Getting around in Heathrow

We are traveling British Airways from Chicago to London to Barcelona next May for our Mediterranean cruise. Neither of us has flown internationally before and wondering how do we get from Terminal 5 to Terminal 1 during our layover?

We have a 3 hour time gap on paper right now so time is not an issue. Just want to know what will be expected of us, a couple of senior ladies w/o any ambulation problems.

Thanks,

Sue

Hi Sue

Assuming that you are on a connecting flight you just follow a sign to flight connections and a dedicated free bus will take you from one terminal to the other. Your hold luggage will be transferred without you needing to do anything.

No need to worry about it. Everything is clearly signposted. You just follow the signs for transfers and they will lead you from one terminal to another. There are buses which run between the terminals - it will be about a 15 minute bus ride. Terminal 5 is a bit of a distance from terminal 1, but you don't need to work out your route beforehand, just follow the signs. You will have extra security to go through too.

Thanks to both of you! I tend to be the planner and need to know the details before I go anywhere. Sounds like nothing to worry about.

Sue

if you have mobility issues just ask for help ..

do not stop to shop or look around until you get to T1

security can eat up your 3 hrs quickly

if you have mobility issues just ask for help ..

do not stop to shop or look around until you get to T1

security can eat up your 3 hrs quickly

Thanks for the heads up about security. My travel partner does love to shop. Not too sure how alert we will be after a >8 hour flight.

Sue

We are traveling British Airways from Chicago to London to Barcelona next May for our Mediterranean cruise. Neither of us has flown internationally before and wondering how do we get from Terminal 5 to Terminal 1 during our layover?

And, for that matter, are you sure that your Chicago to Heathrow flight will be operated by British Airways (ie does it have a three-digit BA flight number)?

Who's told you that your Heathrow to Barcelona flight will be at Terminal 1? This doesn't sound right. Are you sure that it's a British Airways flight?

 

And, for that matter, are you sure that your Chicago to Heathrow flight will be operated by British Airways (ie does it have a three-digit BA flight number)?

I was wondering the same thing.

And, for that matter, are you sure that your Chicago to Heathrow flight will be operated by British Airways (ie does it have a three-digit BA flight number)?

There are BA flights from ORD to BCN via LHR

BA 294 is one

Other are operated by AA to LHR

From 26th Oct this year BA flts to BCN will operate from Terminal3 , again if you are in transit just follow the Flt Connections signs, normally when you check in at Chicago you would be given your boarding passes in a wallet which gives details of the transfer procedures at LHR

Just to reinforce the point - you will have to go through security again at T1 (or T3), so you should get that over with ASAP. Read up on the advice about what not to carry and wear going through which helps speed the process. http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/how-get-through-line-faster

Pretty much anything you will want to buy at Heathrow can be paid for by credit card, so no need to get any British currency.

Who's told you that your Heathrow to Barcelona flight will be at Terminal 1? This doesn't sound right. Are you sure that it's a British Airways flight?

 

And, for that matter, are you sure that your Chicago to Heathrow flight will be operated by British Airways (ie does it have a three-digit BA flight number)?

Our original itinerary had us arriving at Terminal 5 and then going to Terminal 1. Our newest

info from our TA has us leaving from Terminal 3 to Barcelona via BA.

Sue

Our newest info from our TA has us leaving from Terminal 3 to Barcelona via BA.

When you arrive at T5, you will probably be at one of the satellite buildings (known as T5B and T5C). Fundamentally, you need to look for and follow the purple Flight Connections signs, specifically those which point the way to Terminal 3.

If you're in T5B when you arrive, these signs should lead you to a bus stop at ground level (level 0) in the same building, so that you don't have to take the transit to the main building (aka T5A). There should be a member of staff at the bus stop - make sure you tell them which terminal you're going to, because the bus may not stop there unless notified by staff.

If you're in T5C, I think the signs will lead you to the transit. The path of least resistance at this point is to take the transit all the way to T5A (the second stop) and then follow the purple signs. These will lead you up and then down again to the bus stop for T3. (The same applies if you're at T5B and you don't see the signs that lead you to the bus stop in that building.)

However, you can also do one of two other things if you want to avoid the crowds at T5A. You can get off the transit at T5B (the first stop) and go up from the transit level (-2) to ground level (0) and go to the bus stop there. Or you can avoid the transit altogether by going down beyond it to the underground walkway (level -4) and walking to T5B and coming up to level 0 there.

Wherever you get on it, the bus will take you to T3 where you will first clear security, and then you will emerge into the main post-security shopping/restaurants area.

You don't need to worry about being distracted before you get to security at T3. You won't see any shops or restaurants before you get there, along any of these routes. Basically, you have no alternative but to go to T3 and clear security first, before you can do anything else.

As a BA-BA connection, you should already have your LHR-BCN boarding passes when you check-in at ORD.

 

When you arrive at T5, you will probably be at one of the satellite buildings (known as T5B and T5C). Fundamentally, you need to look for and follow the purple Flight Connections signs, specifically those which point the way to Terminal 3.

 

If you're in T5B when you arrive, these signs should lead you to a bus stop at ground level (level 0) in the same building, so that you don't have to take the transit to the main building (aka T5A). There should be a member of staff at the bus stop - make sure you tell them which terminal you're going to, because the bus may not stop there unless notified by staff.

 

If you're in T5C, I think the signs will lead you to the transit. The path of least resistance at this point is to take the transit all the way to T5A (the second stop) and then follow the purple signs. These will lead you up and then down again to the bus stop for T3. (The same applies if you're at T5B and you don't see the signs that lead you to the bus stop in that building.)

 

However, you can also do one of two other things if you want to avoid the crowds at T5A. You can get off the transit at T5B (the first stop) and go up from the transit level (-2) to ground level (0) and go to the bus stop there. Or you can avoid the transit altogether by going down beyond it to the underground walkway (level -4) and walking to T5B and coming up to level 0 there.

 

Wherever you get on it, the bus will take you to T3 where you will first clear security, and then you will emerge into the main post-security shopping/restaurants area.

 

You don't need to worry about being distracted before you get to security at T3. You won't see any shops or restaurants before you get there, along any of these routes. Basically, you have no alternative but to go to T3 and clear security first, before you can do anything else.

Wow! Thanks for the detailed information. I am going to save this for reference.

Sue