London Airport Transfers

London airport transfers

London airport transfers can be take either by bus, train or taxi.

London has five major airports located between six and 38 miles from the centre of the city.

Travellers passing through London to other terminals can find a range of options to catch their connecting flight that will suit different budgets.

London airport transfers by coach

The cheapest direct route between airports is to take a coach.

easyBus is one of the cheapest services available, but the National Express offers the most comfort and ease of travel.

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Gatwick and Heathrow

National Express runs a service that will take passengers between Gatwick and Heathrow in just over an hour.

Around four coaches run each hour for 24 hours, allowing travellers to have a stress-free journey with no waiting around whatever time of day they arrive.

A single tickets starts at £19.50 and the coaches are comfortable and spacious, with plenty of leg room.

The 700, 707, 717,727 and 797 all take this route.

Gatwick and Stansted

Travelling from Gatwick to Stansted is also a direct route on the National Express, although it does pass through Heathrow, making the journey slightly longer.

This journey lasts up to three hours and runs from 02:00 until 23:40.

However, the coach can be a good option for people who are either worried about negotiating the London Underground network or for those who are travelling when London transport is closed in the early hours of the morning.

A single ticket between Gatwick and Stansted is around £30 and visitors will find their way on the 717, 727 and 797 routes.

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Gatwick and Luton

Catching direct services between Gatwick and Luton are less frequent, but do run every couple of hours.

They take just under three hours, while a coach that changes at Heathrow airport takes around three and a half hours, with a 30 minute wait at changeover.

Coaches operate from 04:00 until 23.30 each day at a cost of around £25.

Stansted and Luton

Transfers between Stansted Airport and Luton train station – which then requires a shuttle service to the airport - run fairly frequently and can often be direct.

Journeys last around one hour and 40 minutes and run for 24 hours, although travellers can find themselves waiting around an hour for a coach.

During the hours of 00:45 and 03:30, passengers will have to change over at London Victoria coach station and wait for around 45 minutes.

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London airport transfers by train

During waking hours, transferring between airports on the train can often be a quicker option, which will be particularly important if there is not much time between changeovers.

However, it is worth noting that all of the transfers will require a short trip on the London Underground, although tickets bought online will often include a tube pass.

Heathrow and Gatwick

The Heathrow Express and longer Heathrow Connect trains frequently arrive into Paddington station.

Travellers heading onto Gatwick can take the District or Circle line westbound to reach Victoria, where the Gatwick Express train leads directly to the airport.

Victoria is also a great place to find a bed for the night, as there is plenty of nightlife happening in the area, including Pasha nightclub.

Stansted and Heathrow
 
Those heading to Stansted from Heathrow can take the Circle line or Hammersmith and City line from Paddington to Liverpool Street, where the Stansted Express operates frequent trips to the airport.

Gatwick and Stansted

A transfer from Gatwick to Stansted also requires the Circle line or District line eastbound from Victoria to Stansted.

Luton and City Airport

To get to Luton Airport from London, travellers can head to St Pancras, Farringdon and Blackfriars stations on the London Underground.

Journeys from City Airport require the Docklands Light Railway service, which connects to Bank station on the Underground.

What to do while transferring between airports

One advantage of travelling between airports is the stop-over time.

If there is up to a day of waiting, a trip into London can be filled with visits to local attractions near the stations before heading off for the next flight.

For longer stays, it is often a more enjoyable way to travel if visitors stop by overnight in central London and lay their head in cheap accommodation rather than wait in a pricey airport hotel where there is little to see or do.