My friend lands in terminal 3 at 9:20 am. I land in terminal 5 at 10:40 am. His plan is to wait for me at a restaurant in terminal 5. Will he go through customs before entering terminal 5 or after? I'm curious for timing purposes and whether we will go through customs together if he waits. Thank you!
Posted by
430 posts
Changing terminals at Heathrow can be a 6 hour affair. Just FYI
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
5495 posts
Your friend will go through Immigration and Customs on arrival in terminal 3. By the time he exits and gets to terminal 5 he won't have long to wait for you. He can meet up with you just outside the exit doors from the T5 Customs hall
Posted by
Land of La
9263 posts
Not sure why anyone would say 6 hours between terminals… yes, Heathrow terminals are not next to one another but 6 hours?
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7995 posts
Are you both taking the Heathrow Express into London? If so, would it be easier to each take that train separately, and meet up at the Paddington Station, where the Express drops off people?
Maybe you were counting on taking the train together, or going in by other means, but it would avoid terminal hopping.
Posted by
San Diego, California
5649 posts
I have been thru Heathrow several times, without problems, so not sure why the six hours?
I'm confused- are you then flying together on another flight, or are you going into London?
Safe travels!
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11948 posts
Based on another of OP's posts, London looks to be the destination
Posted by
Freedonia
16413 posts
There are no restaurants outside customs at T5 but there is a Costa Coffee between the exit for customs and the entrance to the choice of trains into London.
Posted by
20 posts
It recently took me 110 minutes from the time the fasten seatbelts light was turned off on my VS flight at T3 to the time I got through security at T5. That included immigration (e-gate), collecting my bag, Heathrow Express between terminals (I just missed a train, so I could have been 15 minutes earlier), and the security line in T5.
Posted by
Portsmouth
5554 posts
At Terminal 5 the following places to eat are all before security:
Caffe Nero, Costa Coffe, Kanishka Kitchen and The Globe.
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5466 posts
It isn't something that is publicised but it is possible to do customs and immigration at a different terminal from the one you arrived at by using the airside transfer if you only have carry-ons.
As regards transfers at Heathrow it rarely if ever is better to do this landside even on an international - domestic one.
Posted by
OP
Nashville
60 posts
This is very helpful information! Thank you all for your replies.
Posted by
DFW TX, USA
457 posts
Say Hi to Lumpe, Wally and the Beav for me.