London airport: how to get to the city center?

In this article, I present London airports and easy access to the city center.

Here you'll find

• A presentation of London's airports and their specific features
• How to get downtown from the airport
• How to get there
• Practical information: prices, opening hours, reservations
• And much more!

If you're looking for information about London airports, you'll love this article.

Follow the guide!

Aeroport Londres : article summary

Driving from the airport to the city center

Are you flying into London like 90% of travellers?

Read on...

Because most travellers make the mistake of taking a cab on arrival.

Or even worse.

They make the mistake of taking public transport.

My recommended solution?

What are London's airports?

London is a huge city with a huge number of travellers, and to transport all these people, it has the following facilities 6 airports !

If you're visiting London by planeWhen you arrive at one of them, your first concern will be to get to the center as quickly as possible, so you can drop off your luggage at your hotel or accommodation.

These 6 airportsranked by importance, are as follows:

• The airport of London Heathrow (LHR). It is located in the west, 26 km from London.
• The airport of London Gatwick (LGW). It is located 45 km south of London.
• London Stansted (STN). It is 63 km to the northwest of the city.
• London Luton (LTN), 55 km north of London.
• The airport of London City (LCY), 14 km from the center.
• The airport of London Southend65 km east of London.

There is a 7^e (Blackbushe (BBS)), more than 60 km from London, which is of little interest to travellers.

So how do you get to central London once you've landed? How to get around the most practical from every airport? Which are the fastest?

I'll take you through it all so you can enjoy a smooth arrival!

From Heathrow airport

Heathrow airport is UK's largest airport. It is also the 2nd^e airports in Europe (behind Paris-Charles de Gaulles) and the 7th^e in the world.

A truly international hub, served by 80 airlineswhich welcomes nearly 80 million of passengers. From this London airport, you can choose one of the following transport options.

The metro

Visit subway line dark blue Piccadilly has 3 stops within the airport, to the various terminals. A practical and economical way of getting to the city center quickly, with a journey time of approx. 45 minutes depending on your final destination.

You can either buy a single ticket or purchase an Oyster Card in advance, which you then simply have to beep for at the tube gates. The cost is between £3 and £6.

By Heathrow Express

This express train will take you directly to London's Paddington station in just a few minutes. 15 minutes. It's one of the easiest ways to get to the city center, but not the cheapest. Fares range from around £28/£40 (if you take a one-way or round-trip ticket).

To save time during your stay, the Heathrow Express is a very good choice.

 

With TFL Rail

Visit TFL (Transport For London) is London's official transport company. Trains run between Heathrow airport and Paddington station, with journeys taking about 30 to 50 minutes.

Tickets can be purchased at ticket machines, but you can also use the Oyster Card.

Via the National Express Bus

For those in a hurry (the journey takes 1h), there are shuttle buses connecting this airport with Victoria station in South London. These National Express buses leave every 30 minutes, and tickets cost 6£ for a one-way ticket and 11£ if you opt for a round trip.

With a private shuttle

Those who want simplify your life from the outset can also book a private shuttle. An ideal solution if you're in a group or have large luggage, as you'll be dropped off in front of your accommodation.

A driver will be waiting for you and will take care of the journey while making small talk. It's a great way to get into the swing of things right from the start of your London adventure. What's more, hiring a chauffeur-driven car isn't very expensive if there's more than one of you. share the cost !

From Gatwick airport

Gatwick airport is 2^e London airport and the 2^e the country. Every year, more than 45 million visitors and is served by some forty airlines, including low-cost carriers.

You could therefore land at Gatwick and take one of the following means of transport.

With the Gatwick express

This shuttle train covers the route in just 30 minutes to Victoria Station, for £19.90 one-way and £34.90 round-trip. Departures are every 30 minutes.

A solution simple and practical (but more expensive) to get you to the city center in no time!

By Train Thameslink

Gatwick has its own station, from which some trains depart. Visit Thameslink will take you to Saint Pancras and London Bridge. 30 to 45 minutesTickets start at £24.

Depending on the location of your hotel/accommodation, this can be a very convenient solution.

Southern train

From the same station, you can take the Southern train to Victoria station. Allow about 35 minutes to reach your destination, with tickets starting at £8.30

Via National Express buses

As with Heathrow, National Express buses serve both central London and Victoria station. From Gatwick, it costs £10 one-way and £16 round-trip, with journey times varying between between 1h and 1h30.

If you have the time, this is the solution. among the least expensiveThe metro is not available at Gatwick!

