Park and ride options at Heathrow
Park Inn and Express Parking have the lowest prices, Purple Parking is the cheapest with a free bus, and the official Park & Ride is the cheapest run by Heathrow.
| Operator | Car park | Type | Transfer | 8-day price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Park Inn Heathrow Off-Airport · Bath Road hotel |
Park & Ride | Hoppa bus (paid) | £44.10 £5.51/day |
 |
Express Parking Heathrow Off-Airport · All terminals |
Park & Ride | Transfers to all terminals | £51.10 £6.39/day |
 |
Purple Parking Park & Ride Off-Airport · Bath Road, T2 & T3 |
Park & Ride | Free bus, 10–12 min | £62.27 £7.78/day |
 |
Terminals Parking Park & Ride T5 Off-Airport · Terminal 5 |
Park & Ride | Shuttle to T5 | £63.00 £7.87/day |
 |
Terminals Parking Park & Ride T2 & T3 Off-Airport · Terminals 2 & 3 |
Park & Ride | Shuttle to T2 and T3 | £63.00 £7.87/day |
 |
Official Park & Ride On-Airport · Official · All terminals |
Park & Ride | Free bus every 15 min | £94.08 £11.76/day |
 |
Official Priority Park & Ride On-Airport · Official · T5 only |
Park & Ride | Shuttle to the doors | £106.05 £13.26/day |
 |
Official Pod Parking On-Airport · Official · T5 only |
Pod | Driverless pod, 6 min | £145.32 £18.16/day |
*Sample 8-day prices, for 7–14 November 2026. Prices are subject to availability; search your dates above for live rates. Car parks without a link have no guide page yet.
The transfer is the main difference: a paid public bus, a free operator bus, Heathrow's own buses, a business-class shuttle or a driverless pod.
The official Park & Ride
Heathrow's Park & Ride, formerly Long Stay, has a car park for each terminal and free buses every 15 minutes. You keep your keys.
About 10 to 15 minutes to the terminal.
Self-park.
One car park each for T2 and T3, T4 and T5.
Read the Official Park & Ride page for postcodes and the drive-up tariff.
Priority Park & Ride
Priority Park & Ride runs business-class shuttles to the terminal doors in as little as 10 minutes, per Heathrow. Only the Terminal 5 site is open.
It was called Business Parking until the rename. On our sample dates it costs more than the standard Park & Ride and less than Terminal Parking. See the Priority Park & Ride page.
Pod Parking at Terminal 5
Pod Parking replaces the bus with a driverless electric pod, about six minutes to Terminal 5. Heathrow says the wait is under 30 seconds.
There is no height restriction, and every pod is accessible. A shuttle bus covers the hours when the pods do not run. See the Pod Parking page.
Off-airport park and ride
Purple Parking, Terminals Parking, Express Parking and Park Inn all cost less than the official Park & Ride on our sample dates.
| Car park | Terminals | Transfer | Keys |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purple Parking Park & Ride | T2 and T3 | Free bus, about 10–12 min (operator) | Left with staff |
| Terminals Parking Park & Ride | T5, or T2 and T3 | Transfer to your terminal | See confirmation |
| Express Parking Heathrow | All four | Transfers (operator) | See confirmation |
| Park Inn Heathrow | All, via the Hoppa | Paid bus, per person | See confirmation |
We have not timed these transfers ourselves.
Park and ride by terminal
Book the park and ride for the terminal on your ticket. Most sites serve only some terminals.
| Terminal | Park and ride options |
|---|---|
| Terminals 2 and 3 | Official Park & Ride T2 and T3, Purple Parking, Terminals Parking T2 & T3 |
| Terminal 4 | Official Park & Ride T4, Express Parking |
| Terminal 5 | Official Park & Ride T5, Priority P&R, Pod Parking, Terminals Parking T5 |
Allowing time for the transfer
Allow 30 minutes from the car park barrier to the terminal door with most park and ride sites. Pod Parking is quicker.
Add the wait for the bus to the ride itself. Heathrow's buses leave every 15 minutes, so the worst case is a 15-minute wait plus the journey. At the start and end of the day, check bus hours against your flight times.
Park and ride for pick-ups
The official Park & Ride is free for the first 29 minutes. At Terminal 4, Zone A is free for up to two hours.
Blue Badge holders get the first two hours free. Our Heathrow drop-off and pick-up guide covers every pick-up option.
Keys and park and ride
At Heathrow's own Park & Ride, you keep your keys. Purple Parking and most off-airport sites hold them.
Holding keys lets staff move cars around a compound, which keeps prices down. Purple Parking says cars staying more than 16 days may be moved to another secure site.
Accessibility
Heathrow's pods are all accessible, and Blue Badge holders get concessions at the Park & Ride. Purple Parking says its site has no accessible facilities.
Passengers with reduced mobility may find Pod Parking or meet and greet easier than a bus transfer. Ask your airline for assistance at the terminal when you book your flight. Our Heathrow parking discount codes page shows how much the code takes off each car park.
Choosing between the park and ride options
Choose by terminal first, then by transfer, then by price.
- Check your terminal. Your booking or boarding pass shows it. Most sites serve only some terminals.
- Pick the transfer you want. A free bus, a paid bus, a business-class shuttle or a pod.
- Decide on keys. Heathrow's own sites let you keep them. Most off-airport sites hold them.
- Compare the total. Add bus fares for each traveller and any ULEZ charge.
For most families flying from Terminals 2 or 3, Purple Parking balances price and a free bus. For Terminal 5, Pod Parking is the quickest and Priority Park & Ride the most comfortable. For Terminal 4, the official Park & Ride is the obvious choice since the multi-storey closed. We set out prices and transfer details on our Heathrow long stay parking page.
Park and ride and the ULEZ
Heathrow sits inside London's ULEZ, and non-compliant cars pay a daily charge.
At Heathrow's own Park & Ride, the charge applies to the days you drive in and out, not the days the car stands in the car park. Off-airport operators follow the same broad rule, though a site that moves your car may add days. Check your car on Transport for London's checker before you book.
Luggage on the transfer
Heathrow's buses and pods take luggage, but space is shared.
A pod carries up to four passengers and their luggage. Buses carry more people, so at busy times you may wait for the next one with a large family group. Hand luggage and one case each keep the transfer simple. With skis, golf clubs or a pushchair, allow extra time, or look at meet and greet instead.
Security at park and ride
Heathrow describes automated barriers and round-the-clock patrols. Purple Parking describes a Park Mark Safer Parking Award, CCTV and fencing.
Heathrow describes round-the-clock patrols, automated barriers and bright lighting across its own car parks. We have not found a Park Mark statement for Heathrow's own car parks, so we do not claim one. The off-airport operators describe their own security, and we report what each says rather than claiming an award on their behalf.
More questions about park and ride at Heathrow
Park Inn Heathrow on our sample dates, though its Hoppa bus is paid per person. Purple Parking is the cheapest with a free bus.
Every 15 minutes through the day. Heathrow gives a phone number for transfers outside bus hours.
Not at present. Heathrow says the Terminals 2 and 3 site is closed to passengers. The Terminal 5 site is open.
The official Terminal 4 Park & Ride on Scylla Road. Express Parking also lists transfers to Terminal 4.
At the official Park & Ride and Priority Park & Ride, yes. At Purple Parking, you hand them to staff.
In effect, yes. You park and ride a driverless pod to Terminal 5 in about six minutes.
Ready to book park and ride at Heathrow? Search your dates above to compare every option live. Free cancellation runs for 24 hours after booking. Book ahead and save up to 80% on the price at the barrier.