Heathrow Terminal T1-T4; how far?
 

Hello:
I would like to know the distance between T1 and T4 at Heathrow airport.
Flying from DC into Heathrow and connecting to Madrid.
Thank you.

They are practically in different counties! There is a bus connection because T-4 is quite remote from T's 1-3

Also you are allowed a free ride on Heathrow Express between T1-3 and T4.

Distance - don't know

Time it takes to travel between terminals: 41 minutes (that was going through the security checks too and at about 6.30am)

The last time I arrived in London I timed how long it took me from stepping into Terminal 4 to arriving at the lounge I needed in Teminal 1. I was timing it as my 80 year old Dad will be doing this terminal switch in a few weeks and I wanted him to be prepared. Must say I never thought the info would be useful to anyone else!

We have been flying BA for several years from SFO and even the walk to get to the bus (yes it is free) is extremely long, with a few moving sidewalks and an escalator thrown in! Make sure you have plenty of time to make the plane change. Between the distance from the gate to the bus, plus the 40-45 minute bus ride to the other terminal a considerable amount of time is needed.

Additionally, often when we arrive at Terminal 4, no gate has been assigned to our connecting flight and we have to wait around until we know what gate to walk to.

Both terminals have lots of shops, places to eat, etc., so we have something to do while we wait for our gate # to come up on the board.

Don't know what airline you are using, so your experience may be somewhat different, but basically the same.

Presumably you're arriving at T4 and transferring to T1. If the Madrid flight is BA, you'll have been given a boarding card for it at IAD. So it's BA's job to get you onto the connecting flight.

As everyone say, 45 mins. Bus is the only option: to get the train or tube, you have to go through immigration, which you really wouldn't want to do.

Though, for collectors of truly useless facts, it is actually quicker, with an EU passport and carry-on baggage, to go through immigration and get the free Heathrow Express.

Ouestion? We are flying BA LAX to Heathrow Terminal 4 and then BMI from London to Amsterdam Terminal 1. We obviously have to collect our baggage and then change terminals. Do we have to clear British Immigration and is the bus still the best way. with 3 hours in between. Thanks any help is appreciated.

Its a pain but not that hard. Just follow the signs. Its also a lot of walking and time at security lines. 45 is a fair amount of time but I did it in 25 last time I was there. basically is efficient, but not convenient. If you don't have a ticket for your connection you can get it at the transfer desk whic you will find enroute. The lines at the transfer desk usually aren't as bad as normal check in counter lines.

Stepheng

Why do you "obviously" have to collect your baggage? It's almost certain that BA and bmi have an interline agreement (it's irrelevant that they're competitors and not part of the same alliance: interlining is practically universal in Europe, unless you're dealing with a "low-cost" or charter airline. BA and bmi fall into neither category).

Assuming they do (see below), you check your bags through to AMS at LAX, and go through Customs and Immigration at AMS.

Arriving at T4, you can either take the bus without going through immigration ("airside" in the jargon) to T1 (about 3 miles away), or you can go through immigration and then travel to T1 by train, tube or (if thickskinned and a masochist)taxi. Although only 4 miles by road landside, it would not be a pleasant walk, and walking might even be impossible.

There's little point in going through immigration. You'll use up all your time, so you won't have any to go and see Eton or anything of the sort, the security queues at T1 are longer coming in from outside than for airside transfers (and immigration queues at T4 for non-EU citizens can be heroic), Heathrow is possibly the most unlovely set of buildings man has ever designed, and T1, airside, is stuffed with ways of helping you kill time and spend money.

If BA in Los Angeles are unsure about interlining, phone them at Heathrow: US-based staff are often ill-informed on these things.