London Heathrow Airport

If you are traveling via the London Heathrow Airport, the first step on your journey is getting to the airport. You can get to the London Heathrow Airport by car, bus, train, or coach. If you are driving yourself to the airport, you will first need to know which terminal you need. There are five terminals at this airport, and getting to each one is slightly different.

The airport is 15 miles to the west of central London and can be accessed by M4 and M25. Terminals 1, 2, and 3 are next to one another, and they are accessible via junction 4 off of M4 or junction 15 off of M25. Once you have taken the exit, you simply have to follow the signs to the terminal you need. Terminal 4 has its own entrance at the southern edge of the airport that is accessible through junction 4b off of M4 followed by junction 14 off of M25. Terminal 5 is on Western Perimeter Road, accessible through junction 4b off of M4 and junction 14 off of M25.

There are several different local bus lines, coaches, and railways that can take you to the airport. Not only is this the best way to manage your time, but it is also healthier for the environment. You can call the airport or visit the airport's website to see which public transportation option is the best for you. If you are visiting London and are staying in a hotel, your hotel's staff can help you find public transportation to the airport. You can also book a taxi to get you to the airport. While this may be a more expensive option, taxi drivers in London know how to get you to the airport quickly, and you will not have to worry about what time the bus or train leaves.

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If you are flying into the London Heathrow Airport, you will want to follow the signs either to the baggage reclaim section or your connecting flight. If you are an international traveler and need to exchange your currency, you can visit the bureaux de change in the Arrivals Hall. You can also shop or grab a bit to eat in the Arrivals Hall. If you are ready to enter England for the first time from outside of the European Union, you will have to go through Customs. In Customs you will have to declare any goods that you have brought into the country from travel outside of the country. Have your passport and ticket information available for inspection. If you are traveling within the EU you will have a modified Customs channel that you have to go through. Non-international passengers can head straight towards the baggage claim.

Once you are through Customs, you will get your luggage. If you need to rent a car, you will need to go to the Car Hire section of the Arrivals Hall. The London Heathrow Airport has several major car hire companies, including Hertz, Avis, Europcar, National, Alamo, enterprise, Budget, and Guy Salmon. If you are meeting someone at the airport, you will want to go to the meeting section of the terminal where you are arriving. This area has a flight status information screen to help those who are waiting for travelers to know when the flight should be landing. Those waiting for travelers must park at the short stay car park, which does cost a few pounds.

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If you are a departing passenger, you will want to give yourself plenty of time after you arrive at the airport before your plane leaves so that you can check in. The lines can be quite long at the check in counter, particularly if you are traveling internationally. The London Heathrow Airport recommends that you arrive at least three hours early for international flights. European flights require you to arrive two hours early, and flights within the UK and Ireland only need one hour.

Make sure all of your luggage is ready to check before you come to the check in counter. Also, have your passport ready for inspection. Be sure that anything that cannot be carried on board the plan is stashed in your checked luggage. Then, check if your airline has a self-service check in kiosk. These kiosks save you lots of time when checking in. You will need your credit card to use this service. Some airlines also allow you to check in on the Internet before you head to the airport. These services will save you time and help you to be sure that you will make it on time to your departing flight. Once you have checked in, you will want to head straight for the security control station. You will be able to find it by following the overhead signs.

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It is important that you cooperate with the Security Control personnel while at the London Heathrow Airport. The most important rules you will want to keep in mind are those connected to your carry on luggage. Each destination has different rules, but some of the strictest are those that govern travel between London and the United States.

If you are traveling from London to the United States, you are only allowed to take one bag with you on the airplane. All other bags must be checked. If you have a personal item, such as a purse, that you also want to carry on the airplane, it must fit inside your one handbag. All items that you carry on board the airplane will be sent through the x-ray machine. If you have a laptop, you will need to take it out of the bag and send it through the x-ray machine separately. Also, any liquids you take on board the airplane, other than medications and baby formula, must be contained in a 100 ml container, and all of these containers must be placed into one 20 cm by 20 cm zip top bag. The personnel will screen this bag separately. You may not take any weapons or sharp items in your carry on bag.

