Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 tube station

Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 tube station sits beneath the airport’s bus station in the London Borough of Hillingdon. The Piccadilly line’s Heathrow branch stops here between Terminal 5 and Hatton Cross. Until 2016 it also served Terminal 1, which has since closed. The station opened in 1977 as Heathrow Central, replacing an earlier Hounslow branch terminus. British Transport Police keep a presence at the site. Six escalators link the ticket hall, a mezzanine and the platforms. The station’s history reflects Heathrow’s growth and the need for better public transport. In the 1960s Parliament approved an extension of the Piccadilly line to the airport. Construction began in 1971 under Sir Desmond Plummer and cost £12.3 million for the 5.6-kilometre route. The line reached Hatton Cross in 1975 as a temporary end. Artist Tom Eckersley’s enamel mural of Concorde adorns the platform, updated during 2012 renovations. Visitors find a busy interchange with step-free lifts to the platforms. A double crossover east of the station lets trains switch between platforms for the last service of the day. The ticket hall leads directly to the bus station above, offering local and long-distance coaches. Signs still show the old name Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 despite the 2016 change. The station remains the only Piccadilly line stop with a visible crossover from the platform.