Car Parking

Traffic congestion is such a potential problem at Heathrow that the strictest measures are taken to ensure drivers comply with the necessary parking regulations. If you drive to the airport simply to drop off or collect a passenger, then drive directly to the required Terminal where you may stop briefly to load or offload. The golden rule which cannot be overstated is do not leave your car unattended, even for a few seconds. No pleas, ifs, buts or excuses will alter the inevitable result of leaving your vehicle in front of a Terminal, which is impoundment by the Police, loads of hassle and a release fee in excess of £100.00.

The parking facilities are divided broadly into three categories - short stay, business parking and long stay - but long stay is the cheapest option after only two hours.

Short Stay

The short stay car parks are easy to drive around, well-lit and secure. Their proximity to the Terminals is reflected in the price which is £1.00 per 30 minutes for the first two hours, and £2.00 per hour or part thereof up to 12 hours. The 24 hour rate is £30.00. A ticket is issued at the entry barrier and must be retained for later payment at machines which are located on the pedestrian routes from the Terminals. When the ticket is inserted in the machine, the amount due is displayed and may be paid in cash or by credit card. Lost tickets are charged at the full daily rate.

Business Parking

The Business Car Parks are all situated on the perimeter of the airport, and all use a shuttle bus system to take customers to and from the Terminals. Although open-air, the car parks are well fenced and security is of a high standard. The shuttle bus journey should take only five or ten minutes to the Terminals, but early morning and early evening connections can take considerably longer. APCOA recently opened a new Business Car Park specifically for passengers using Terminals 2 and 3, retaining their original site for Terminal 1 passengers only. The three principal Business Car Parks charge around £14.00 per day up to three days, with some divergence thereafter. If you know how many days' parking you require, it is well worth phoning the Business Car Parks to get their particular rate - the service provided is pretty much equal.

Long Stay

In the curious world of commercial car parks you will find the cheapest parking after two hours is offered by the Long Stay Car Parks, and the cheapest long stay rate is offered by the Business Car Parks. The NCP Flightpath rate of £8.20 per day is very good up to a period of about ten days when it becomes cheaper to use one of the Business Car Parks whose rates top out at the two week point. Pink Elephant have a maximum fee of £96.60 for up to four weeks, and Sky Park Services' daily rate of £5.00 peaks at £70 for up to three weeks. It certainly pays to shop around for parking at Heathrow.