Heathrow Airport: Can You Enter On Foot?

Heathrow is without a doubt one of the busiest airports in the world- it transports tens of millions of passengers in a year.

Many passengers staying in the airports surrounding airports often winder if they can walk into the airport? Do you really need a car?

Physically speaking, it is possible to walk into some terminals of Heathrow airport if you are staying nearby. Legally speaking, however, it is not always likely.

The roads leading into the airport are specially designed for vehicles, not walking. Read on to find out if there are instances one is allowed to walk into or within the airport.

Table of Contents

Can You Walk into Heathrow?

You can’t walk into the ‘Heathrow Central’ of the airport, which is made up of terminals 1 to 3. The roads here are made for cars and buses, so they are not suitable for pedestrians.

In fact, there are several ‘no pedestrians’ signs on the road to discourage people from walking into this section of the airport.

However, people that live nearby can walk to terminals 4 and 5.

These 2 terminals tend to be quite a distance from the first three. Once you get in through these terminals, you can easily connect with other terminals by walking, bus, or trains that operate inside the airport.

Buses and cars get into the airport freely. They are the most common way of getting into the airport, and most nearby hotels offer free transfer buses into Heathrow.

Essentially, the airport’s main tunnel is dedicated to cars and buses.

Since there are no pedestrian walkways into the airport, choosing to walk in there, nevertheless, may be considered ‘sneaking in.’

Seeing that you will be walking in paths that are not intended for pedestrians, you will attract attraction and possibly endure probing questions from the security staff. Thus, even though you can always walk to the airport, it is not recommended.

While walking to the airport through the first three terminals is not allowed or advised, you can walk from one terminal to another soon as you get into the airport.

Can You Walk Between Terminals 3 and 5 At Heathrow Airport?

As we have established above, you can walk between terminals once you get into Heathrow airport. So, yes, you can walk between terminal 3 and terminal 5.

Terminal 5 is quite far from the rest, so the walk will take you anywhere between 40 minutes and an hour, depending on your speed.

Check out this YouTube video that shows the walk between Heathrow terminal 3 and 5

If you are starting from terminal 3, take the tunnel and turn left when you reach its end. At this point, keep walking for an additional three miles until you see the terminal 5 building.

If you are walking from terminal 5 to terminal 3, the route is the same, just in reverse.

Still, unless you have that much time to kill or you love walking fairly long distances, it is advisable to take a bus instead. There is a subway that connects the two terminals, and it only takes fifteen minutes by bus.

Here’s another YouTube video that shows how to go between terminals 3 and 5 at Heathrow airport.

Can You Walk To Heathrow Terminal 2?

You cannot walk to Heathrow terminal 2 from outside the airport. You would have to take a bus or car to get in. The only way you can walk to terminal 2 is if you are coming from terminal 3.

Terminal 2 and terminal 3 are close to each other such that walking from one terminal to the other is a less than a ten-minute affair.

In Which Terminal is Virgin Atlantic at Heathrow?

Virgin Atlantic is at Terminal 3 of the Heathrow Airport. Its flights depart from and arrive at this terminal. Established in 1984, Virgin Atlantic closed for about a year due to the corona pandemic and returned to Terminal 3 in mid-2021.

Virgin Atlantic is also popular for a clubhouse created for upper-class travelers, Flying Club Gold members, and Delta’s eligible clients.

You can get here by bus or car if you are coming from a hotel near the airport. You can also walk from another terminal or take Heathrow Express.

Can You Walk Around Heathrow Airport?

You can walk around Heathrow Airport. There are mini-tunnels on both sides of the main tunnels, which have walkways. They are, however, quite small and stuffy, so it may be wiser, on most occasions, to just take a bus instead.

Still, you can walk between terminals. Terminals 2 and 3 are the closest to each other, and as stated above in the article, walking between the terminals takes around 10 minutes.

Other terminals at Heathrow Airport, such as 4 and 5, and quite spread apart, so walking will be exhausting, albeit doable.

Walking from terminal 2 to terminal 3 is easy and straightforward as there are signposts to provide guidance.

You should take the escalator to level 1 of the terminal, whereby you will be able to access the pedestrian underpass. From here, follow the walkway as it will lead you straight to terminal 3.

Similarly, if you are walking from terminal 3 to 2, go down to level 1 of the terminal either using stairs or an elevator. Then, walk in the underpass until you get to terminal 2.

Nearest Off-Site Hotels You Can Walk into Heathrow Airport From?

Most hotels at Heathrow are located along the northern perimeter road, called Bath Road.

Most, if not all, have buses to drive their customers to the terminals. Still, some are within walking distance of the airport and include the following:

Premier Inn: This hotel is located 6 minutes’ walk away from Terminal 4. If you have been following, people are allowed to walk into the airport through this terminal. Once you get in, you can connect to another terminal through walking, a shuttle, or the Heathrow express.

Hilton Garden Inn London Heathrow: Opened in 2019, this hotel is close to Terminal 2. You can walk directly to or from Terminal 2 or 3 from this hotel.

Aerotel T3 Heathrow London: The Aerotel hotel was opened in October 2019 and is located within terminal 3. You can easily walk into the terminal from the hotel, making it pretty flexible for people with late or early flights or stop-overs.

Sofitel Heathrow: This hotel is located close to terminal 5. It was opened at around the same time as the launch of Terminal 5 in 2008. Sofitel is adjacent to the passenger terminal, and the two buildings are separated by a walkway. So, you can easily walk to and from terminal 5.

Final Words

It is possible to walk into Heathrow Airport, although it is prohibited in some terminals.

For instance, while you comfortably walk in through terminals 4 and 5, you may get in trouble for walking in through terminals 4 and 5. The roads leading to the airport are designed for cars and buses.

FAQ

Can you walk from Heathrow t3 to t5?

Yes, you can walk from Heathrow Terminal 3 to Terminal 5. Walk outside Terminal 3 arrival, through the tunnel, turn left at the end of the tunnel, and keep walking for 3 miles north until you see the T5 building

Can you walk from heathrow t5 to t2?

No, you cannot walk from Heathrow Terminal 5 to Terminal 2, there is no pedestrian walkway between Terminal 5 and Terminal 2.

Can you walk from terminal 2 to 3 Heathrow?

Yes, you can walk from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3 at Heathrow Airport. The walk between the two terminals is done via a connecting underground tunnel that takes about five minutes to walk to get through.