Heathrow Express Premier+ costs from £32 for a single ticket, £6 more than Standard Class, and includes free Fast Track security, which costs £12.99 per person if bought on its own. You also get a bigger seat, a fold-out table and guaranteed luggage space. For most solo travellers on a budget, Standard Class covers the same 15-minute non-stop run to Paddington and is the better deal; Premier+ earns its price mainly for business travellers who want a workspace, families or groups who value the extra room, or anyone who would buy Fast Track security anyway. Checked 2026.
What is Heathrow Express Premier+?
Premier+ is the new name for what Heathrow Express used to call Business First. The service itself has not changed much: it is still the front carriage of the same 15-minute non-stop train between Heathrow Central (serving Terminals 2 and 3) and London Paddington, with a stop at Terminal 5 on trains that run that branch. What has changed is the branding and, more usefully, what is bundled into the fare.
A Premier+ single starts at £32, compared with £26 for a Standard walk-up single. That £6 difference buys a materially different experience, not just a nicer seat.
Premier+ vs Standard: price and what you get
| Standard Class | Premier+ Class | |
|---|---|---|
| Single (walk-up) | £26.00 | £32.00 |
| Same-day return | £30.00 | £36.00 |
| Return | £42.00 | £46.00 |
| Advance single (30+ days ahead) | from £10.00 | not available |
| Carnet of 6 singles | £125.00 | £160.00 |
| Free Fast Track security | No | Yes (Heathrow-bound only) |
| Seating | Standard seats | Larger seats, more legroom, table |
| Complimentary Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Children 15 and under | Free with fare-paying adult | Free with fare-paying adult |
These are the current fares published by Heathrow Express. One detail worth knowing: the advance discounted singles from £10 only apply to Standard Class. There is no equivalent early-booking discount for Premier+, so the £32 to £46 range is close to what you will pay whenever you book.
Is the free Fast Track security worth £32 alone?
This is the calculation that decides whether Premier+ makes sense for you. Fast Track Departures at Heathrow, bought on its own through the airport's official booking page, costs from £12.99 per person and gets you through a dedicated security lane rather than the general queue. It only applies in the direction of Heathrow, on the outbound journey towards your flight.
If you were already planning to buy Fast Track security separately, upgrading your Heathrow Express ticket to Premier+ effectively gets you the faster train seat and the security fast-track together for a smaller combined outlay than paying for both separately. If you never use Fast Track and are not fussed about a slightly bigger seat, the £6 premium buys you very little beyond legroom and a table, and Standard Class is the more sensible choice.
When Premier+ pays for itself
Business travellers who need to work on the way to the airport. The table and extra space are genuinely useful if you want to finish a document, take a call, or review notes before a flight, and the guaranteed Fast Track security means you are not gambling on a long queue eating into that prep time.
Families or small groups with a lot of luggage. Premier+ carriages have more dedicated luggage space, and since children aged 15 and under already travel free on both classes, a family upgrading two adult tickets pays a modest premium for noticeably more room and a fast-tracked route through security for the whole party.
Anyone connecting onward from Paddington to a mainline train. If you are catching a Great Western Railway service to Bristol, Bath, Cardiff or Oxford straight after landing, the non-stop 15-minute Heathrow Express run already saves time over the Elizabeth line's multi-stop route; Premier+ adds a calmer, less rushed start to that connection.
When Standard Class is the smarter choice
If you are travelling light, on a budget, or simply want the fastest way into central London without extra frills, Standard Class gets you to Paddington in the same 15 minutes as Premier+, on the same train. Booking at least 30 days ahead brings the Standard fare down to as little as £10, which is cheaper than even the lowest Elizabeth line fare and far below the £32 Premier+ starting price. For a full comparison of the Express against the cheaper Elizabeth line option, see our guide to Heathrow Express vs Elizabeth Line.
It is also worth noting that Premier+ does not include lounge access. If what you actually want is somewhere comfortable to sit with a shower and food before your flight, that is a separate purchase; our guide to Heathrow's pay-per-visit lounges by terminal covers current prices and which ones offer the best value.
How to book Premier+
Premier+ tickets can be bought online or through the Heathrow Express app in advance, or on the day at ticket machines and ticket offices at Paddington or the Heathrow stations. Since there is no advance discount for this class, booking early saves you nothing on the fare itself, though it does guarantee you a seat on your preferred departure. For the full range of routes between the airport and central London, including taxis and the Underground, see our Heathrow public transport guide.
Heathrow Airport Guide is an independent guide and is not affiliated with Heathrow Airport or Heathrow Express. Fares and inclusions should be confirmed directly with Heathrow Express before you travel, as they can change.