⏱From train station to gate at LHR T5?

Getting the train from Bristol and flying domestic to inverness, only me, with a carryon. Flight is at 7:30pm~ish if that makes a difference.

You're going from Bristol to LHR to get to Inverness?

^ my thought exactly, we go up for work from Bristol.

Option 1: Train to Reading, bus to Heathrow.
Option 2: Train to Paddington, change to Elizabeth Line to get to Heathrow.

For a domestic flight I'd aim to be at the airport 90 minutes before scheduled departure. Train goes into Terminal 5, you walk out, get in a lift, and you're on the departures level. Go through North security and the gate will be 5 minutes away.

The train is 11 hours and subject to strikes, and Avanti West Coast aren't selling tickets anyway at the moment.

It took me about 90 minutes to clear just security in t5 a week or so ago. At 17.00 ish, on a t5 - t5 transfer in business.

It took me about 90 minutes to clear just security in t5 a week or so ago. At 17.00 ish, on a t5 – t5 transfer in business.

No help to the OP, but it's often quicker to enter the UK and go landside and then head back out through security, particularly if you're entitled to fast track (which tends to work better in departures than it does in transit).

@intheborders @neila annoyingly Easyjet have reduced their flights from BRI-INV from this month to less than daily until spring, and I want to get home on Tuesday or Wednesday ideally. For the sake of 2.5 hours and £30 for the train it seems like a not bad solution to go from Heathrow instead. BA flights look cheap as well.

@flaperon, to be clear, I don't want to get the train from Bristol to Inverness this time around 🙂 Train from Bristol to LHR, then fly LHR to INV. Thank you and @dangeourbrain for the T5 intel!

Thank you and @dangeourbrain for the T5 intel!

Transit security and departure security times/delays are not necessarily the same thing. It's possible that at any point in time the queues could be 90 mins for transit and almost non-existent for departure security. Or vice-versa.

(In theory there shouldn't be such a big discrepancy because they should reallocate staff, but one is not an indicator of the other. Transit security can be quite chaotic because of the way arriving passengers are funnelled up an escalator....)

It is worth considering the National Express bus from Bristol to Heathrow.

Direct and regular from the city centre to T5.

Transit security and departure security times/delays are not necessarily the same thing. It’s possible that at any point in time the queues could be 90 mins for transit and almost non-existent for departure security. Or vice-versa.

Also just because at 17.00 it was crap doesn't mean I wouldn't have breezed through at 16.30.

My only real advice would be go early and have an extra beer or two if you're through quickly.

My only real advice would be go early and have an extra beer or two if you’re through quickly.

I think this is what it boils down to. Flaperon has given you a reasonable benchmark. If everything is running normally then 90 mins should be fine. From the platform at T5 to the departures area in the main terminal (after security) it can be done in 10-15 mins with a fair wind and short queues. Even with a bit of queuing it should take you less than 30-45 mins.

At the opposite end, there's a thing at T5 called "conformance" - you have to scan your boarding pass (on the way into the security area) at minimum of 35 mins before your flight departure time, otherwise you'll be refused access on the basis that you're "too late". If there are security delays/problems, you may have to queue to get to the conformance check. If you hit conformance there's no guarantee you'll make your flight, but it's the first hurdle you have to cross!

So, if you arrive at 90 mins before your flight, you've got 55 mins to get from the station platform to departures to the conformance check. In >90% (probably >95% or >99%) of cases that should be more than enough time.

The time that you actually plan to arrive then comes down to your appetite for risk, both at the aiport and with the train... and how stressed you get if things go awry.

Thanks everyone, as usual STW is the font of all knowledge + extra opinions!

Have a meeting in Bristol till 3, I could probably duck out 15 mins early without raising eyebrows but looks like ideally I get a 2:30pm train or coach for a better buffer which won’t work.

I’ll just have to cope with another night in England instead 😉

Train to Reading then RailAir bus to T5. Elizabeth Line requires a change at Reading, then ride to West Drayton and a change back out to LHR (nothing direct from Reading I am afraid). Heathrow Express from Paddington is also possible.

Bus from Bristol to LHR is a good call, may be the cheapest option and may be faster than the double rail change. We've used it to send Son1 back to Bristol since we are local to LHR. T5 Bus station is as close as the railway station to check-in.

I've used the NEx coach a few times and it reliable. Usually quickest to get off at T2/3 and use the free Underground (contactless card at barrier) to get to T5 (15 minutes) and straight up to departures in the lifts (5 mins). But your meeting in Bristol and reduced timetable in the week means there isn't a suitable coach for you. Getting the 15.30 train via Reading + Hayes & Harlington on the Elizabeth Line will be quickest (quicker than the RailAir coach for your time of day) and get you to T5 comfortably for a domestic flight with hand luggage.

Amazing thanks @konagirl! Gonna go for it, 3pm train with 3:30 as a back up 😅