Traveling To & From London

With a handful of international airports and an international rail station, there are a lot of options when it comes to traveling to and from London. Most guests arriving from afar will land at either Heathrow or Gatwick Airport, while some regional flights will land at the smaller Stansted Airport. All three airports offer a variety easy transport links into the city via express train, coach or taxi. If you are traveling from Paris, the easiest way to reach London is by taking the Eurostar, an international train service that connects the two cities.

Arriving or Departing by Plane

Heathrow Airport (LHR)
With five terminals and over 70 million annual passengers, London Heathrow Airport is the 3rd busiest airport in the world! It is located approximately 32 km (20 miles) west of Central London and benefits from excellent transport links into the city:

• Heathrow Express service takes you directly to Paddington Station in Central London in as little as 15 minutes. Operating every 15 minutes from approximately 5am to midnight (6am to midnight on Sunday), one-way tickets start at £21.50.
• The London Underground network offers the most affordable option for reaching Central London. The train makes frequent stops, but can take you to central London in around in an hour for as little as £5.
• National Express Coach service can take you to Central London in as little as 40 minutes. Fares start at £6.
• Black taxis are stationed outside departure areas of the airport and can take you directly to Central London for £60 - £90.

For flight and airport information, or for more details on traveling to/from Heathrow Airport, please visit www.heathrowairport.com

Gatwick Airport (LGW)
Gatwick Airport is London’s second largest airport and is located approximately 45 km (28 miles) south of the city. Like Heathrow, Gatwick offers a number of easy and convenient transport options into Central London:

• Gatwick Express Train service takes you to Victoria Station in Central London within 30 minutes. It operates regularly from 4:35 am to 1:35 am daily. One-way fares start at £8.85.
• Thameslink and Southern railways operate service to London Bridge, Blackfriars and St Pancras Stations. Journey times average between 30 minutes and one hour, and one-way fares start at £9.40
• National Express Coach or easyBus Coach services can take you to Central London in approximately 80 minutes. Fares start at just £5.
• It is also possible to take a taxi from Gatwick to Central London. Fares start at around £60.

For flight and airport information, or for more details on traveling to/from Gatwick, please visit www.gatwickairport.com

Stansted Airport (STN)
Located 48 km (30 miles) northeast of Central London, Stansted is the next largest airport in the region and primarily handles budget flights to and from other countries in Europe. Despite its distance from the city, there are still several different transportation options available when you land:

• The Stansted Express runs from the airport to Liverpool Street in Central London every 15 minutes. The average journey time is 47 minutes and one-way fare starts at £19.
• National Express Coach operates service from the airport to multiple locations throughout London. Total journey time is about one-hour and one-way fares start at just £5.
• Taxis are available 24/7 from the airport and is costs approximately £99 to reach Central London

For flight and airport information, or for more details on traveling to/from Stansted Airport, please visit www.stanstedairport.com.

Arriving or Departing by Train

If you're traveling from Paris, the easiest way to reach London is on the Eurostar train. While many people opt to fly between Paris and London, the Eurostar is actually the easiest and quickest way to travel from Central Paris to Central London. In just two hours the swift train takes you from Gare du Nord in Paris directly to St. Pancras Station in the heart of London.

Read more about the Eurostar Train