There are three main ways of reaching Bournemouth from London Heathrow (LHR) and other main airports in England: bus (coach), train and taxi.
Bus (coach)
The National Express operates a regular schedule from LHR (and other main airports) and goes directly to Bournemouth (station) in approximately 2 hours (depending on time of the day). The cost for one way is approximately £20, but depends on time and how far in advance tickets are booked.
There is a central coach station at Heathrow, which you may need to go to first, depending on which terminal you arrive at (e.g., for 2 and 3). However, this is something you can access by foot, with segments that have moving walkways (travelators).
For details and booking, go to: https://www.nationalexpress.com/
Train (rail)
It’s possible to travel by train from most airports to Bournemouth. When planning your journey, consider how many times you would need to change train, how much luggage you’ll have and how much it costs. It is often more expensive to travel by train than coach.
From London Heathrow, you need to first travel to central London, specifically to Waterloo Station. The tube (underground train service) is a convenient option, taking the Piccadilly Line to Green Park, and change there to the Jubilee Line (Eastbound) to Waterloo. This may take a bit over 1 hour, and the train from Waterloo to Bournemouth then typically a bit less than 2 hours.
All-in-all, the train option from LHR tends to take a bit of extra time, but gives a bit more comfort, at a higher price.
Information and booking online: https://www.southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey
Taxi
If you would like to arrange a taxi transfer from the airport to Bournemouth, it is important that you do this before you travel. If you don’t have an advance booking it will be a lot more expensive.
BU has a good relationship with two local airport taxi companies – Travel Link and Bournemouth Airport Transfers. Please contact them directly and keep in mind that they are more likely to be able to help you if you book at least two weeks in advance of your travel date.
Alternatively, if you look on the website for your airport (e.g. Heathrow, Gatwick etc.) you will find information about reputable taxi companies which you can contact to arrange your travel.
Note for families with children: It is law in the UK that all children must travel with a suitable car seat. Therefore, if you plan to bring children with you it is important that you tell the taxi company the age of your child when booking so that they can ensure that they have the correct car seat in the vehicle.
