Heathrow terminal 3 to terminal 5

[margeecruiser]

Hi. I hope this is the right place for this question.

 

We are flying into terminal 3 arriving about 8 am. Our daughter is flying into terminal 5 arriving about 10 am. We are sharing a shuttle service into London. How do we get from #3 to #5 terminals? From the research I've done, there is a train, but does that mean we claim our luggage, then take all of it on the train to terminal 5?

 

This mess is because we are flying from different airports, different parts of the country and different airlines.

 

Thanks for any/all help.

 

Margee

[KirkNC]

If you go to the Heathrow website, it gives detailed instructions on getting from one terminal to another. It takes a while, probably 60 minutes.

[John Bull]

http://www.heathrowairport.com/heathrow-airport-guide/travel-between-terminals#table

 

JB :)

[Cotswold Eagle]

Yes, you will need to clear immigration and collect your luggage. Then follow the signs for the Heathrow Express. Make sure you get on one going to T5, otherwise you will find yourself in central London :) The platform signs and announcements are clear. This journey is free, so ignore the ticket sellers and machines.

 

At T5 take the lift to the arrivals level. There is a Costa Ciffe shop where it may be convenient to wait and meet the rest of your party, or there is a signed Meeting Point where there is seating.

[Globaliser]

We are flying into terminal 3 arriving about 8 am. Our daughter is flying into terminal 5 arriving about 10 am. We are sharing a shuttle service into London.

One thing you must do is have a backup plan in case of a long delay. Ask yourself what you would do if your flight is two, three or four hours late; or if her flight is two, three or four hours late. What if you are re-routed onto a different airline, arriving at a different terminal at Heathrow (or possibly even a different London airport altogether)? Has the shuttle service asked for your flight details, and if so, what have you told them? How would you and your daughter communicate any change of plans between you?

 

These things are unlikely to happen, but it's worthwhile thinking about them in advance if you have finally decided on sharing a shuttle.

 

If you're planning from scratch at the moment, then the best place to meet may well be at your hotel in London. This is because (for these purposes) T3 and T5 might as well be different airports.

At T5 take the lift to the arrivals level. There is a Costa Coffee shop where it may be convenient to wait and meet the rest of your party, or there is a signed Meeting Point where there is seating.

When you get into the lift (elevator) at T5, this will automatically go up to departures (check-in) at the top of the building first. There is nothing you can do about this, because it's the way that the lifts are programmed. Don't panic. Let everyone else get off, but stay in the lift. On the way down, the lift will stop at arrivals - get out there. This avoids you waltzing around the check-in area looking for another lift to get back down to arrivals.

 

As I said in a previous thread, colonising a table at Costa is probably the best thing to do. This is directly in front of the exit from Customs, so it'll be easy for your daughter to find you when she comes out.

[margeecruiser]

Thanks for all your help. I agree back up plans are vital. We will have phones and can contact the shuttle company and each other if need be. If we really run into trouble, we can meet at the hotel whenever we all arrive.

 

I'm glad to know the Express is free going just to terminal 5 and the lift info was great.

 

These complicated transfer arrangements make me so glad we are not trying to fly in the same day as the cruise. At least the signage will be in English -- if I can understand English English! I've already found out a lift is an elevator.

 

Margee

[gdlamberth]

John Bull,

Thanks for the link! We are arriving from US at Terminal 1 and connecting to a Virgin Atlantic flight to Edinburgh out of Terminal 1. Since both are NZ Codeshares I assume baggage will be checked thru to EDI. If I understand the instructions correctly we will not have to collect our checked bags at Heathrow but will still clear customs there. Is that right?

 

Thanks,

Greg

[KirkNC]

If you have never been to Heathrow I find it to be a fairly well run airport. The place is huge with a ton of things to eat and buy while you wait. There are some pretty high class restaurants as well as not so much.

Edited June 23, 2014 by KirkNC

[John Bull]

John Bull,

Thanks for the link! We are arriving from US at Terminal 1 and connecting to a Virgin Atlantic flight to Edinburgh out of Terminal 1. Since both are NZ Codeshares I assume baggage will be checked thru to EDI. If I understand the instructions correctly we will not have to collect our checked bags at Heathrow but will still clear customs there. Is that right?

 

Thanks,

Greg

 

No good asking a duffer like me. Greg - I haven't got a clue. :D

 

I appear to have been elevated to Heathrow guru status, but I'm more of a web-ferret than a guru :o

Expert answers will doubtless follow. From experts ;)

 

JB :)

[Globaliser]

We are arriving from US at Terminal 1 and connecting to a Virgin Atlantic flight to Edinburgh out of Terminal 1. Since both are NZ Codeshares I assume baggage will be checked thru to EDI. If I understand the instructions correctly we will not have to collect our checked bags at Heathrow but will still clear customs there. Is that right?

Not quite: For all practical purposes, you will clear immigration at Heathrow, but not customs. You don't collect your bags at Heathrow - they will go straight to Edinburgh. You collect them there, possibly from a special carousel for bags that have originated from outside the EU (do look out for this possibility, so that you're not wasting time standing at the main baggage carousel if your bag is at the other one), and you will clear customs at that point (such as it is, as it's usually just a question of walking out again).

 

Which airline are you flying from the US to Heathrow, and when? There are some terminal moves in progress, and you will want to make sure that plans haven't changed for your airline.

[gdlamberth]

We are flying in from Los Angeles on Air New Zealand flight 2 and flying out on a air newzealand codeshare operated by Virgin Atlantic. Thank you for the alert about non EU baggage carousel in Edinburgh! We have two and a half weeks in Scotland & England before our cruise. So important to get off on a good foot!

[Cotswold Eagle]

Virgin Atlantic Little Red and Air New Zealand are both moving from T1 to T2, in September and October respectively, so your details are correct if you are travelling before then.

 

Here is the link for airline moves at LHR again, for wider reference:

 

http://www.heathrowairport.com/flight-information/airline-moves

[Globaliser]

We have two and a half weeks in Scotland & England before our cruise.

So it looks like you're flying in late August, which (as Cotswold Eagle says) is before the planned dates for Air New Zealand and Little Red to move from T1.

 

It'll be interesting to know whether your Little Red flight is full of wide open spaces.