The ultimate guide on how to get to central London from London Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and City Airport. Here are the fastest and cheapest ways to get to central London: tube connections, shuttles, trains, buses and taxis.
How to get to London: connections with the airports of London Heathrow, Stansted, Luton, Gatwick and City Airport
London has 5 airports located more or less close to its city centre. Apart from the City Airport which is located within the city limits, near the Docklands, the other London airports are located outside the city .
The time required to reach central London from the various airports varies greatly depending on the means of transport used. But the prices also vary a lot.
Given the vast choice of connections between London airports and the city center , it can be difficult to figure out which is the most convenient and economical way to reach central London .
Below is a guide on how to get to central London from Heathrow, Stansted, Luton, Gatwick and City Airport airports .
LONDON CONNECTIONS: How to get from Heathrow airport to the city center of London
Heathrow airport is one of the largest airports in the world and has 5 terminals, from which many international flights depart every day!
Although Heathrow Airport is located quite a distance from central London , it boasts an excellent transport network and each terminal has its own tube station.
Given the enormous extension, Heathrow airport offers a free bus (n°555) which connects the various terminals of the airport . Alternatively, the Heathrow Connect connects the various terminals with Paddington station.
Heathrow Express: Train from Heathrow Airport to central London
The fastest way to reach central London from Heathrow Airport is the "Heathrow Express" , a fast train that connects all airport terminals with Paddington train station in just 15 minutes. The train leaves every 15 minutes and a single ticket costs £27 (£25 if purchased online and £22 if traveling at off-peak times). Buy Heathrow Express tickets online and skip the queues .
Train timetables from Paddington Station to Heathrow Airport .
Heathrow Airport to Paddington Station Train Timetable .
Reach central London by tube from Heathrow Airport
If the Heathrow Express is the fastest way to get to central London, the cheapest way is definitely the tube .
The Piccadilly Line connects Heathrow Airport with central London in around 50 minutes and costs around £6 one way (without the Oyster Card ). You can buy the ticket directly at the subway entrance.
Buses and shuttles from Heathrow airport to central London
Another cheap way to get to central London from Heathrow Airport is by bus.
National Express coaches , for example, connect the airport night and day with the main coach station, Victoria Coach Station , near the homonymous underground station. There is a departure every 20 minutes and the journey time is approximately 40-50 minutes depending on traffic. We suggest you buy tickets online (prices around £6) to ensure you get a seat on the coach.
Alternatively, you can take the 285 bus from Heathrow bus station to Feltham station in around 25 minutes, and then take the South West Train to London Waterloo. The total cost of the trip is around £8. It is possible to buy the bus ticket directly on board, while you can buy the train ticket at the station or online.
Taxi from Heathrow Airport to Central London
The taxi is, on the other hand, a very expensive means and not always the fastest way to reach central London , especially due to traffic. Here you will find the "Black Cabs" , the typical London black taxis, which will cost you from 50 to 70 pounds and an hour's journey to reach central London from Heathrow airport .
LONDON CONNECTIONS: How to get from Gatwick airport to the city center of London
Located 45 kilometers south of London, Gatwick Airport is the city's second most important airport.
This is the preferred stopover for the airline Easyjet , as well as planes from British Airways and Thompson Airlines .
Even though Gatwick Airport is some distance from the centre, there are fast connections to central London .
Gatwick Express: train from Gatwick airport to central London
The Gatwick Express is a fast train that connects Gatwick Airport with central London , in particular with the central train station, Victoria Station . Gatwick Express trains depart every 30 minutes and take you to the heart of the city in just 15 minutes.
A single ticket costs £19.90 (£17.80 if you buy it online ) and is in operation from 5.00 to 24.00 for the journey from Victoria Station to Gatwick airport, and from 5.50 to 00.30 for the journey airport of Gatwick in central London .
Alternatively you can take the Southern Railways , which leave every 5 minutes and connect Gatwick Airport to Clapham Junction station in 25 minutes and Victoria Station in 40 minutes.
Easybus: shuttle bus from Gatwick airport to central London
The cheapest way to reach central London from Gatwick Airport is the EasyBus shuttle operated by the EasyJet airline. The journey takes an hour and tickets cost around £8.
Click here to buy EasyBus tickets online.
