Travelling from London City, Stansted and Luton Airport Into Central London

Getting from these airports into Central London is much simpler than it sounds and it's a lot cheaper than you think. There are various ways to get from London City, Stansted and Luton Airport into Central London which comes with different price tags but there are transport modes to suit everyone's needs. This blog post will focus on these modes of transport: using the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) & London Underground, trains, taxis and buses/coaches.

London City Airport
London City Airport is the only airport in London which makes it the closest airport to Central London. London City Airport offers both domestic and international flights - short haul and long haul flights too. However, it only has one single runway in the airport which only meant around 4.5 million passengers flew from this airport per year in 2017. Even though I’ve never flown from London City Airport, it’s one that I would consider if the prices were reasonable enough as well as the flight times suiting my needs. 

• DLR & London Underground - The DLR is not only a means of transport that allows passengers to travel to and from East London into Central London but also has an easy route to London City Airport. Trains departing every 15 minutes can take passengers to Bank (for the Central & Northern Lines), Canning Town (for the Jubilee Line) and Tower Gateway (which is only a short walk from Tower Hill which connects with the District or Circle Lines). As London City Airport is located in Zone 3, it may cost passengers £4.90 for a single ticket into Zone 1 but with an Oyster Card it’ll cost passengers between £2.80 and £3.30 depending on the time of day. 
• Taxi - One of the most expensive options of getting from London City Airport into Central London is using a taxi. Some people may prefer getting into a taxi after a long flight and especially if they have a lot of luggage. Taxis also provide the benefit of allowing you to pick your final destination, which could either be the accommodation you're staying at or a landmark in London. Prices range with companies as well as factors such as your destination, time and date of your journey. A journey from London City Airport to Oxford Circus would cost around £35 for a one way journey with an average journey time of 30 minutes. Even though the journey time is longer as well as the price being expensive, if you're travelling with other people then you may find yourself with a better deal if you split the price of a taxi.
• Coaches - Even though there’s no direct journey by coach to London City Airport, National Express offers a variety of destinations around London City Airport such as Canary Wharf and Bank. From here passengers can take a short journey on the DLR to London City Airport. Passengers could also then use a taxi to take them to their destination that they’ve been dropped off by National Express coaches.

More Information Can Be Found Here:

• https://tfl.gov.uk/dlr/stop/940GZZDLLCA/london-city-airport-dlr-station
• https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/tube/
• https://www.londoncityairport.com/taxis-and-transfers
• https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

Stansted Airport 
Stansted Airport is located 42 miles from Central London as it’s located in Essex. In 2017 nearly 26 million passengers travelled through Stansted Airport to over 140 direct destinations including Vienna, Budapest and Dubai. I’ve flown from Stansted once before, which only took a simple train ride to get there - making it both inexpensive and cost efficient. Additionally, as I travelled late at night there was more than enough options for me to find a place to rest as well as find somewhere to eat. 

• Stansted Express - The Stansted Express is the quickest form of transport to get into Central London, with a journey between the airport and London Liverpool Street taking around 47 minutes. With trains departing every 15-20 minutes, it means that passengers aren’t waiting too long for their journey and allows passengers to grab a seat and find space for their luggage. The Stansted Express runs throughout the late night and early morning but with trains only running every 30 minutes. On-board passengers can expect free WiFi, a lot of luggage space as well as having the option to travel in style in First Class. 
• Taxis - One of the most expensive options of getting from Stansted Airport into Central London is using a taxi. Some people may prefer getting into a taxi after a long flight and especially if they have a lot of luggage. Taxis also provide the benefit of allowing you to pick your final destination, which could either be the accommodation you're staying at or a landmark in London. Prices range with companies as well as factors such as your destination, time and date of your journey. A journey from Stansted to Victoria would cost around £70-90 for a one way journey with an average journey time of 1 hour and 10 minutes. Even though the journey time is longer as well as the price being expensive, if you're travelling with other people then you may find yourself with a better deal if you split the price of a taxi.
• Airport Bus Express - The Airport Bus Express offers two options for passengers who want to travel into Central London: Service A21 (from Stansted to Liverpool Street which also calls at Stratford) and Service A20 (from Stansted to Victoria which also calls at Baker Street). These bus journeys are inexpensive with prices starting from £6 with passengers being able to enjoy convenient times with buses running during the early hours of the morning and late at night.
• National Express - One of the most popular and well known coach services in the UK would be National Express. Their inexpensive prices make it an affordable and convenient option for travellers wanting to travel into Central London from Stansted. With four different routes, 200 journeys to London each day and with journeys costing around £10 - it’s an excellent alternative to a train or taxi service. Passengers can also expect toilets, WiFi, power sockets and air conditioning while on-board. 
• First Essex - First Essex, a bus service that transports passengers to parts of Essex and Southend rather than directly into London. However, if you’re travelling to destination such as Basildon, Southend, Chemslford and Southend Airport then you can expect buses every 30 minutes - with two services: X30 and X10. Prices are £8.80 for and £6.50 for a child with tickets being available to purchase online as well as on the bus directly. 

