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About London

London, the capital of England and the UK, is one of world’s major financial centers. Built along River Thames, the city is home to a diverse range of communities. Major touristic attractions include the Palace of Westminster (Seat of the Parliament), Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, and Trafalgar Square. Built by Romans, London is a city with a very old history.

Apart from its leading role in the economy, London is also a popular center for tourism. It is a city of art with its various festivals, plays and exhibitions. The city has hallmark buildings constructed from stone. The London Underground is the oldest in the world and still the most widely used mode of transport. There are also the now-iconic red double-decker buses.

London provides ample opportunities for the fashion-savvy. Oxford Street, particularly, is the most popular fashion district dotted with famous boutiques. Nightlife is vibrant and the world’s best restaurants have outlets in London. In short, a trip to London proves to be a very rich (and expensive) experience in all aspects.

London offers many options for air transport. There are five airports in its vicinity. Heathrow Airport is 25 km to the city center and connects to the subway. Gatwick airport is farther away and connects to the rail network. London City Airport is the closest to town. Stansted Airport is about 65 km to town and you can reach the city center with a 45-minute train ride. Luton Airport is 55 km to the city center.

Transportation to London City Center from Airport

London City Airport

London City Airport is located 11 km east to the city centre. Having provided services for a long time, this airport has parking lots, rent-a-car companies, restaurants and bars, VIP lounges and various shops for the use of the passengers.

Taxi

You can directly get to the city centre, which is only 11 km away to the airport, by taking a taxi located at the exit of the airport right away. Taxi fare may vary from 15 to 25 Pounds.

Train

Thanks to the trains in the train station located very close to the airport, you can arrive London city centre without any interchange. Ticket prices range from 5 to 10 Pounds. However, travel cards and Oyster cards can also be used in these trains.

Subway

Londra Underground has a very advanced transportation line that runs between 5.30 a.m. and midnight. The ticket prices range from 4.80 to 6 Pounds. This underground system can take you to London City Centre without any interchange.

Bus

There is a bus line that runs at London City Airport and goes to almost all the areas of the city. These buses run during night. Therefore, you can get to the city centre from London City Airport by paying around 5 to 8 Pounds for the ticket easily.

Renting a Car

In London City Airport, a few famous rent-a-car companies are at your service so that you could easily rent a car when you visit London. By getting the information required from these companies, you can rent your car directly and get to the city centre from the airport via a short trip. Alternatively, you can make your reservation in advance before you land at the airport or get help about renting a car from your hotel. Those who do not want to waste time with other means of transportation can easily get to the airport by renting a car.

Hotel Shuttles

When you make your hotel reservation, you can choose “hotel-airport transfer” option, so that you can easily arrive your hotel from London City Airport.


Gatwick Airport

Located 45 km south of the city center, Gatwick Airport is the second largest airport in London. There are many transportation alternatives to get to the city, including express trains, bus, taxi, and rental car.  

Express Train

The fastest way to get from Gatwick Airport to the city center is by using the Gatwick Express. These trains depart every 15 minutes and get to the Victoria train station in the city in 30 minutes. Fees start from 17 pounds. The Southern trains run the same distance in 35 minutes. These trains also depart every 15 minutes. At night the frequency of departing trains falls to one per hour. The airport train station is located in the South Terminal.

Buses

National Express buses are another option to reach the city however they take about 1 hour; in heavy traffic they can take over 1.5 hours. Almost the same can be said for Easybus buses as well. Like the trains, these buses go to the Victoria train station and operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These buses are the cheapest way to get to the city center from the airport. Fees start from 2 pounds.

Taxi

Taxis from the airport to the city center take about 1 hour. While the taxi fare varies based on the distance traveled, getting to the city costs at least 100 pounds.

Rental Cars

You can rent a car from many different car rental agencies like Avis, Budget, and Hertz. Car rental offices are located in every terminal at the airport. The car rental offices in the North Terminal are open from 6am – 10 pm. The car rental offices in the South Terminal are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


Heathrow Airport

Located 32 km west of the city center, London Heathrow Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world. There are a variety of transportation methods to reach the city center from the airport including the train, metro, taxi, and rental cars.

Train or Metro

The fastest way to get to the city from the airport is by using the Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect trains. The Express trains get to Paddington train station in the city center in 15 minutes. The Connect trains get to Paddington train station in the city center in 30 minutes. The metro, or tube, has an important role in urban transportation. The metro is another alternative for those who want to get to the city center for a cheaper fare. However, the metro takes longer to get to the city than the trains do. With the metro it can take at least 1 hour.