Taxi from Gatwick airport to central London
There is also a taxi option to reach central London from the airport, but it is very expensive. In fact, the ride costs around 90 pounds and the journey takes about an hour and a quarter.
LONDON CONNECTIONS: How to get from Stansted Airport to London city centre
Located in the county of Essex north east of London, Stansted Airport is a favorite for the many low-cost airlines that fly into London , particularly Ryanair .
Despite its steadily growing air traffic over the last few years, Stansted Airport is smaller than Heathrow and Gatwick airports and has only one terminal, so it's much easier and quicker to get around.
Shuttles and buses from Stansted Airport to central London
The cheapest way to reach London from Stansted airport are certainly the shuttle services operated by EasyBus and National Express , which take you from the airport to Victoria Station in one and a half to two hours, depending on the time and traffic.
National Express buses have a frequency of one departure every 20-30 minutes and the price for a single ticket is about 5 pounds. The service is active 24 hours a day and it is allowed to bring two bags of 20kg each on board plus one hand bag.
The National Express shuttles also have two other alternative routes that connect Stansted airport with Liverpool Street (journey time: 1 hour and 15 minutes) and Stratford (approximately 50 minutes). Buy tickets online here
Stansted airport is also connected to central London by the Terravision , which has shuttles to Victoria, Liverpool Street and King's Cross stations. The travel time here is also around 120 minutes, with a frequency of 30 minutes and the ticket price is 10 pounds (8 pounds for the journey from Stansted to King's Cross). These shuttles offer free Wi-Fi on board.
Buy tickets online for the Terravision bus.
Stansted Express: Train from Stansted Airport to central London
Again, the fastest way to reach central London from Stansted Airport is the fast train "Stansted Express" .
The ticket costs 19 pounds and allows you to reach Liverpool Street in just 45 minutes. The Stansted Express operates from 4.00am to 11.30pm and trains depart every 15 minutes. Buy your Stansted Express ticket online to avoid queues and not waste time.
Taxi from Stansted Airport to Central London
The choice of taxi obviously remains the most expensive, given the distance of Stansted airport from central London . The journey takes about an hour for a price of 100 pounds.
LONDON CONNECTIONS: How to get from Luton airport to central London
Located in the county of Bedfordshire north of London, Luton Airport is more or less the same distance that separates central London from Stansted Airport. This airport, the smallest of the four airports located outside the city of London, is dominated by the presence of low-cost airlines Easyjet and Ryanair.
bus from Luton airport to central London
National Express coaches connect Luton airport with central London and in particular with Victoria Station, in one hour and twenty minutes. The service operates 24 hours a day and buses leave every 30 minutes. The price for a single ticket is 9 pounds.
Trains from Luton Airport to Central London
There is also a train linking Luton Airport to central London. Trains depart from Luton Airport Parkway Station, connected to the airport by a free shuttle service that takes you to the station in just 5 minutes.
From here you can take the train to King's Cross station, the journey takes 40 minutes. Trains leave every 15 minutes and are active 24 hours a day from Monday to Saturday, while on Sundays from 6.00. A single ticket costs £18 for adults and £9 for children: buy your ticket online !
Information on train timetables and stops from Luton airport to central London.
Taxi from Luton Airport to Central London
The price for a taxi from Luton Airport to central London is around £60 and the journey time is around an hour.
Links between London City Airport and London city centre
Opened in 1987, London City Airport is London's newest airport and is located within the city limits, near the Canary Wharf . This airport is mainly used by businessmen and for business travel due to its close proximity to central London and its financial district.
Only direct flights to Europe depart from here and the strong point of London City Airport is the very fast time for check-in, no more than 30 minutes.
Reach central London by tube from London City Airport
London City Airport is connected to central London by the Docklands Light Railway , the light rail line that leads to Bank underground station: from this station you can access the underground and move throughout London. Map of the DLR
Airport bus to London City Airport
From London City Airport the 473 bus departs and connects the airport with Stratford, Silvertown, North Woolwich and Prince Regent Station, while the 474 bus goes to Canning Town, North Woolwich and East Beckton.
Taxi from London City Airport to central London
London City Airport is just a few kilometers from central London and therefore a taxi can be a convenient choice to reach your destination directly in a short time and at reasonable prices. A taxi from London City Airport costs around £20-30 and takes up to 30 minutes.