More Information Can Be Found Here:

• https://www.stanstedexpress.com/
• https://www.stanstedairport.com/getting-to-and-from/by-taxi/
• https://www.airportbusexpress.co.uk/
• https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
• https://www.firstgroup.com/essex/airport-services

Luton Airport
Previously known as Luton International Airport, Luton Airport is located 28 miles from Central London. It’s been named the fifth busiest airport in the UK with nearly 17 million passengers travelling through the airport in 2018. Passengers admire Luton Airport for their services through airlines such as easyJet, Ryanair, TUI Airways and WizzAir for both domestic and international flights. Even though I’ve never flown from London City Airport, it’s one that I would consider if the prices were reasonable enough as well as the flight times suiting my needs. 

• East Midland Trains - East Midland Trains offer hourly services from Luton Airport to St Pancras International which only takes 25 minutes. Even though this journey time is incredible - it does need to be noted that passengers will need to buy a ticket for a shuttle bus to the actual airport from Luton Airport Parkway. A ticket for the shuttle bus costs around £2.40 for a one-way ticket for an adult whereas tickets for East Midland Trains can cost around £9 when booking in advance. 
• Thameslink Trains - Thameslink Trains depart from Luton to a range of destinations in London including London Bridge, Elephant & Castle, London St Pancras International as well as Farringdon. With tickets starting from £13.10, which includes the shuttle bus fare, with modern trains being built as we speak which will include air conditioning, fully accessible toilets as well as more space for luggage and prams. The average journey time from Luton Airport to London takes around 49 minutes depending on the passengers final destination. 
• Taxis - One of the most expensive options of getting from Luton Airport into Central London is using a taxi. Some people may prefer getting into a taxi after a long flight and especially if they have a lot of luggage. Taxis also provide the benefit of allowing you to pick your final destination, which could either be the accommodation you're staying at or a landmark in London. Prices range with companies as well as factors such as your destination, time and date of your journey. A journey from Luton Airport to Victoria would cost around £60-70 for a one way journey with an average journey time of 1 hour and 5 minutes. Even though the journey time is longer as well as the price being expensive, if you're travelling with other people then you may find yourself with a better deal if you split the price of a taxi.
• National Express - National Express offers services from London to Luton Airport for as little as £7 for a one way ticket. With coaches departing from Victoria Bus/Coach Station with 6 stops along the way as well as the journey only taking around an hour it makes it a popular option for travellers. With 83 coaches departing per day, with some coaches departing every 15 minutes whereas other depart every 30 minutes, there is no shortage of transport options. 
• Stagecoach - Unlike National Express, Stagecoach offers a more limited service with Service 99 running from Luton Airport to Milton Keynes - which is useful for travellers who live around that area or plan to make further travels from there. Trains depart every hour from Luton Airport as well as tickets ranging in price depending on where your final destination would be. Tickets range around the £10 mark which will also change dependent on what time of day you’re travelling on as well as whether this day falls during a bank holiday or during the summer holidays/half-term. 

More Information Can Be Found Here:
https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/routes-destinations/airports/luton-airport
https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/
https://www.london-luton.co.uk/to-and-from-lla
https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
https://www.stagecoachbus.com/

All prices are correct as of April 2020.