Using the underground walkway at Heathrow Terminal 5

The walkway is parallel to the tram tracks. You can take a steep escalator down to both.

Thank you for confirming the fact I can use escalators down to the walkway

There is at least one movement where escalators are not available which is from T5B down to the departure transit walkway level (stairs or lift only). Fortunately this is a route that you would be less likely to want to do.

Hi Frank II sorry to be a pain but have you actually used the walkway getting down there by escalator and back up the other end via escalator. I have read that the escalator only goes down to the transit level and then you have to take the lift down to the walkway level ? This may be old information I am reading ?

Hi there,
We actually used the tunnel walkway this past spring. It is sign posted, well lit, quiet & so much nicer than being pushed & shoved on the trams. There are moving walkways that can whisk you along faster but we preferred to walk which was wonderful after a 9 hr flight. There are escalators but we used the lifts, which were not busy, to get to that level.

You do need to be mindful & listen for the few vehicles that transport people through the tunnel. I recall we encountered maybe 2 of those. They have a beep similar to the sound a truck makes when backing up. The walkway to more than wide enough for walkers & these vehicles so you'll not be smooshed against the wall.

Hope this is helpful.

Thanks Diane

I've never taken the walkway. Always the tram.

It’s been several years since we had a layover long enough to use the transit tunnel, but we like to do it when ever we can after a long flight - it’s never been crowded. There are a couple of YouTube videos that take you through the walkway if that would give you a better idea of what you’d be doing. On our flight this past spring, the signage for it looked much more obvious.

We used the walkway passage last year. It’s quite long, and some of the conveyor walkways weren’t running, which made it even longer. As I recall, the surface was hard concrete, and it’s not completely level - I think there were some slightly uphill (and maybe downhill) stretches. It wasn’t charming, but we eventually reached its end. The walkway was not exactly pleasant, but neither is the mob waiting for the shuttle tram, or the pushing and shoving getting on and off. Choose your ordeal, then look forward to flying onward.