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Getting in to London

By plane

London (all airports code: LON) is served by a total of six airports. Travelling between the city and the airports is made relatively easy by the large number of public transport links that have been put in place over recent years. However, if transiting through London, be sure to check the arrival and departure airports carefully as transfers across the city may be quite time-consuming.

In addition to London's six official airports (of which only two are located in London) there are a number of other regional UK airports conveniently accessible from London. Since they offer a growing number of budget flights, choosing those airports can be cheaper (or even faster, depending on where in London your destination is).

For transfers directly between London's airports, the fastest way (short of a taxi) is the direct inter-airport service by National Express. Buses between Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton airports run at least once per hour, with Heathrow-Gatwick services taking 65 minutes (£18) and Heathrow-Stansted services 90 minutes (£20.50). (Note that services between Stansted and Luton Airports run only once every 2 hours.) However, it's essential to allow leeway, as London's expressways, especially the orbital M25 and the M1 motorway, are often congested to the point of gridlock. Buses have toilets on board.

London Heathrow

Heathrow is London and Europe's largest airport and the world's busiest airport in terms of international passenger movement, with services from most available major airports world-wide. There are four terminals, with a fifth opening in 2008. Flights landing in Heathrow often are delayed by up to an hour as a simple result of air traffic congestion and waiting for parking slots.

A quick summary of transport options:

• Fastest: Heathrow Express to Paddington Station, 15 min journey time at 15 min intervals, £15.50

• Cheapest: Piccadilly Line to central London (London Underground), 50 min, Ask for an 'Oyster Card' for cheapest travel. Single journeys are around £2 with oyster (Requires deposit of £3, returned at the end of your stay) and £4 for a paper ticket. Zone 6 Travelcards valid £6-7 for a day. See 'Getting Around' below for all transport ticketing options.

• Most convenient: Combination of Heathrow Express to Paddington followed by a Taxi to your final destination. A Taxi from Heathrow to Central London will take around one hour and is highly dependent on traffic, £45-60

London Gatwick

London's second airport, also serving a large spectrum of places world-wide. To get to the centre of the city, the following options exist:

• Gatwick Express - a high-speed rail link between the airport and London Victoria Station. The service runs every 15 minutes and takes 30-35 minutes. Express class £14 (single); £26.80 (return); First Class (includes priority security procedures) £20 single, £38 return. Some other options (including Day Return and Carnet) available. Travelcards not valid. Railcards valid.

• Regular National Rail trains from the Airport rail station to London Victoria, London Bridge, King's Cross and various other stations in central London. To Victoria these run about every 15 minutes and take 35-40 minutes. £9 (single to Victoria), so slightly slower and slightly cheaper than the Gatwick Express; Travelcards not valid. Be aware that if you travel together in a group (3 people or more), you get a group discount for a day travel card (valid on all London Underground and TFL busses for the entire day) for only £6.10 each after peak hours.

Another option is the First Capital Connect line that runs through Kings Cross, Farringdon, City Thameslink, London Bridge to Gatwick. Have a look at national rail (above) for options.

• By car, the airport is some 29 miles (47 km) south of central London.

There is a cycle path into Central London see sustrans for information; but as it involves going through South London and over the North Downs, it will likely be quite a ride

London Stansted

Currently London's third airport, the base for a large number of budget carriers and flights within Europe and a few inter-continental flights.

Locate the Airport on a map:

Internet: There are several commercial wi-fi hotspots covering most of the airport, but they charge extortionate rates. A free wi-fi hotspot is located in the arrivals gate area, next to the phone booths offering fixed internet.

