Preparing for Your COVID-19 Test
ExpressTest offers the following testing products, click on test you need below to find out more:
This is to be used if you are NOT travelling but need a test
Booking Your Test
ExpressTest offers gold standard COVID-19 PCR testing across the UK. Please see our ‘book a test’ pages for latest locations.
Book your slot at your preferred facility and pay online. You will be sent a confirmation email with a QR code.
Arriving For Your Test
Bring with you:
- Photo ID for all people 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 at our drive through facilities, and be directed to the swabbing area for your allocated slot
Please note the vehicle height restriction is 2.4m
Our Testing Process
Each customer will then be safely swabbed by one of our clinically trained sample takers 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
ExpressTest offers gold standard COVID-19 PCR testing across the UK. Please see our ‘book a test’ pages for latest locations.
Book your slot at your preferred facility and pay online. You will be sent a confirmation email with a QR code.
Arriving For Your Test
Bring with you:
- Passports for all people 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 at our drive through facilities, and be directed to the swabbing area for your allocated slot
Please note the vehicle height restriction is 2.4m
Our Testing Process
Each customer will then be safely swabbed by one of our clinically trained sample takers 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 Antigen Lateral Flow Test is required
Booking Your Test
ExpressTest offers Antigen Lateral Flow testing at various centres across the UK. Please see our ‘book a test’ pages for latest locations.
Book your slot at your preferred facility and pay online. You will be sent a confirmation email with a QR code.
Arriving For Your Test
Bring with you:
- Passports for all people 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 at our drive through facilities, and be directed to the swabbing area for your allocated slot
Please note the vehicle height restriction is 2.4m
Our Testing Process
Each customer will then be safely swabbed by one of our clinically trained sample takers in full PPE
Swabbing involves taking a sample from the nasal passage
This service is for customers arriving into England that require the Government-mandated Day 2 & Day 8 arrivals tests.
Booking Your Test
Arrivals testing is required for all passengers arriving into England unless you are exempt. It you are arriving from a Red List country, then you are not eligible for our service, and must use the UK Government's 'managed quarantine' service.
For more information please read the Government guidelines.
Book your slot at your preferred facility and pay online. To make a booking click here.
You will receive the confirmation emails at different times, these will contain a different QR Code for each test.
You will receive the email confirmation for the first test within 30mins of booking. For subsequent tests, your booking confirmation and QR code will be sent to you after you have received you negative result form the previous test.
Arriving For Your Test
Bring with you:
- Passport for all people 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 at our drive through facilities, and be directed to the swabbing area for your allocated slot
Please note the vehicle height restriction is 2.4m
Our Testing Process
Each customer will then be safely swabbed by one of our clinically trained sample takers 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 to be used if you are arriving in England and are able to reduce your quarantine time
You are able to book this as a package of Tests, together with Arrivals Day 2 & 8 Tests.
Booking Your Test
Test to release is designed to allow you to reduce quarantine period after travel and is available at our London Gatwick and Heathrow Airport facilities.
It must be used in accordance with government guidelines.
Book your slot at your preferred facility and pay online. You will be sent a confirmation email with a QR code.
Arriving For Your Test
Bring with you:
- Passport for all people 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 at our drive through facilities, and be directed to the swabbing area for your allocated slot
Please note the vehicle height restriction is 2.4m
Our Testing Process
Each customer will then be safely swabbed by one of our clinically trained sample takers 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
Home testing kits are coming soon
Ordering Your Test Kit
If you have COVID-19 symptoms, or it’s too far to travel to a testing station, then order a ExpressTest Rapid home testing kit.
Buy a home test kit online and it will be delivered to you, we aim to do this by 10pm the following day.
Taking The Test
The home testing kit will contain clinical swabs and secure storage containers with labels and detailed instructions on how to take the sample.
Swabbing involves taking a sample from both the back of the throat and the nasal passage.
Posting The Test To Us
Once the sample has been taken, follow the enclosed instructions and place the used swab in the container provided.
Then post back to the Cignpost laboratory, using the supplied pre-paid envelope, via a Priority Royal Mail post box (there are thousands across the UK).
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, click here to read our dedicated FAQ's page.
Book online via our 'Book a Test' page. You can choose your preferred testing centre, time and also pay online.
You will then be sent a Booking Confirmation email containing your Booking Reference (a number beginning CPT or SCPT) and a QR code attached. This could take up to 30 minutes to receive after you’ve made your booking. We suggest you also check your spam/junk folder for the email, as some email providers may place it there.
You must bring the QR code with you when you arrive for your test. Please also bring your valid Passport, National ID or Travel Document if you have booked 'PCR Fit to Fly' Test or 'PCR Test to Release' Test.
Can I book over the phone?
Bookings can only be made via our website and not by phone. Our website currently shows all our available slots and you will not gain access to additional slots by calling our customer care centre.
If you need more than one product
You should make separate bookings. e.g. if you want a PCR Fit to Fly Test for departure and also an arrivals package for your return, you should make two separate bookings.
Note: not all products are available at every site due to different laboratory processes.
Maximum Group Size
You can book for up to 5 people in one booking. If your group is larger than this you will need to make 2 or more bookings and arrive in 2 or more vehicles.
Don't forget to bring all of your QR codes to the appointments.
ExpressTest is a COVID-19 screening service providing fast, accurate and reliable RT - PCR screening across the UK.
No - if you have any COVID-19 symptoms, we advise you to contact the NHS by calling 111.
For a full list of COVID-19 symptoms, please read here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/#symptoms
We currently have testing centres at Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham and Edinburgh, as well as regional testing centres across the country - please see our 'Testing centres' page to find the test centre nearest to you.
The Heathrow drive-through facility will be moving on June 16th to the T4 Long Stay Car Park which is located close to Terminal 4 on the southern perimeter road between the Beacon Road roundabout and Terminal 4. Site address is Scylla Road, Heathrow Airport, Southern Perimeter Road, Hounslow TW6 3XL. The site can easily be found by following the signs to the ExpressTest facility or to the T4 Long Stay car park.
Walk-ins and drive-throughs
Please note that some centres are 'Drive-through', some are 'Walk-in' and some are both of these. Please check the test centre accommodates the method of transport you intend to use.
Individual Tests*
PCR Test only - from £59
PCR Fit to Fly - from £59
PCR Test to Release - from £69
Lateral Flow - from £35
Green Arrivals Test - from £99 (England Only)
Packages* (England Only)
Amber Arrivals Test Package - from £189
Amber Arrivals Test Package including Test to Release - from £249
*prices vary by location and some test centres may be higher.
All PCR Tests
Please note that we aim to deliver your PCR test results by 10pm the day AFTER your test day, however, in some cases these could take up to 48 hours, especially if your sample needs to be re-tested.
Lateral flow tests
We aim to deliver your Lateral Flow results in 30mins from your sample being taken, but please allow sufficient time especially if the test is required to check-in for your flight.
