West Drayton is two and a half miles from Heathrow, about six minutes via the M4. It also has a station on the Elizabeth line with a direct service to the airport, which makes it one of the very few places where the train genuinely competes with a car — for some journeys. For others it is quietly useless. This page is honest about which is which.
It also sets out the measured journey, what decides the price of a booked car, and the drop-off charge that belongs to the airport rather than to us.
| Measure | West Drayton to Heathrow |
|---|---|
| Road distance | 2.5 miles |
| Free-flowing drive time | about 6 minutes |
| Usual route | M4 |
| Rail | West Drayton station, Elizabeth line, direct to the airport |
| Terminals | all four; the central terminals are the natural approach |
Both are real options here, which is unusual. Where each one wins:
The general version of that reasoning, across every length of journey, is in our guide to what actually decides a taxi price.
West Drayton is in the London Borough of Hillingdon, so private hire work here sits under Transport for London. Our drivers and vehicles are licensed by TfL among seven authorities, alongside Epsom and Ewell, Reigate and Banstead, Mole Valley, Elmbridge, Guildford and Waverley, and the operator licence is held as Epsom & Ewell Cars T/A Clocktower Cars.
We are a private hire operator, which means every journey is pre-booked through the office — we cannot be flagged down and we do not work ranks. It also means the price is agreed before the car moves, because the office sees the whole journey first. A meter cannot do that.
Nights, very early mornings, Sundays and bank holidays cost more to staff. On a two and a half mile run, that is the biggest factor in the figure.
Four adults with four hold bags and four cabin bags will not fit a saloon. An estate carries four with real boot space; six and eight-seaters carry groups. Golf clubs, ski bags, a pushchair, a bike in a box, a dog crate — declare them, because each changes the car.
On an arrival the pickup is set against the actual landing time, 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; so are Terminal 5 and Terminal 3.
Child seats, step-free access, a wheelchair, a pet travelling. All cheaper designed in — see our accessible taxi page.
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, and we tell you when it applies. Source: Heathrow Airport — drop-off charge. Blue Badge holders can claim a full discount even when they are not driving, registered against the registration of the car bringing them.
No card terminals in the cars, so bring cash if you have not paid in advance. The pricing and payment methods page has the detail.
Two and a half miles by road, about six minutes via the M4 in free-flowing conditions. In the peaks the slip roads and the Stockley Road junction carry the airport’s own traffic, so allow longer.
We quote each journey rather than publish a figure. On a six-minute run the hour of the day, the terminal and the vehicle your luggage needs decide the price far more than the mileage. Call 01372 747 747 with the flight and the bag count.
For one person with a cabin bag in daylight, the train is often the sensible choice — West Drayton has a direct Elizabeth line service to the airport. It stops being sensible with hold luggage, with more than one passenger, with a child, or for a check-in before the first trains run. A booked car is door to door at any hour with the price fixed in advance.
Yes, and that is when most of this work happens. The pickup is set against your check-in time rather than the six-minute drive, so the margin is built in rather than hoped for.
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 rather than the scheduled one, with a free grace period after landing for immigration and baggage reclaim.
Yes. For five to eight people one larger vehicle is usually cheaper than two cars and always simpler at the terminal. Give us the passenger count and the bag count separately.
Our cars do not carry card terminals. Pay by card when you book, by phone or online, or in cash to the driver. Business accounts are invoiced monthly with your own references on each line.
Call 01372 747 747 with the flight, the terminal and the bag count, or use the online booking form. Nearby pages: Harmondsworth, Hayes and Iver. The wider picture is on our Heathrow taxi page.
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