london

K

Kelb28

Registered User
Messages
68
Hi Thinking of heading to london and would like to stay in cnetral london - which airport would be better to fly into - Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted? Roughly what price would it be to get to central london from these airports?

thanks
 
In my experience Gatwick. The Gatwick Express (£14.90 one way) only takes half an hour and brings you into Victoria Station.

Stanstead is 90 mins out, I would only go there for rock bottom fares (like my 1c flights in September). The Stanstead Express (£14.50 one way) is certainly no express at 90 mins and the only other option are buses which take hours.

Heathrow is only 15 mins on the Heathrow Express (£14.50 one way), 30 mins on Heathrow Connect (£8 one way I think) and 40-65 mins on the tube (zone 1-6 railcard, about £8 but you can use it all day on the tube as well) but I still would rate it below Gatwick.

Gatwick is a smaller airport, much easier to navigate, you get your bags quicker and altogether a more pleasant experience than Heathrow.
 
Last edited:
I would use Heathrow......lots more flights for a start and the tube will have youe in Central London in less than an hour. The zone1-6 off peak travel card is £6.70 I think and can be used on all bus routes in London as well.
 
Depends on where in Central London you're staying .... For the West End Heathrow or Gatwick are probalby the handiest

The cheapest to get into Town from is London City Airport which is only in Travelcard Zone 3 so a day ticket is £5.70 off peak including unlimited tube/bus/rail travel for the whole day. (LCY airport usually is the most expensive flights though..but sometimes you can get good deals)
Then Heathrow is the next Cheapest in Zone 6 so you can just get a Zone 1-6 Travelcard on the Tube as noted (of course you also have the option of the expensive Heathrow Express too, but unless you're in a hurry or on expenses I wouldn't bother)
Gatwick you can get a regular train in for about £9 (only very slightly slower than the more expensive train - some of them are amusingly actually a minute or two quicker than the Gatwick "Express" train) ...
Luton is about £11 on the train to Kings Cross (plus a short bus ride from the airport to the station - maybe free?)
Stansted is the most expensive as the only train is the Stansted Express at about £15 .. it's also the longest journey time too and the train leaves you in Liverpool Street which is quite far from the more touristy areas of the city centre.

So while Stansted often has the cheapest fares it is worth remembering that it's the most expensive airport to get to Central London from and also the furthest distance from Central London.
 
You can be penny pinching about transport to/from airports. The most important point to note for first time visitors is that London is not cheap, well worth a visit, but everything is costly (more so that Ireland I think).
Stayed at the Holiday Inn Cromwell Road recently http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/lonke?_requestid=198923
Ideal location, one minute from Gloucester Road underground station and easy walking distance from Harrods, Natural History Museum etc. (must say I only walk past these as was actually on a Rugby weekend!!!!!).
Sorry can't remember the price (booked by one of the other party).
Flew to Gatwick and express to Victoria, tube to Gloucester Road -Easy-.
Enjoy.
Oh - for first time visitors, the open top tour bus is a good way of seeing the city.
 
I flew into Stanstead last Saturday and the transfer by no means takes 90 mins. It took 40 mins and they leave every 15mins to Liverpool Street which is then on the Central tube line. Our flight arrived in at 12.30 and we were at our hotel at Hyde Park, Lancaster Gate at around 2. I found it handy enough considering the flights were so cheap to Stanstead.
 
Heathrow is great for quick access to the city or possibly London City airport. You could also consider Gatwick. Avoid Luton or Stansted unless the price is right; it would be like travelling from Dundalk to Dublin
 
HollyOlly said:
I flew into Stanstead last Saturday and the transfer by no means takes 90 mins. It took 40 mins and they leave every 15mins to Liverpool Street which is then on the Central tube line. Our flight arrived in at 12.30 and we were at our hotel at Hyde Park, Lancaster Gate at around 2. I found it handy enough considering the flights were so cheap to Stanstead.
Click to expand...

Absolutely if the price is right then it's worth it ... but it is woth bearing in mind that it is further out of town and has a more expensive journey than the other airports.

Journey time on the Stansted Express is 46 mins to Liverpool street ... so by the time you factor in waiting around etc. it's essentially an hour and then you've still go the Tube transfer to do.

If Stansted is €50 cheaper than other airports it's arguably worth it ... but if it's less than that compared to Heathrow then it's probalby a false economy since you've got to factor in the £30 round trip fare on the Stansted Express (whereas from Heathrow you're only paying for Tube Travelcards that you'd be likely buying anyway)
 
this crowd were recommended over on boards for getting from stansted into the centre of london
[broken link removed]
apparently booking online you could get a £6 return if you book early enough, not sure how long it takes to get into the centre but it's certainly cheap.
 
Last edited:
london city airport, DLR into city costs £5, takes bout 20-30mins. buses also to liverpool street station
 
would also recommend london city airport, very handy, nice small airport and you are in and out in a flash. you also only have to be there a short time before your plane departs
[broken link removed]
 
Would back up the support for London City.
Very quik on the DLR into the city.
Airport while small is also quite comfortable and check in times + security are much better than any other airport.
I often travel on business through here and longest security queue was only 5-10 mins max.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top