Sleeping in Stansted Airport: The airport's location a long way outside London, the high price of accommodation in the city, the fact that transport to the airport does not operate before 5:30 am, the fact that airport hotel rooms for under £50 per night are virtually non-existent, the large number of budget flights often departing as early as 6:00 am (when the lowest fares are available), and the fact that many budget airlines don't pay for accommodation in the event of cancellation, all contribute to the reality that an increasing number of travellers choose to spend the night in "Hotel Stansted" prior to their flight. A crowd of around 100 travellers (up to 400 in summer) camp in the main departure/arrivals hall every night, effectively turning it into a giant dormitory. If you decide to make Stansted Airport your domicile for a night, there are a few things to bear in mind: You should arrive early, preferably around 10pm, and stake your territory immediately. Benches without armrests are in limited supply and fill up quickly. If you arrive later take a floor mat and sleeping bag. Sleeping on the floor is tolerated by the staff, but avoid pitching your bed in front of shops and counters. A Sleeping bag is generally recommended as the automatic doors constantly open and close as passengers arrive, and it can get chilly in winter. Safety is not a problem. The airport is miles away from any settlement and security guards overlook the open-plan building 24/7. Ear plugs and eye covers are a must, as the cleaning staff are noisy and shop assistants start arriving at 4am to open shutters. At least one cafe is open all night, offering snacks and hot drinks. Toilets remain open and are normally in good condition.

To get to central London, the following options exist:

• Stansted Express - a non-stop rail link between the airport and London Liverpool Street Station. The service runs every 15-30 minutes and takes between 45 and 60 minutes, depending on which train you catch (Some are more 'express' than others.) Although this is an expensive option, it is the fastest and most convenient way to reach central London from Stansted. £15 (single); £25 (return); Travelcards not valid. If your destination is in the Western part of London, get off at Tottenham Hale and continue to your destination on the Victoria Line - it will save you half an hour or so. The Stansted express covers the last part of its journey (between Tottenham Hale and Liverpool Street) at snail pace and takes 15 min for this short stretch. Stansted Express does not accept bicycles except for folding bikes.

• Terravision - this express bus service runs from the airport to Bishopsgate (Liverpool Street station) and Victoria Coach terminal. The service runs hourly and takes 75 minutes. £8/£14 (single/return) to Victoria, £6.70/£11.80 (single/return) to Liverpool St; Travelcards not valid.

• National Express Bus - coaches depart at least every half hours. £10/£16 (single/return) to London Victoria (via Golders Green); £8/£14 (single/return) to Stratford. National Express Bus does not accept bicycles except for folding bikes. Buses go every 15min to Victoria Station. The journey from Victoria takes about 1h30 min, from Stratford 1hr. Delays due to traffic congestion are commonplace, especially on the Victoria Service.

• Taxis are available but are not the most efficient option. The airport is actually quite a long way from London, so expect the journey to take 1h30 min (2h in heavy traffic) and to set you back about £70. It's normally a better idea to take a train to Liverpool Street station and continue by taxi from there.

• easyBus services will start on 7th of June 2007. By booking in advance via the internet tickets can be a little as £2. It costs £8 when buying on the bus. Services go to Baker St.

London Luton

Has traditionally been a holiday charter airport, but is now also served by some budget scheduled carriers. As per Stansted, and for the same reasons, many choose to spend the night here before flying. To get to central London, the following options exist:

• By National Rail. This airport does not have a dedicated rail link, but the there is a free shuttle bus from the airport to Luton Airport Parkway Station every few minutes and taking five minutes. From there, trains run four or more times an hour to either London St Pancras or London King's Cross Thameslink stations taking around 30 minutes. £11 (single); Note that some trains run non-stop into London, whilst others stop at every station pushing the travel time to nearly 50 minutes, so check before you board. Travelcards not valid.

• By Green Line bus 757 from Luton Airport to London Green Line Coach Station. Buses run every 20 minutes and take 90 minutes. Travelcards not valid.

• By National Express coaches. Coaches run from outside the airport at various times throughout the day and night into Golders Green, Marble Arch and Victoria Coach Station. Prices vary depending on the service. It is often worth booking in advance via the National Express website as promotional fares can be as little as £1.