By private shuttle

If you're travelling in a group, chauffeur-driven car transfers are still the most practical solution, and not the most expensive, when compared with the high fares of trains and shuttles.

Fast, comfortable and perfect for no stressthe practical solution!

From Stansted airport

London's Stansted airport, further away, welcomes approximately 25 million passengers every year. It is served by some 30 airlines, including Ryanair and EasyJet. To reach the center, you have the following options.

By train Stansted Express

This train runs to Liverpool Street station and Tottenham Hale station in Approx. 50 minutes. Departures are regular (every 15 to 30 minutes) and cost an average of £23.40 one way and £33.20 round trip.

It's a quick, if rather expensive, way of getting to the city center.

With National Express buses

National Express buses to central London (Victoria station) in 1h30. A little longer than the train, but cheaperTickets are £12 (one-way) and £19 (round-trip). Expect departures every 30 minutes or so.

By private shuttle

Shuttle buses with private drivers are also available for the Stanted airport/London-centre route, for a smooth arrival. The driver picks you up, your luggage is put in the trunk and doesn't come out until you're back at the hotel. Convenient, and inexpensive if you share the cost between visitors.

From Luton airport

Luton airport handles an average of 18 million passengers/year but plans to increase its capacity over the next 20 years, to seriously compete with the Stanted plant. For the time being, it is the 4th^e airport London's largest and most important low-cost (Transavia, easyJet, Wizz Air, RyanAir, etc) have chosen it.

You can choose one of the following options to reach central London.

By train 

Luton airport has its own train station, which can be reached by free shuttle bus from the airport in around 10 minutes. The train connects the airport with King Cross Saint Pancras station. in 1hA ticket costs between £20 and £35, depending on the option (one-way or round-trip) and peak demand.

By National Express Bus

National Express buses link Luton to London's Victoria station in 1h15/1h30. Tickets cost £8.50 (one way) and £12.50 (return). An inexpensive and convenient solution, with departures every 30 minutes.

With a private shuttle

The private shuttle option is also available from Luton, and is highly advantageous for large numbers of travelers and/or those with heavy loads who don't want to bother with their luggage.

From London City Airport

This airport is close to downtown from London (just 14 km), but only a dozen or so airlines serve it. It's designed primarily for business travellers. If you're landing in London City, just take one of the following means of transport.

Le Métro

This airport has its own stop on the Dockland Light Railway (DLR), which operates like the conventional subway. It will take you to various stations in the city (Canning Town, Stratford or Bank), which allow you to fast connections.

You can buy tickets individually or use your Oyster Card to benefit from discounts. As with the metro as a whole, ticket prices vary according to your destination and the time of day.

By Bus

Bus routes 473 and 474 will take you to various major London stations (Stratford, Prince Regent, Canning Town, etc.) for just a few pounds and in just a few dozen minutes. Cheap and convenient!

Private transfer

The proximity of this airport means you can rent a chauffeur-driven carThis is a great choice, even if you're only 2, 3 or 5 people. If you don't want to drag your luggage around, or if you want to get to London as quickly as possible, this is a good choice.

From London Southern airport

Southern airport is the 6^e of the cityIt also serves to relieve congestion on other sites. In fact, several low-cost airlines have made it a viable option. It is, however, a long way from central London (65 km), which you can reach mainly by train.

The Train

You will arrive in 45/55 minutes to Liverpool Street or Stratford stations, from the airport station. Cost £15 per journey (not valid with Oyster Card), with less frequent departures than other airports.

What about Taxi/Uber from a London airport?

If transportation is quite expensive In London, from the airport or in the city center, cabs and Uber follow the same logic.

It is possible to make the journey from any of these airports, but please allow at least minimum 70 euros to do so. Depending on the distance, the number of people and your luggage, the bill can rise quite quickly.

To avoid unpleasant surprises, choose our private transfer service with its fixed price!

What are the best options for getting from the airport to the city center?

The choice of means of transport to reach central London will depend mainly on your arrival airport and the location of your home.

Think about it when you buy your tickets, if you have a choice of airport, and when you choose your accommodation in London.

Overall, trains are fast, practical solutionsBut they are quite expensive when you buy single tickets. However, by booking online, you can take advantage of reduced fares, which can be a good way to combine convenience and savings.

The bus has the price advantage, but the travel time is doubledand cabs can quickly become very expensive.

Last but not least, the private shuttle solution can be the most advantageous if there are several of you and you don't want to complicate things. The price is fixed, we wait for you on arrival and you don't get out of the vehicle until you've arrived at your destination!

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