Old Windsor is eight and eight tenths of a mile from Heathrow, about fifteen minutes via the M4. That makes it the longest of the Heathrow village runs and the one most exposed to a single stretch of motorway — which is the thing worth planning around rather than the mileage.
This page gives the measured journey, explains what the M4 does to the timing, sets out what decides the price of a booked car, and covers the drop-off charge that belongs to the airport rather than to us.
| Measure | Old Windsor to Heathrow |
|---|---|
| Road distance | 8.8 miles |
| Free-flowing drive time | about 15 minutes |
| Usual route | M4 |
| Terminals | all four; Terminal 5 is the nearest approach from the west |
Fifteen minutes is a motorway figure, and motorway figures are the least reliable kind. The M4 between Windsor and the airport carries commuter traffic in both peaks and is frequently subject to overnight closures and roadworks. When it is moving, this is a quick run. When it is not, the alternative through Datchet and the Colnbrook side roads is slower in free-flowing conditions and faster when the motorway has stopped — which is a judgement a local driver makes before setting off rather than from the back of a queue.
Approaching from the west, Terminal 5 is the natural arrival and the central terminals mean carrying on round. Tell us the terminal at the booking stage; from this side it changes the route rather than just the door.
Clocktower Cars is a licensed private hire operator rather than a hackney carriage firm, so every journey is booked in advance through the office. We cannot be flagged down and we do not work ranks. Because the office sees the whole journey before the car moves, the price is agreed up front — which on a motorway run is worth more than any headline rate, because a meter keeps earning while you sit in traffic and an agreed price does not.
Our operator licence is held as Epsom & Ewell Cars T/A Clocktower Cars, with drivers and vehicles licensed across Epsom and Ewell, Reigate and Banstead, Mole Valley, Elmbridge, Guildford, Waverley and Transport for London.
Nights, very early mornings, Sundays and public holidays cost more to staff, and most airport work from Old Windsor happens before six.
Four adults with four hold bags and four cabin bags do not fit in a saloon. An estate takes four with real boot space; six and eight-seaters take groups. Golf clubs, ski bags, a pushchair, a dog crate — all need declaring, because each changes the car that is sent.
On an arrival the pickup is set against the actual landing time rather than the scheduled one, with a free grace period after landing for immigration and reclaim. Waiting beyond it is chargeable.
Kerbside and meet-and-greet inside the terminal are different bookings, as are Terminal 5 and Terminal 3.
Child seats, step-free access, a wheelchair, a pet travelling, an extra pickup on the way. Designed in at the booking stage rather than improvised — our accessible taxi page covers the ramped vehicles.
Heathrow charges £7 for each entry into a terminal drop-off zone, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, at Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5, and re-entering triggers it again. It is the airport’s charge rather than a taxi firm’s. Source: Heathrow Airport — drop-off charge. Blue Badge holders can claim a full discount even when not driving, registered against the registration of the car bringing them.
Our cars carry no card terminals, so bring cash if you have not paid in advance. The pricing and payment methods page has the detail.
Eight and eight tenths of a mile by road, about fifteen minutes via the M4 in free-flowing conditions. It is the longest of the Heathrow-village runs but still a short airport journey by any normal standard, and the motorway does most of the work.
It depends on the hour, the terminal, the vehicle your luggage needs and whether waiting or flight tracking is involved, so we quote each journey rather than publish a figure that would date. Call 01372 747 747 and you will have the price before you book.
Yes. Early-morning departures are the bulk of this work. The pickup is set against your check-in time rather than the fifteen-minute drive, so the margin for the M4 and the drop-off zone is built in.
Yes. Local work around Old Windsor, Windsor, Datchet and Egham is booked and priced the same way as an airport run. Everything is pre-booked through the office; we do not take flag-downs or rank work.
Heathrow charges £7 for each entry into a terminal drop-off zone, every day of the year, and re-entering charges again. That is the airport’s charge rather than ours. Blue Badge holders can claim a full discount, registered against the vehicle registration, even when they are not driving.
Yes. The pickup is set against the actual landing time, not the scheduled one, with a free grace period after landing for immigration and baggage reclaim.
Yes. For five to eight passengers one larger vehicle is usually cheaper than two cars and always simpler at the terminal. Tell us the passenger count and the bag count separately and we will confirm what fits.
Our cars do not carry card terminals. Pay by card when you book, by phone or online, or in cash to the driver at the end of the journey. Accounts are invoiced monthly.
Call 01372 747 747 with the flight, the terminal and the bag count, or send it through the online booking form. Nearby pages: Wraysbury, Staines and Iver. The wider picture is on our Heathrow taxi page.
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