• You can take theeasyBus vans. If you book in advance, it will be cheaper (£2-£8 booked via internet vs £8 at the bus). They now run from the city centre (Victoria), but terminate in Baker St on the way back from the airport.

• By car, the airport is some 35 miles (60 km) north of central London.

London City Airport

A commuter airport close to the city's financial district, and specialising in short-haul business flights to other major European cities. To get to the city centre, the following options exist:

• By the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), which connects with the London underground; Travelcards are valid.

• By taxi, the journey will take about half an hour. £20.00-£35.00.

• By car, the airport is 6 miles east of central London.

• By bus, take the 474 to Canning Town Station and then the 115 or N15 into central London.

London Southend Airport

Currently undergoing redevelopment and is set to become London's sixth international airport once the new rail link is completed. At present it serves destinations in the British isles only.

Other airports near London

• Southampton Airport is not officially a London airport, though accessible enough to conveniently serve the capital, especially South West London. A couple of budget carriers serving an increasing number of European destinations are based here.

• Direct trains connect Southampton airport to London Waterloo station every 30 minutes. Journey time 1h10min, cost £30-35 return.

• Birmingham International Airport is another non-London airport worth considering as a less congested and hectic alternative to Heathrow, being just over an hour away from London. As a major airport serving the UK's second largest city, there is a good choice of long distance and European destinations.

• Direct trains connect Birmingham International to London Euston and Watford every 30 minutes. Journey time 1h15min. Cost £35-100 return, however very cheap (as little as £10) one-way tickets on Virgin's Pendolino service can be bought, for specific times only and in advance, see website.

By train

London is served by one international rail link, currently operating out of Waterloo International. High-speed trains travel under the sea for 22 miles (35 km) through the Channel Tunnel from Paris (2h35) and Brussels (2h15) and are operated by Eurostar. Book well in advance to secure the best ticket deals. For onward travel Waterloo International is part of the Waterloo station complex (see below) and well served by tube lines, buses and taxis. As of 14 November 2007, all Eurostar services will be transferred to St Pancras station upon completion of the new high-speed line, dubbed "High-Speed One".

London is also well served by trains to and from other parts of the UK. There are no fewer than 12 main line terminal stations, forming a ring around Central London and each serving various parts of the country. Apart from Fenchurch Street (nearest Tube Tower Gateway), all are served by their own stations on the tube network, and most (but not all) can be reached by the Circle Line -- which may be the easiest, if not fastest, way to transfer between stations by Tube. All are served by buses and taxis.

For a detailed profile of each station, visit the Network Rail Stations website and select the appropriate station from the list at left.

In clockwise order the mainline (National Rail) train stations are:

• London Paddington, serving the area to the west of London including Reading, Oxford, Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea, Taunton, Exeter and Plymouth. Paddington is also the downtown terminus of the Heathrow Airport Express service (see above) and also serves commuters from Ealing Broadway, Acton Main Line, Slough, Maidenhead and points west.

• London Marylebone, serving an area to the north-west of London. One branch serves suburban stations including Wembley Stadium then towns like High Wycombe, Banbury, Stratford-upon-Avon and Birmingham. The other takes a more northerly route along the Metropolitan line via Harrow-on-the-Hill to Amersham and then on to Aylesbury. It is usually much cheaper (but slightly slower) to take a Chiltern Railways train from London Marylebone to Birmingham instead of Virgin Trains from London Euston.

• London Euston, serving central and north-west England and western Scotland, including Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Carlisle, Chester and Glasgow, and rail and ferry services to/from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland from Holyhead. Euston is also the London terminus for the sleeper train to Scotland.

• London St Pancras, serving the East Midlands, including Leicester, Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield. Eurostar trains will be moving here from Waterloo, possibly some time in 2007.

