The quickest way from Heathrow to the O2 Arena is the Elizabeth line to Bond Street, then the Jubilee line direct to North Greenwich, taking around 53 to 55 minutes and costing roughly £13 to £20 depending on time of day. A taxi covers the same 24 mile route in about 44 minutes for a fixed price of around £65 upwards, which is worth considering if you are cutting it close before doors open.
Heathrow to the O2 Arena: options compared
| Option | Cost | Journey time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth line + Jubilee line | Roughly £13 to £20 | 53 to 55 minutes | One change at Bond Street, arrives North Greenwich station |
| Bus + Underground | From around £3 to £8 per leg | 1h 7m or longer | Cheapest but slower, more changes |
| Taxi or private transfer | From around £65 | About 44 minutes | Fixed price, door to door, useful before a show |
Where the O2 Arena actually is
The O2 sits on the Greenwich Peninsula at Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX, inside the enormous dome originally built as the Millennium Dome. It is a different destination from Greenwich town centre, where the Cutty Sark and Royal Observatory are, even though both share the Greenwich name. The O2's own station is North Greenwich, on the Jubilee line, not the DLR station used for Greenwich town, so make sure you are following directions to North Greenwich specifically rather than to Greenwich or Cutty Sark. Useful for drivers: the O2 sits inside the M25 but outside London's Congestion Charge zone, so there is no congestion charge to budget for, though the Ultra Low Emission Zone does still apply.
Getting there by Underground
From any Heathrow terminal, the Elizabeth line runs directly into central London, and changing onto the Jubilee line at Bond Street takes you straight to North Greenwich, right at the O2's front door, without a further change. The whole journey typically takes 53 to 55 minutes and costs somewhere in the region of £13 to £20 on a contactless card, depending on when you travel. This is the route most people heading to a show should use, since it avoids the extra change onto the DLR that a trip to Greenwich town centre would need.
If you would rather stick to the classic Underground network throughout, the Piccadilly line also connects Heathrow to central London, from where you can pick up the Jubilee line at stations such as Green Park. This tends to work out a little slower than the Elizabeth line route but uses the same North Greenwich stop for the final leg.
Getting there by bus
A bus-based journey is the cheapest option on paper, with a Metroline bus running from Heathrow Central Bus Station towards central London for just a few pounds, but the overall journey by bus and connecting Underground legs typically takes well over an hour and involves more changes than the Elizabeth line route. Unless you are on a tight budget or have plenty of time before doors open, this is not the recommended option for getting to a show on time.
Getting there by taxi
A taxi or pre-booked private transfer takes around 44 minutes via the M4 and A406, and fixed-price quotes from private operators for a standard saloon car start at roughly £65, rising for larger vehicles or executive cars. This is worth the extra cost if you are landing close to doors opening, travelling as a group where the fare splits several ways, or simply want a guaranteed, direct journey without navigating an unfamiliar Underground network with luggage in tow.
Getting home after a show
The O2 hosts events for up to 20,000 people, so North Greenwich station gets very busy in the twenty minutes or so after a show ends, with queues to enter the platforms common on big nights. If your event finishes late on a Friday or Saturday, the Jubilee line runs as part of London's Night Tube network, operating through the night on those two nights specifically, alongside the Central, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria and Windrush lines, which is useful if you are trying to get back to a hotel near Heathrow or central London well after normal Underground closing time. On any other night of the week, the Underground stops running in the small hours as usual, so check the last train back towards Heathrow before you commit to staying for a late finish, and have a taxi app or the O2's own taxi rank as a backup.
Planning your journey
Because North Greenwich and Greenwich town centre are easily confused but served by different stations, double check that your journey planner or ticket is routing you to North Greenwich if the O2 is your destination. Building in extra time for the crowds at both the start and end of a big event is worth doing regardless of which option you choose, particularly if you are travelling straight from Heathrow with luggage and need to make a flight the same day.