N9 night busorElizabeth line?

The short answer

For one traveler the N9 night bus is cheaper by £12.85. That does not change up to 8 travelers.

The Elizabeth line is quicker: 40 min against 1 h 22. The N9 night bus varies between 79 and 89 minutes.

N9 night bus: 23:43–04:45. Elizabeth line: 05:21–00:12.

Priced against each other

Whole-party totals · adult fares

What each costs for the whole party, in GBP. The cheaper of the two is marked on every row.
Travelers	N9 night bus	Elizabeth line	Difference
1	£1.75	£14.60	£12.85
2	£3.50	£29.20	£25.70
3	£5.25	£43.80	£38.55
4	£7	£58.40	£51.40
5	£8.75	£73	£64.25
6	£10.50	£87.60	£77.10
7	£12.25	£102.20	£89.95
8	£14	£116.80	£102.80

Side by side

Where each one leaves you

N9 · Transport for LondonN9 night bus

From: Terminal 5 and Heathrow Central Bus Station
To: Green Park in 79 minutes, Piccadilly Circus in 82, Charing Cross in 86
Luggage: A London bus. There is a luggage rack by the door and no guarantee of space on a full one.
Runs: 23:43–04:45
Journey: 79–89 min

It only exists at night. Between 04:45 and 23:43 there is no N9, and this is the only option here that runs in the small hours at all.

It is slow: 82 minutes to Piccadilly Circus against the Express's 15 to Paddington. You are trading an hour for £24.25.

It runs every night of the week, unlike the Night Tube, which runs on Friday and Saturday nights only.

N9 night bus: price for every party size

Check the N9 route and times with TfL

Elizabeth · Transport for LondonElizabeth line

From: Rail stations at Terminals 2 & 3, Terminal 4 and Terminal 5
To: Paddington, continuing through Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and Liverpool Street
Luggage: Racks at the ends of the carriages; the trains are built for it.
Runs: 05:21–00:12
Journey: 40–45 min

It is the weakest value of the three on time alone: 2.5 times the Underground fare to save about ten minutes. It is also the option the airport promotes hardest.

The airport quotes this journey at "£13.90" on its own page. TfL, which sets the fare, charges £14.60 to Paddington and £15.50 beyond.

The airport states the journey as "under 40 minutes" on one page and "under 45 minutes" on another.

Elizabeth line: price for every party size

Check the fare with TfL

This compares two of 19 options. See all of them ranked for your party size

N9 night busorElizabeth line?

Priced against each other

Side by side

The other comparisons at Heathrow