London is a dream for many people. It’s a wonderful city full of attractions where you definitely won’t be bored. But, before you can unravel the delights of England’s capital city, you need to make plans for getting to London first. Here are your four main transport options.
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Getting to London by plane
London is the largest European air service hub with five airports for the city: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and City Airport. Being so well connected, if you’re travelling from overseas, flying is often the best and the cheapest option. The airports are all located a distance away from the city centre, but transport links into central London are well organized and efficient. Here’s everything you need to know about London’s airports to choose the right one for your next holiday:
London Heathrow Airport
Located on the western edge of London, 24 km from the city center, Heathrow is Europe’s largest, busiest, and one of its most popular airports. It is serviced by major airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, and Emirates, which operate flights from its five terminals, all connected by a free airport train.
To get to the city centre, you can catch one of three trains:Â
- the Piccadilly line, which costs £5.60 (it takes about an hour to reach King’s Cross, as it is a regular subway with many stops);Â
- the Elizabeth line, which costs £13.30 (it gets you to the city a bit faster with fewer stops, including Paddington Station);Â
- the Heathrow Express, which costs £25 and goes directly to Paddington Station.Â
For Piccadilly line and Elizabeth line you can just tap your debet/credit card but for Heathrow Express you need to buy a ticketÂ
You can also pre book your car on Kiwi Taxi, GetTransfer or HolidayTaxis
London Gatwick Airport
London Gatwick is London’s second busiest international airport, situated 40 km south of the city center. The airport features two passenger terminals – North and South.
Upon arrival at either terminal, you can hop on the Gatwick Express train to Victoria Station. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes and costs £16.90 for a one-way ticket.
Alternatively, you can catch one of the Southern, Thameslink, or Great Western Railway trains to the city center for £9.50.Â
You can also pre book your car on Kiwi Taxi, GetTransfer  or HolidayTaxis
If you prefer to travel by road, you can take the National Express Shuttle to Victoria or the EasyBus, which, if booked early enough, can cost as little as £2.
London Luton Airport
This international airport is located 50 km north of central London, just outside Luton. It is predominantly served by budget airlines, making it an excellent option for finding cheap flights.
Getting to central London from Luton has become much easier thanks to the Luton DART (Direct Air-Rail Transit), which connects the airport with a nearby train station. From there, you can take a direct train to King’s Cross for around £23, or less if you pre-book your ticket in advance.Â
Other options include taking a National Express or Green Line bus, or a taxi
London Stansted Airport
Located about 50 km northeast of London, Stansted Airport has just one terminal. Despite this, it is still one of the busiest airports in London and operates budget airlines, including Ryanair, Jet2, Wizz Air, and more.
The fastest way to get from Stansted Airport to central London (Liverpool Street Station) is by taking the Stansted Express. It takes 48 minutes and costs £23 one-way.
You can also take the Airport Bus Express or the National Express bus.
London City Airport
Located near Canary Wharf, this small airport primarily attracts business travelers due to its strategic location in the London Docklands. Just 10 km from the city center, it offers convenient access via trains, taxis, and buses.
Getting to London by train
You can reach London by train from several European cities. If you book early, you can travel to London St Pancras International from Paris or Brussels for as little as £25. Even better, the journey takes just 2-3 hours!
While it’s also possible to find affordable train tickets from cities like Berlin and Barcelona, these trips involve multiple transfers and can be quite time-consuming.
If you’re traveling to London from other parts of the UK, it’s essential to book your train tickets well in advance, as prices can be quite high.
Getting to London by car
The UK is an island, so driving to London from any European city requires one of two options: taking the ferry or using the Eurotunnel.
To drive through the Eurotunnel, you need to purchase a ticket. The journey takes 30 minutes, allowing you to remain in your car while it travels through the tunnel on a special train. You’ll go through passport control before departure without needing to leave your car to show your documents.
Alternatively, the ferry crossing takes about 90 minutes and is often more affordable.
Getting to London by coach
Traveling by coach is the most economical way to reach London, but it does come with its drawbacks. Depending on your starting point, you could face a journey of over 20 hours just to reach the city! Most coaches arrive at Victoria Coach Station, conveniently placing you right in the heart of the city centre upon arrival.
London is definitely on my bucket list. This is such a cool roundup of the various ways to get to London! I would love to do so by train. That is such a classic way to do so, as with the coach!
great post on getting there! its good to know the transport of getting to and from there are rather reasonable, as i know London is really expensive right now. i’ll be sure to bookmark this should i be in London one day.
As a local, you have covered everything. Then from next year (late 2018) there is Crossrail for Heathrow and London City. Whoop whoop! Even easier train access from the airports. 🙂 Great post 🙂
I can’t wait to one day need this post! I would absolutely love to visit London. Our plan is to work on a trip to Scotland, Ireland and England. Absolute dream!
I’ve been on Flight (Heathrow, Stanstead and Luton), train and coach to and fro London. Never taken a car so far. I have some awesome nostalgic memories associated with travelling in & out of London. I’ve even slept in the Stanstead airport once to get a very early morning flight! Lolz..
Having lived too far outside London, these are all great ways to get there. Now, living across the pond, my best choice in is Heathrow and the tube. Love the Oyster Card – definitely something one should get if planning to be zipping around the city for a while.
while browsing this blog for a second I realized that I am going through Ibibo or makemytrip website. Very descriptive & Informative. I have never been to London or a fact to any European City. I am sure this blog of yours is worth bookmarking. Sharing this on FB Page as well. Thanks for sharing this !!
I didn’t know London had so many airports! I like to travel to London on the Eurostar from Paris, it’s so easy!
OH I just LOVED this post! This brought me back to my 6 week stay in London, and your pictures gave me happy chills!! This is definitely a great post to read for anyone going to London. I remember thinking, “yikes, how am I going to get from the airport to the city??” Great information!
What a great informative post! I love to visit London soon as I live in east coast USA now!
When I compared the subway fare in London with the Delhi Metro rates, I found commuting in London is more expensive. In Delhi, the maximum fare is INR 50 ( which is less than 1 GBP). Having said that, I wish and hope that the London subway fares come down to more ‘reasonable’ levels for people like me who are wannabe budget travellers.
Love this comprehensive guide – super helpful for first-timers arriving in London 🙂
I had no idea there were so many options! This is such a fantastic guide.
I never knew there were so many airports! London is on my list to visit.
Ok, I can’t believe London has 5 airports! I am going to London in April (for the Harry Potter play!!!) and have just started looking at flights from the US. This is super helpful.
I think we would travel by plane unless we’d were already in Europe then it would be train or bus. But the ferry option across the channel does sound appealing as well. I feel like Heathrow would be a nightmare to get through. We definitely want to see Harry Potter when we get to London.
I am never sure of which airport to fly into that is most accessible! My plan is to just go for the cheapest and work it out later haa! Great post
Lovely ! This is one of the best posts I’ve read on London City. The pointers are surely very handful and will certainly be a good read for the first time visitors.
[…] you know the 20 London landmarks you simply have to see, but have you planned your travel yet? Here are your options for getting to London – both from abroad and within the UK. Enjoy your next visit to the UK’s capital […]