6 h
Stay airside, or a very quick hop
- With ETA and no checked bags to worry about: Heathrow Express to Paddington for a walk in Hyde Park, then straight back.
- Otherwise, stay airside. Six hours is tight at Heathrow.
London layover: can you leave Heathrow Airport?
Almost every visa-free passport now needs an approved UK ETA (£20) before it can leave Heathrow, including EU, US, Canadian, Australian and Japanese travellers. You don't need one if you stay airside. Indian and Nepali travellers need a UK visa, such as the Visitor in Transit visa.
Rules researched 28 Oct 2026. Always confirm with the official source and your airline.
Can you leave? Rules by passport
| Passport | Can you leave? | What to know | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes, with conditions | Visa-free with an approved ETA. Apply for a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation before you fly: £20 since 8 April 2026, valid 2 years. Not needed if you stay airside. | Aviation A2Z: UK ETA fee rises to £20 |
| United Kingdom | Yes, you can leave | You're home. British and Irish citizens walk straight out, usually through the eGates. | Aviation A2Z: UK ETA fee rises to £20 |
| Germany | Yes, with conditions | Visa-free with an approved ETA. EU citizens have needed an ETA since April 2025: £20, valid 2 years. Irish citizens don't need one. Not needed if you stay airside. | Aviation A2Z: UK ETA fee rises to £20 |
| France | Yes, with conditions | Visa-free with an approved ETA. EU citizens have needed an ETA since April 2025: £20, valid 2 years. Irish citizens don't need one. Not needed if you stay airside. | Aviation A2Z: UK ETA fee rises to £20 |
| Italy | Yes, with conditions | Visa-free with an approved ETA. EU citizens have needed an ETA since April 2025: £20, valid 2 years. Irish citizens don't need one. Not needed if you stay airside. | Aviation A2Z: UK ETA fee rises to £20 |
| Spain | Yes, with conditions | Visa-free with an approved ETA. EU citizens have needed an ETA since April 2025: £20, valid 2 years. Irish citizens don't need one. Not needed if you stay airside. | Aviation A2Z: UK ETA fee rises to £20 |
| Netherlands | Yes, with conditions | Visa-free with an approved ETA. EU citizens have needed an ETA since April 2025: £20, valid 2 years. Irish citizens don't need one. Not needed if you stay airside. | Aviation A2Z: UK ETA fee rises to £20 |
| Other EU / Schengen country | Yes, with conditions | Visa-free with an approved ETA. EU citizens have needed an ETA since April 2025: £20, valid 2 years. Irish citizens don't need one. Not needed if you stay airside. | Aviation A2Z: UK ETA fee rises to £20 |
| Australia | Yes, with conditions | Visa-free with an approved ETA. Apply for the ETA before you fly: £20, valid 2 years. Not needed if you stay airside. | Aviation A2Z: UK ETA fee rises to £20 |
| Canada | Yes, with conditions | Visa-free with an approved ETA. Apply for the ETA before you fly: £20, valid 2 years. Not needed if you stay airside. | Aviation A2Z: UK ETA fee rises to £20 |
| New Zealand | Yes, with conditions | Visa-free with an approved ETA. Apply for the ETA before you fly: £20, valid 2 years. Not needed if you stay airside. | Aviation A2Z: UK ETA fee rises to £20 |
| Japan | Yes, with conditions | Visa-free with an approved ETA. Apply for the ETA before you fly: £20, valid 2 years. Not needed if you stay airside. | Aviation A2Z: UK ETA fee rises to £20 |
| South Korea | Yes, with conditions | Visa-free with an approved ETA. Apply for the ETA before you fly: £20, valid 2 years. Not needed if you stay airside. | Aviation A2Z: UK ETA fee rises to £20 |
| Singapore | Yes, with conditions | Visa-free with an approved ETA. Apply for the ETA before you fly: £20, valid 2 years. Not needed if you stay airside. | Aviation A2Z: UK ETA fee rises to £20 |
| India | Only with a visa arranged before you fly | Visa needed before you fly. Apply for a Visitor in Transit visa (lets you leave the airport for up to 48 hours) or a Standard Visitor visa before you travel. Check whether you also need a visa to transit airside. | GOV.UK: Visitor in Transit visa |
| Nepal | Only with a visa arranged before you fly | Visa needed before you fly. As for India: a Visitor in Transit visa (up to 48 hours outside the airport) or a Standard Visitor visa, applied for before you travel. | GOV.UK: Visitor in Transit visa |
Other passport? Check the official source above, then use the checker for the time maths. Spotted a change? Tell us.
Visitor in Transit visa
If your passport needs a UK visa, the Visitor in Transit visa lets you leave the airport for up to 48 hours on the way to another country. Apply online before you travel and allow time for a biometrics appointment.
Source: GOV.UK: Visitor in Transit visa
Just changing planes? Do you need a visa at LHR?
You can connect at Heathrow without entering the UK if you stay airside, and visa-free passports don't need an ETA for that. Indian and Nepali passports need a Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV) unless they hold an exempting visa or residence permit.
Changing terminals
Changing terminal doesn't automatically keep you airside. Many connections, including between Terminals 2 and 5, have an airside transfer via Flight Connections. If yours doesn't, you're routed through UK immigration and need an ETA or visa. Taking the Heathrow Express or a public bus between terminals makes it a landside connection.
Going on to a domestic flight
Flying on to another UK airport (such as Edinburgh or Manchester) means clearing UK immigration at Heathrow, so you need an ETA or a UK visa.
