Preparing for Your COVID-19 Test
You must book to be tested at ExpressTest. Please choose from these products to find out more:
This is to be used if you are NOT travelling but need a test
This test cannot be used as a Fit to Fly Test
Booking Your Test
Booking is essential to get tested at ExpressTest. We offer gold standard COVID-19 PCR testing at these UK locations.
Book your slot at your preferred Testing Centre and pay online. You will be sent a confirmation email with a QR code, which you must bring to your appointment.
Arriving For Your Test
You may be asked to wear a mask until the moment that you are being swabbed. Our team will tell you when to remove your mask and put it on again afterwards.
Please bring with you:
- Photo ID for everyone being tested
- Confirmation email with QR code for each person being tested
You will be greeted by a member of the ExpressTest Team, who will check your documentation.
You will remain in your car/taxi at our Drive Throughs, or will be directed to the swabbing area at our Walk Throughs.
Our Drive Through vehicle height restriction is 2.4m
Our Testing Process
Please make sure that you do not eat or drink anything for 30 minutes before your swab is taken. This is to reduce the risk of tainting the swab (therefore not producing a result).
Children under 16 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Each customer will be safely swabbed by one of our clinically trained swabbing practitioners in full PPE.
Swabbing involves taking a sample from both the back of the throat and the nasal passage.
Your swab sample is then safely stored and labelled, ready to be sent to an ExpressTest laboratory.
This is for travelling FROM the UK, where a PCR test is required
Booking Your Test
Booking is essential to get tested at ExpressTest. We offer gold standard COVID-19 PCR testing at these UK locations.
Book your slot at your preferred Testing Centre and pay online. You will be sent a confirmation email with a QR code, which you must bring to your appointment.
Please allow enough time before your travel check-in to receive your results and show them to transport staff. We recommend booking 2 days before you need your Fit to Fly certificate (i.e. book Monday for Wednesday departures).
We offer the following PCR Fit to Fly test products:
- 4 hour PCR Fit to Fly - results within 4 hours of your sample being taken
- Same Day PCR Fit to Fly - results by midnight the same day
- PCR Fit to Fly - our standard PCR Fit to Fly product, results by 10pm the day after your test
Arriving For Your Test
You may be asked to wear a mask until the moment that you are being swabbed. Our team will tell you when to remove your mask and put it on again afterwards.
Please bring with you:
- Photo ID for everyone being tested
- Confirmation email with QR code for each person being tested
You will be greeted by a member of the ExpressTest Team, who will check your documentation.
You will remain in your car/taxi at our Drive Throughs, or will be directed to the swabbing area at our Walk Throughs.
Our Drive Through vehicle height restriction is 2.4m
Our Testing Process
Please make sure that you do not eat or drink anything for 30 minutes before your swab is taken. This is to reduce the risk of tainting the swab (therefore not producing a result).
Children under 16 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Each customer will be safely swabbed by one of our clinically trained swabbing practitioners in full PPE.
Swabbing involves taking a sample from both the back of the throat and the nasal passage.
Your swab sample is then safely stored and labelled, ready to be sent to an ExpressTest laboratory.
This is for travelling FROM the UK, where a LAMP test is required
Booking Your Test
ExpressTest offers LAMP testing at Heathrow Terminal 2 and Terminal 5 Arrivals; and Terminal 3. Please see our ‘book a test’ pages for latest locations.
Book your slot at your preferred Testing Centre and pay online. You will be sent a confirmation email with a QR code.
We advise booking your test no less than 4 hours before any travel plans you may have (eg Flight Check-In).
Arriving For Your Test
You may be asked to wear a mask until the moment that you are being swabbed. Our team will tell you when to remove your mask and put it on again afterwards.
Bring with you:
- Passports for everyone being tested
- Confirmation email with QR code for each person being tested
You will be greeted by a member of the ExpressTest Team, who will check your documentation
Please do not eat or drink anything acidic (fruit juice or sweets) in the 30mins before your test.
Our Testing Process
Please make sure that you do not eat or drink anything for 30 minutes before your swab is taken. This is to reduce the risk of tainting the swab (therefore not producing a result).
Children under 16 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Each customer will be safely swabbed by one of our clinically trained swabbing practitioners in full PPE.
Swabbing involves taking a sample from the nasal passage.
Your swab sample is then safely stored and labelled, ready to be sent to the laboratory for testing.
This is for travelling FROM the UK, where a Antigen Lateral Flow Test is required
Booking Your Test
Booking is essential to get tested at ExpressTest. We offer Antigen Lateral Flow testing at a number of our test centres across the UK.
Book your slot at your preferred testing centre and pay online. You will be sent a confirmation email with a QR code, which you must bring to your appointment.
We advise booking your test no less than an hour before any travel plans you may have (eg Flight Check-In).
Arriving For Your Test
You may be asked to wear a mask until the moment that you are being swabbed. Our team will tell you when to remove your mask and put it on again afterwards.
Please bring with you:
- Photo ID for everyone being tested
- Confirmation email with QR code for each person being tested
You will be greeted by a member of the ExpressTest Team, who will check your documentation.
You will be directed to the swabbing area at our Walk Throughs and Park to Test. There are dedicated parking areas for coaches, minibuses and taxis at our Heathrow Park to Test centre.
Our Testing Process
Please make sure that you do not eat or drink anything for 30 minutes before your swab is taken. This is to reduce the risk of tainting the swab (therefore not producing a result).
Children under 16 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Each customer will be safely swabbed by one of our clinically trained swabbing practitioners in full PPE.
Swabbing involves taking a sample from both nasal passages.
Please visit our dedicated Antigen Lateral Flow Kit pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you have any queries about ExpressTest, here are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive about our services. Alternatively, for a more extensive list of answers, read our dedicated FAQs page.
