London Airports Transportation Guide
Intro
London is a great hub for air transportation. Whether you come for business purposes, or leisure, if you are traveling to London, chances are you will land to one of these 5 airports we're covering in this guide.
Take a quick look at the transportation guides below to take the burden of setting your first foot into the capital, so that you can focus on the fun part of being in London!
Airports:
1. Heathrow Airport
2. Gatwick Airport
3. Luton Airport
4. Stansted Airport
5. London City Airport
Heathrow Airport (LHR)
The busiest of all London airports, Heathrow Airport boasts 5 terminal buildings, out of which 4 are in use. Luckily for passengers, each of these terminals is well connected to the transportation lines, whether it's rail or Tube. After you've survived the long passport check queues upon landing at this airport, let me take the stress of city transfer off your shoulders by offering you these options:
Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express is hands-down the fastest and most convenient way to access the city from Heathrow Airport (and back). Finished in Paddington, where you'll have transit access to multiple Tube lines. £15.00-£25.00
Budget-friendly alternative(s): London Tube
You can also use contactless payment for the tube, which costs the same as tapping in an Oyster card.
Piccadilly Line
main value: quick access to touristic places such as Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, Green Park(Buckingham Palace), Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Holborn, Kings Cross & St Pancras. costs £5.60 from the airport terminals to city centre.
Elizabeth Line
main value: quick access to Paddington, Bond Street, Totenham Court Road, Farringdon, City (Liverpool St)
Elizabeth line boasts being the newest and hippest line of the huge London tube network. If you wish to combine comfort
Gatwick Airport (LGW)
Gatwick Airport has 2 terminals: North and South. The train station that connects passengers to the city is located in the South terminal. However, fret not if your flight is to/from the North Terminal; there is a free shuttle train that connects the North Terminal to the South Terminal. Check which terminal your flight is landing at in order to save yourself from trying to find the train station in the North Terminal.
Gatwick Express
Provides access to London Victoria Train Station only. From there you have access to the London Tube lines: Victoria line, Circle line, District line.
(You get 10% discount if you book your tickets online.)
Costs £23 one-way and £45.80 return.
Thameslink
For a more budget-friendly option and access to a larger network of station connections, I'd recommend using ThamesLink trains to and from Gatwick Airport.
Costs £13.80 one-way and £25.70 return.
From Gatwick Airport, through ThamesLink trains, you'll have access to the following good transit hubs in London:
- London Bridge (30 mins): access to Jubilee Line, Northern Line, Overground
- Blackfriars (35 mins): access to District Line, Circle Line
- City Thameslink (38 mins): acces to River Thames :)
- Farringdon (40 mins): access to Hammersmith&City Line, Metropolitan Line, Circle Line, Elizabeth Line
- St Pancras (45 mins): access to Victoria Line, Piccadilly Line, Northern Line, Hammersmith & City Line, Metropolitan Line, Circle Line
Luton Airport (LTN)
Unfortunately, there is no train station in the Luton Airport building. However, there is a nearby train station called "Luton Airport Parkway" and it has a pretty easy access from the airport building with the DART shuttle bus. So, when you land in Luton Airport look for the DART station first, from where you can take two different kinds of trains: Luton Airport Express and ThamesLink.
Luton Airport Express
Luton Airport Express serves between Luton Airport Parkway and St Pancras International
ThamesLink
Luton Airport is akin to Gatwick's long-lost sister in terms of ThamesLink connection, as the trains between these two airports pass through the city.
That means you'll have access to the same main stations in the London Tube network, but arrivals time will vary.
Costs as low as £9 one-way and £17 return.
- St Pancras (28 mins): access to Victoria Line, Piccadilly Line, Northern Line, Hammersmith & City Line, Metropolitan Line, Circle Line
- Farringdon (38 mins): access to Hammersmith&City Line, Metropolitan Line, Circle Line, Elizabeth Line
- City Thameslink (40 mins): access to River Thames :)
- Blackfriars (42 mins): access to District Line, Circle Line
- London Bridge (48 mins): access to Jubilee Line,Northern Line, Overground
Stansted Airport (STN)
One of the newest airports in London, Stansted Airport only has a Stansted Express access to the city.
Stansted Express
This line takes you to 2 major transit hubs in Central London.
Tottenham Hale: (33 mins) access to Victoria Line
Liverpool Street: (47 min) access to Overground, Elizabeth Line, Central Line, Circle Line, Hammersmith & City Line, Metropolitan Line
London City Airport (LCY)
If you've landed at this airport, you'll have a very easy transfer to the city center as it's the most centrally located airport in the capital.
DLR
Short for Docklands Light Railway, DLR is a high-tech, autonomously driven rail line in London's transportation network. Renowned for providing connections to London's two major financial districts, DLR also stops at London City Airport. DLR boasts numerous lines within its network, allowing for convenient transfers. Depending on your destination, your journey from London City Airport will typically follow this route:
- Bank (21 mins) access to Central Line, Northern Line, Waterloo & City Line and the main Financial District
- Canary Wharf (15 mins) access to Jubilee Line and the second Financial District
- ExCel London (20 mins): Custom House station by changing at Canning Town to the DLR Beckton Line
- Stratford (15 mins): Olympic town of London and home to many other events
Aaaaand, that is it. Now that you know how to get to the city and back to your airport, feel free to head over to my London City Guides to have inspiration on your 1-day, 2-day, 3-day visits to London.
Bonus:
If you're seeking a wallet-friendly alternative, look no further than buses!
Buses provide a cost-effective transportation option compared to trains, especially if you're not constrained by time and looking to save a few bucks.
National Express offers an extensive bus network operating between the airports and various spots in the city.
Main National Express Bus Stops:
As a part of National Express journeys, you can disembark before your final destination (eg. Hammersmith on the way from Heathrow Airport to Victoria)
If you wish further clarification on the bus routes and figuring out the best way to get to any place in London, feel free to reach out to me on my profile for itinerary planning services. :)
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