Separate tickets (self-transfer)
On separate tickets you usually have to collect your bags and check in again, which means entering the UK: an ETA for visa-free passports, or a UK visa for Indian and Nepali passports.
How long to allow
Allow at least 90 minutes, and more if you change terminal.
Airport transit visa by passport
| Passport | Can you change planes? | What to know | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | Airport transit visa needed, unless exempt | Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV, £41.50) needed to change planes, unless you hold a valid US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand visa or residence, a UK visa, an EU/EEA residence permit or a Schengen D visa. A standard Schengen C visa doesn't exempt you. | VisaVerge: transit visa for London Heathrow (Oct 2026) |
| Nepal | Airport transit visa needed, unless exempt | Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV, £41.50) needed, with the same exemptions as for India: a valid US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand visa or residence, a UK visa, or an EU/EEA residence permit. | VisaVerge: transit visa for London Heathrow (Oct 2026) |
All other passports we cover: no visa needed to change planes airside, on one booking with your bags checked through.
Sources: VisaVerge: transit visa for London Heathrow (Oct 2026)
How much time will you really have?
60 minto get through immigration and out
40 mineach way to the main sights
2 hback at the airport before departure
6 hminimum layover for 90 minutes outside
UK border queues at Heathrow can be long at peak times. Most ETA holders can use the eGates, which helps.
Getting to London
| Option | Time | Cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heathrow Express to Paddington | 15 min | Around £25 on the day, much less booked ahead | Every 15 min, roughly 5 am to midnight. Contactless works. |
| Elizabeth line | About 30–40 min to Paddington, Bond Street or Tottenham Court Road | Around £13 with contactless | Goes straight into the West End without a change. |
| Piccadilly line (Underground) | About 50–60 min to Piccadilly Circus | Cheapest option, around £6 with contactless | Slow but direct to central London. |
At the airport
- Left luggage in every terminal arrivals area.
- Plenty of lounges, plus airside hotels at Terminals 4 and 5 if you'd rather sleep.
- Heathrow's terminals are spread out, so allow extra time if you change terminal.
Layover plans for London
Times assume you can leave the airport with your passport. Pick the plan that fits your layover, not your hopes.
10 h
Westminster and the South Bank
- Elizabeth line to Tottenham Court Road, or Heathrow Express and the Tube.
- Westminster, Big Ben and the London Eye from the river.
- Walk the South Bank to Tower Bridge.
- Head back with plenty of margin.
16 h
Add a museum and a pub dinner
- Everything in the 10-hour plan.
- The British Museum or National Gallery (both free).
- Dinner in Covent Garden or Soho.
24 h
A night in London
- Hotel near Paddington for an easy return.
- Notting Hill and Portobello Road, or a West End show.
Stopover packages. There's no official London stopover scheme. If you have a day or more, book a hotel near Paddington or the Elizabeth line.
London layover questions
Can I leave Heathrow Airport on a layover?
It depends on your passport. United States: yes, with conditions; United Kingdom: yes, you can leave; Germany: yes, with conditions; France: yes, with conditions; Italy: yes, with conditions; Spain: yes, with conditions; Netherlands: yes, with conditions; Other EU / Schengen country: yes, with conditions; Australia: yes, with conditions; Canada: yes, with conditions; New Zealand: yes, with conditions; Japan: yes, with conditions; South Korea: yes, with conditions; Singapore: yes, with conditions; India: only with a visa arranged before you fly; Nepal: only with a visa arranged before you fly. Check the table on this page and the official source before you fly.
How long a layover do I need to leave the airport in London?
About 6 hours or more. You need around 60 minutes to get out, 40 minutes each way to the main sights, and should be back 2 hours before departure.
How do I get from LHR to London city centre?
Heathrow Express to Paddington: 15 min, Around £25 on the day, much less booked ahead. Elizabeth line: About 30–40 min to Paddington, Bond Street or Tottenham Court Road, Around £13 with contactless. Piccadilly line (Underground): About 50–60 min to Piccadilly Circus, Cheapest option, around £6 with contactless.
Do I need a transit visa for London (LHR)?
You can connect at Heathrow without entering the UK if you stay airside, and visa-free passports don't need an ETA for that. Indian and Nepali passports need a Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV) unless they hold an exempting visa or residence permit. India: Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV, £41.50) needed to change planes, unless you hold a valid US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand visa or residence, a UK visa, an EU/EEA residence permit or a Schengen D visa. A standard Schengen C visa doesn't exempt you. Nepal: Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV, £41.50) needed, with the same exemptions as for India: a valid US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand visa or residence, a UK visa, or an EU/EEA residence permit.
Do I need a visa to change terminals at Heathrow Airport?
Changing terminal doesn't automatically keep you airside. Many connections, including between Terminals 2 and 5, have an airside transfer via Flight Connections. If yours doesn't, you're routed through UK immigration and need an ETA or visa. Taking the Heathrow Express or a public bus between terminals makes it a landside connection.
Do I need a visa to connect to a domestic flight in London?
Flying on to another UK airport (such as Edinburgh or Manchester) means clearing UK immigration at Heathrow, so you need an ETA or a UK visa.
Can I self-transfer at LHR on separate tickets without a visa?
On separate tickets you usually have to collect your bags and check in again, which means entering the UK: an ETA for visa-free passports, or a UK visa for Indian and Nepali passports.
Sources
Researched 28 Oct 2026. Rules change, so open the official page before you fly.