LHR Terminal 5 passageways - a pictorial guide for arriving passengers
Overview
This thread is for passengers arriving at T5B or T5C and interested in taking the passageway to T5A, the main building. Step by step instructions are in the next post. There is a separate thread for departing passengers, to be found here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...assengers.html
LHR Terminal 5 has 3 buildings, the main terminal often known as T5A plus 2 two smaller terminal buildings which are generally known as T5B and T5C. Arriving passengers can find themselves at any terminal building, or indeed on a remote stand off the terminal. Domestic passengers normally arrive at T5A, if not they will get a bus transfer to their dedicated arrival area. Remote stand passengers are bus transfer to the UK Border and Flight Connections in T5A. Longhaul typically arrives at T5B or T5C but this is by no means guaranteed.
There are flight connection centres in each building (see the Dashboard for more information), and a Galleries Club lounge in T5B, but for exit, the main lounges and many onward connections you need to leave via T5A. If you use the Flight Connections in T5B or T5C then you becoming a departing passenger, and therefore the thread above applies. Also note: if you arrive in T5B and you are connecting to T1, 2, 3 or 4 with any airline, and you don't have to collect your luggage, then there is a direct bus pick up from Level 0 of T5B. This is better than going to T5A, again details in the Dashboard, you don't need an onwards boarding pass for this.
The usual way to get between these building is with the transit, a tram like people carrier. This runs at regular intervals from T5C to T5B and then on to T5A for the UK Border and Flight Connections. But there is an alternative, known as the Transit Walkway. To avoid confusion with the transit process, it is referred to here as the passageway.
There are 2 parallel sets of passageways that sit below the transit level, which allows passenger to travel on foot between T5A, T5B and T5C.
The northern passageway is allocated for arriving passengers - which is the focus of this thread. There is a separate southern passageway for departing passengers.
Why use the passageway?
- It's good exercise.
- It's a quiet and cool place to collect your thoughts away from crowds of people.
- You get to meet The Queen.
- It's generally quicker from T5B than the transit.
- You can hedge your bets: if you are on the transit platform and there appears to be delays / too many people, you can get to the passageway directly down some steps on the platform.
- The transits occasionally have long gaps between services, particularly in the morning. Walking takes more or less the same time, every time.
- Though there is a lot of detail here, it isn't complicated and is clearly signed.
Arguments for not using the passageways
- If you have luggage you may find the distance uncomfortable, particularly from T5C.
- The transits can be quicker.
- The enclosed spaces and eeriness may be offputting or even scary to some people, perhaps children too.
- It was never designed to be the main way of getting between buildings, it's not as user friendly as the transits
- There are moving walkways which cover about two thirds of the distance but they can sometimes go out of service.
Timings
I have done a number of timed tests on this
From T5B to the UK Border, using the lifts.
- From T5B by transit - minimum = 4 minutes, maximum = 18 minutes, reasonable average = 9 minutes.
- From T5B by passageway = 5mins.
From T5C to the UK Border
- From T5C by transit - minimum = 6 minutes, maximum 22 minutes, reasonable average = 12 minutes.
- From T5C by passageway = 8 minutes.
"Staff Only"
The lifts in theory offer direct access from the T5B and T5C hallways to the passageways, but the relevant floor is marked "staff only" and when pressed, the button will light up briefly and then will extinguish itself. However you can use the passageways easily and with confidence via the platform entrance, which can also be reached via the lifts.