Heathrow Hotel Hoppa, the airport hotel transfer bus

The Hotel Hoppa service links Heathrow Airport's main hotels and Heathrow passenger terminals

Heathrow hotel hoppa transfers

Unlike many international airports, Heathrow's hotels are not allowed to operate their own hotel shuttle vehicles. Instead fixed route "Hotel Hoppa" buses are operated, each route services two or three Heathrow hotels.

 

There are two sets of routes from each hotel. One services Terminals 2 and 3, the other Terminals 4 and 5. Some hotel Heathrow Hoppa buses do not serve all passenger terminals (see below).

Heathrow Hoppa buses operate every day during the hours that flights operate. Heathrow is closed to passenger flights between about midnight and 5am.

It is also possible to use alternative free local buses to many hotels - of course this somehow isn't brought to the attention of most travellers.

 

Heathrow Hotel Hoppa Bus

Hoppa Buses pick up from outside the arrivals hall of each of the passenger terminals.

 

The Hoppa Hotel Buses are well signed, just look up and the Hoppa Buses are signed together with the car parking and car hire shuttle buses, London Underground and Heathrow Express trains.

When you get to the bus bays check you are at the right stop, Hotel Hoppa buses normally depart from several bus bays for the different Hotel Hoppa bus routes.

 

Also remember that several chains have more than one hotel at Heathrow served by different Hotel Hoppa routes. These include Holiday Inn (5), Sheraton (2), Marriott (2), Travelodge (2), Hilton (5), Ibis (2), Crowne Plaza (2), and Premier Inn (4).

On the way back to the airport from the hotels remember there will be 2 different Hoppa Bus routes from most but not all hotels. One serves Terminal 4 and 5, the other serves 2 and 3. Some hotels do not serve all passenger terminals, so check.

Heathrow Hoppa Timetables

Hoppa Timetables

Heathrow Hoppa Bus timetables & hotels serviced

Hoppa Buses service most of the mainstream hotels around the perimeter of the airport. They do not visit small independent guest house type accommodation.

If you have a very early or late flight it's worth checking the last and first buses, frequency and operating hours vary from hotel to hotel. It will normally take you 45 to 75 minutes to get to the Hoppa Bus bus stop after your flight has landed.

Do study the timetables, some hotels do not have a service to all of Heathrow's passenger terminals.

 

Heathrow Hotel Hoppa luggage

Luggage racks are within the Hoppa Bus. You have to independently carry your luggage on board the bus and position them on the luggage racks which are by the door and driver.

 

Interior of Heathrow Hoppa from luggage bay at front of bus

Heathrow Hotel Hoppa Bus tickets

You can buy tickets from the drivers of the Hoppa buses (at a price premium) or from outlets at the airport or online.

At the airport the Central Bus Station ticket office between Terminals 2 and 3, the British Hotel reservation centre kiosks in Terminals 2 and 3 or the kiosks in the passenger terminals.

A two-tier pricing system operates. If you buy tickets from the driver you pay a small surcharge to that if you buy online.

If you pay the driver they will take cash in British pounds or you can use contactless payment (contactless payment has a limit of £45). The ticket machines take major debit/credit cards as well as British cash. Online, using the Hoppa Bus website (link above) major credit cards and debit cards are taken and you get an e-ticket e-mailed to you instantly.

You can buy advance tickets for the Hoppa Bus service from their website (banner link below).

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Free local public buses to hotels

U3 Local Heathrow Airport bus

A curious policy is being operated by the owner of Heathrow Airport. The Official Hoppa Bus charges to each hotel. At the same time the airport subsidises all public buses so that any journey from the terminals to anywhere on the perimeter roads is completely free.

In many cases these buses stop right outside the hotel entrance. Buses are free as long as you get off/on the buses on the perimeter roads of the airport where many hotels are.

All of these buses go onto local towns like Hounslow, Slough and Feltham. Although not free they are a cheap way of finding entertainment and places to eat at local prices. Many of the buses run a 24/7 schedule and all run from early morning until late evening.

Heathrow Local Buses details

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Indicative Heathrow hotel room rates - average guide prices only
Hotel & link to detail page	Midweek	Weekend
Hotels walkable to terminals
Premier Inn Terminal 4 ~+#	£39	£39
Holiday Inn Express Terminal 4 +#	£58	£58
Crown Plaza Terminal 4 +#	£94	£76
Hilton Terminal 4 +#	£149	£94
Sofitel Terminal 5 +#	£160	£104
Hilton Garden Inn Terminal 2	£124	£115
Aerotel T3 London Heathrow ~	£164	£164
Heathrow Airport budget / 3-star hotels
Travelodge Terminal 5 +#	£28	£24
Heathrow Lodge ~+#	£36	£34
Premier Inn (Bath Road) +#	£34	£32
Premier Inn (M4/J4) +#	£32	£30
Travelodge Central +#	£30	£24
Ibis Heathrow +#	£40	£36
Premier Inn (Terminal 5) +#	£60	£60
easyHotel Heathrow +#	£29	£27
Moxy London Heathrow Airport ~	£55	£55
Mercure Hotel ~+#	£42	£42
Holiday Inn Express Terminal 5 +#	£44	£37
Ibis Styles Heathrow +#	£58	£50
Heathrow Airport 4 & 5-star full service hotels
Thistle Terminal 5 +#	£52	£47
Radisson Hotel & Conference Centre London Heathrow +#	£80	£59
Holiday Inn Heathrow Ariel ~	£53	£35
4-Star Mystery Hotel +#	£42	£42
Holiday Inn (M4) Heathrow +#	£64	£48
Holiday Inn Terminal 5	£63	£55
Leonardo Hotel +	£68	£50
Sheraton Heathrow	£85	£68
Novotel Heathrow M4 +#	£61	£66
Marriott Windsor +#	£109	£60
Hyatt Place Heathrow	£76	£59
Renaissance Heathrow	£87	£66
Crowne Plaza M4 +#	£70	£57
Sheraton Skyline +#	£117	£72
Hilton Terminal 5 +#	£140	£85
Radisson Blu Edwardian +#	£112	£85
Hilton Garden Inn Heathrow +	£68	£60
DoubleTree By Hilton +#	£73	£58
Novotel Heathrow T1, T2, T3 +#	£110	£97
Marriott Heathrow +#	£195	£96
Heathrow serviced apartments & studio apartments
Stay City Apartments +#	£81	£71
Bed & Breakfast with airport public transport links
Apple Guest House ~+	£61	£57
Skylark Guest House ~+#	£56	£50
London Plus Heathrow ~+#	£59	£59
Lampton Guest House ~+#	£75	£75
Langley Guest House	£55	£49
Firs Lodge ~+#	£59	£59
Cottage Guest House ~+#	£80	£80
Airport Guest House ~	£54	£54
Oakwood Bed & Breakfast ~+#	£41	£40
~ Single Rooms     + Triple Rooms      # Quad Rooms

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