• London King's Cross, serving north-eastern England and eastern Scotland, Doncaster, Leeds, Kingston Upon Hull, York, Newcastle upon Tyne, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Regional services including Cambridge, Stevenage, Hitchin and Peterborough also operate from King's Cross. Platform 9 3/4 from the Harry Potter books is marked with a special sign -- although Platform 9 itself is actually in the fairly unpleasant metallic extension used by Cambridge trains. Kings Cross Thameslink station is a short walk away and provides services on the cross London Thameslink line to St Albans, Luton Airport Luton and Bedford to the north and Gatwick Airport and Brighton to the south.

• London Moorgate, serving regional commuter stations along the King’s Cross line north east of London, duplicating many of the services out of King’s Cross.

• London Liverpool Street, serving East Anglia, including Ipswich and Norwich. Liverpool Street is also the downtown terminus of the Stansted Airport Express service (see above).

• London Fenchurch Street, serving largely commuter towns on the north side of the Thames estuary, including Southend.

• London Bridge, London Cannon Street, London Waterloo East and London Charing Cross, all serving the area south and south east of London, including Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Dover and Ramsgate. Famously known as the "Pit of Despair" by London commuters.

• London Blackfriars A small intermediate station serving the cross London Brighton- Bedford line with some commuter services from the south eastern parts of London terminating here.

• London Waterloo, serving the area south-west of London, including Portsmouth, Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth, Weymouth, Salisbury and Exeter. South-west London is also most quickly reached from Waterloo, although some areas like Richmond and Wimbledon are also served by the western reaches of the District Line. This station is currently the terminus for direct trains to mainland Europe (see above).

• London Victoria, serving the area south and south-east of London, including Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Dover and Ramsgate, and serves some of south London's commuter belt. Victoria is also the downtown terminus of the Gatwick Airport Express service (see above).

• Kensington Olympia, a small station just to the west of the centre, and the only London stop for several Virgin long distance cross country services between the Midlands to the south coast.

There is also one cross-London rail service commonly known as Thameslink but officially called First Capital Connect, from Bedford to Brighton and calling in central London at London King's Cross Thameslink, Farringdon, City Thameslink and London Blackfriars. It notably connects Gatwick and Luton airports with each other and Central London.

Train times (to and from any location) can be found on the National Rail Planner or by calling 08457 48 49 50 (local call charges apply) from anywhere in the UK.

The last train sometimes doesn't come because of changes to the schedule, variations in the weather, or for some other reason.

Many parts of London itself are best accessible by train (sometimes called National Rail or Overground trains to distinguish from the Tube) -- Many areas, particularly in South/South-West London, are only reachable via overground services as with Clapham Junction or Kingston. Also, South-east London is served principally by trains from London Bridge, Victoria, Charing Cross and Cannon Street stations and increasingly by the Docklands Light Railway from Bank/Tower Gateway to Lewisham and Woolwich Arsenal.

Travellers should note that London's bizarre lack of integration of National Rail train services with Transport for London means that pre-pay Oyster cards are not (NOT!) universally valid on the overground. Travelcards, Oyster or otherwise, are valid, but it is not possible, for example, to use pre-pay to extend a Zone 1 Travelcard to a Zone 5 station. Some of the overground lines in North London are Oyster compliant, but most south of the Thames are not.

By bus

Most international and domestic long distance bus services (UK English:coach services) arrive at and depart from a complex of coach stations off Buckingham Palace Road close to London Victoria rail station. All services operated by National Express or Eurolines (see below) serve Victoria Coach Station, which actually has separate arrival and departure buildings. Services by other operators may use this station, or the Green Line Coach Station across Buckingham Palace Road. The following are amongst the main coach operators:

• National Express is by far the largest domestic coach operator and operates services to / from London from throughout England, Wales and Scotland. Advance ticketing is usually required and recommended practice in any case

• Eurolines is an associate company of National Express, and runs coach services to / from London with various cities in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and continental Europe. Advance ticketing is required.

• MegaBus operates budget coach services from/to London (Green Line Coach Station) to/from several major regional cities, it is even possible to get to Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. Tickets must be booked online and fares are demand responsive but can be very cheap (£1.50 if you book far enough in advance).

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