Bus

The National Express buses get to the Victoria bus stop in about 40 to 80 minutes. Prices can vary according to the duration of the journey and route taken. In addition, the Hotel Hoppa buses provide transportation directly to your hotel for 5 pounds. This service is more so for hotels around the airport.

Taxi

If you want to get to the city center by taxi there is a taxi stand at every terminal. Fares vary between 45 and 70 pounds according to the distance traveled.

Rental Cars

To rent a car visit the rental car agencies located in the terminals. There are various rental car agencies located in Heathrow Airport including Avis, Hertz, and Europcar.


Luton Airport

You can get to the city from Luton Airport, which is located 56 km northwest of the city, by bus, train, taxi, or rental car. The Thameslink trains provide transportation to the city center. The trip takes about 40 minutes. The train ride itself doesn’t take that long but to get to the airport train station you have to get on a shuttle bus.

That bus ride to the station takes 10 minutes. The train to the city itself takes 30 minutes. You can also use the East Midlands trains. The Thameslink trains cost about 25-30 pounds. The East Midlands trains cost about 15 pounds.

Bus

There are many options available if you want to get from Luton Airport to the city center by bus. The Easybus buses provide cheap transportation to the city; these buses cost 2 pounds. However, it takes at least 1.5 hours. Other options include National Express buses and Greenline 757. These are more expensive options, with fares around 15 pounds.

Taxi

If you want to take a cab from the airport to the city center it costs about 100 pounds and takes approximately 1 hour.

Rental Cars

There are various car rental agencies located at the airport, including Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar, Enterprise, and Sixt. These car rental agencies are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


Stansted Airport

It is very easy to reach the central regions of the city from Stansted Airport, which is located approximately 40 miles of London city center. For travelling to London city center from the airport, you can benefit from the buses offering service for 24 hours of the day or get on a taxi that you can easily find at the airport. You can also rent a car from one of the car rental offices located at Stansted Airport. Using a train is also among the transportation options that you can choose for travelling to the city center. If your priority is a fast and comfortable travel, your choice should be getting on a taxi. However, if you are looking for a more budget-friendly alternative, train may be the ideal option that you can choose on this route.

Bus

The buses departing from the terminal of Stansted Airport located in London carry passengers to 38 different destinations in total. 15 of these destinations are located in the center of London. The ticket prices of these buses provided by National Express start from £5 and vary according to your destination. The buses that you can find at any hour of the day are among the fastest and most budget-friendly alternatives for travelling to the center.

Train

Stansted Express, which provided direct transportation to many points of London by departing from the airport terminal, is another budget-friendly option. The ticket prices of the trains start from £8 and vary depending on your destination. You can transfer to the London Underground from some of the stations of the trains providing connection to also some points like Liverpool Street and travel to many other points by metro in a direct way.

Car Rental

You can rent a car from the airport terminal in order to reach the center from Stansted Airport, which is located approximately 40 miles away from London city center. Holiday Car Rental, UK Car Rental and Airport Car Rental are among the companies offering car rental service at the airport. You can also rent your car in advance by making an online reservation before your travel and take the road to your destination after receiving your car at the airport without waiting. This is among the comfortable transportation options.

Taxi

Another transportation option offered to the passengers at the airport is taxi. It is possible to find a taxi at any hour of the day. Travelling to the city center from the airport by taxi costs higher compared to other alternatives since the distance is long. However, if you have much luggage and want a comfortable travel to your destination, you can prefer getting on a taxi. Travelling to the city center from the airport costs about £100. You can call 0800 747 737 (in the country) or +44 (0)1279 661 111 (from abroad) in order to get detailed information about travelling to the city center from Stansted Airport and make a reservation in advance for a taxi if you choose this option for your transportation.

Bicycle

Thanks to the bicycle parking areas at Stansted Airport and bicycle roads in the city, you can travel to the city center from the airport by using your bicycle. If you arrive at the airport with your bicycle, you can also reach the city center by using the trains or some buses. Travelling by bicycle is among the enjoyable alternatives.

Weather in London

DayMin - Max
TuesdayMin 9ºC - Max 12ºC
WednesdayMin 8ºC - Max 15ºC
ThursdayMin 10ºC - Max 14ºC
FridayMin 11ºC - Max 16ºC
SaturdayMin 10ºC - Max 14ºC

Frequently Asked Questions

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