has to think about it.

Does the Congestion Charge apply?

Yes, during charging hours. The whole City is inside the zone, so a car arriving between 07:00 and 18:00 on a weekday, or between 12:00 and 18:00 at weekends and on bank holidays, incurs the £18 daily charge. It is included in your fixed price whenever it applies.

What about the return to Heathrow?

From the City on a weekday afternoon, allow about three hours before a long-haul departure; the Embankment and the Cromwell Road are slow westbound from about 16:00. If your meeting might overrun, tell us, and we will build in a margin or suggest the Elizabeth line if time becomes tight. Heathrow’s £7 drop-off charge is part of the price.