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At the London Heathrow Airport, there are several services you will find in nearly all of the terminals. For the business traveler, the London Heathrow Airport provides wireless Internet through several local providers, including T-Mobile, BT Openzone, Surf and Sip, and The Cloud Networks. If you have an account with one of these providers, all you have to do is turn on your computer or PDA and log on. There are also T-Mobile and BT Openzone stations throughout the terminals that allow you to plug in your computer if your battery is getting low.

Business travelers can also visit the business lounges scattered throughout the various terminals. These lounges are equipped with phones, Internet, and fax machines. Some are also equipped with computers and printers. This is the perfect place to make the most of your layover when traveling for business. If you have several people traveling in for a meeting, you can save time by booking a meeting room at the London Heathrow Airport to host your meeting in. The London Heathrow Airport also offers special business car parks for business travelers to use.

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For those traveling with children, the airport also has several services geared towards families. All terminals at the London Heathrow Airport are equipped with baby changing facilities in the restrooms. These are marked with a baby changing symbol. The airport will give all children free coloring and activity packs at the information desks in the departure areas of each terminal. These help the kids stay occupied while you wait for your flight. Terminal 3 has the Jetterz Kids Club, a supervised play area for children from ages five to fourteen. There is a cost for the use of this facility. Terminal 4 has the KLM Holideck Lounge, another family play area. The other three terminals do not have play areas, but they do have family-friendly restaurants and stores that sell the essentials your children will need while traveling.

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Once you are through security and have located your gate, you might want to take advantage of some of the many shops in the London Heathrow Airport. Anything you purchase after passing security can be carried on board the plane. Also, if you are traveling internationally, the items you purchase in the airport are considered duty free.

You can find just about any type of shop inside the airport. If you are shopping for beauty and perfume products to help you freshen up when you get to your destination, consider Chanel, Boots, or Varsace. Do you need a last minute gift from your trip to London? Consider Glorious Britain or Mulberry. If you forgot to bring something to read with you, then you will want to head over to WHSmith, which carries plenty of books, magazines, and newspapers to keep the family entertained. The tax-free shops in the London Heathrow Airport include Dixons Tax Free and World Duty Free.

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While you are in the airport, you will likely need to get something to eat at some point. If you have some time, consider eating at one of the fine dining restaurants in the London Heathrow Airport. You might enjoy the Caviar House and Prunier Seafood Bar, Chez Gerard, Ponti's, or TGI Friday's.

Of course, sometimes you will be in a hurry when you are trying to catch your flight. The airport has many places where you can get a quick cup of coffee or bit to eat. Marks and Spencer Simply Food is one example. This market allows you to either put together your own meal or grab a quick pre-prepared meal on the go. EAT is a sandwich and coffee shop where you can get a tasty sandwich, bowl of soup, or cup of coffee. Caffe Italia is another option for a quick meal. Here you can get tasty Italian food quickly.

If you are traveling in the morning, you can grab some breakfast at Krispe Kreme. Bagel Street is another option for breakfast. TGI Friday's, EAT, Garfunkel's, Costa, and even the Caviar House all also serve breakfast. If you need your morning coffee, be sure to visit Starbucks!

Several of the restaurants in the London Heathrow Airport offer healthy eating options for the calorie conscious traveler. At Bagel Street, you can get a whole wheat or low fat bagel. EAT offers tasty, but healthy sandwiches. YO! Sushi and the Caviar House offer healthy seafood options. Even while traveling, you can still stick to your diet with the restaurants at the London Heathrow Airport.

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If you are flying into or out of the London Heathrow Airport and have special needs, you will be able to get assistance to make your visit to the airport as smooth as possible. Throughout the terminals, forecourts, and car parks, those with special needs can find Help Points, which are stations that have telephones that can be used to call for assistance. Induction loops are also available, allowing those with hearing disabilities the help they need. The airport also has wheel chairs that travelers can use, and airport employees are happy to assist those in wheelchairs to get around the airport. All of the airports and public transportation options at the London Heathrow Airport are handicapped-accessible.

One other feature that the London Heathrow Airport offers that is beneficial to those with special needs is the shopping assistance program. Through shopping assistance, any passenger, particularly one with special needs, can purchase items from the shops in the airport, but pick them up at their destination without needing to carry them on board the airplane. This makes traveling much simpler, particularly when you have a special need to consider.

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