How to get from Stansted Airport to London city centre

5 ways to get from the North London airport to the centre of the city

Travelling to London? Arriving at Stansted Airport and not sure how to get to the centre of the city? Have no fear! Here are 5 different ways that you can get from the airport to the city without too much hassle. You’ll be in Trafalgar Square in no time! ;)

BY TRAIN

This is probably the most popular and fastest way to get from the airport to London. The Stansted Express is a special train designed to take flyers directly from the airport to London. It takes 36 mins to get to the underground station at Tottenham Hale, or a further 11 mins to go to London Liverpool Street station or 13 mins to London Stratford. From here, you can connect to any kind of train, tube or bus service to get to your hostel or hotel. For sure it is the fastest, most frequent and direct way to travel, although it can be costly if you buy on the day tickets can cost up to £17, but if you book in advance it can be only £7! Luckily, the train station is only a 2-minute work from the terminal, so you won’t have to carry your suitcases very far!

NATIONAL EXPRESS COACH

You can easily get a coach or bus if you don’t fancy the train to east, west and central London. The National Express company has coaches that run throughout the day between the airport and London, to various locations such as London Victoria Coach station or Paddington Train station, Stratford or London Liverpool Street station. The coaches vary in frequency, from up to every 15 minutes to up to every 30 mins, so you won’t have long to wait for your ride! Tickets can be bought online in advance to save money. For extra £5 you can buy a flexible ticket, meaning you can board any coach either 12 hours before or after your original departure time, or cancel your ticket up to 24 hours in advance so no worries if your plane is late coming in or you have a change of plans! This is definitely a cheaper option than the train, with tickets starting from £5 one way if you book in advance!

AIRPORT BUS EXPRESS

Another option is the Airport Bus Express, another specific airport coach service that is super flexible with their tickets. All their coaches go to central London, so just buy a ticket online before or when you arrive at the airport, and it can be used at any time by anyone! If there are more passengers than coaches, then the company will bring out more coaches, so you don’t have to worry about missing your coach or it being overcrowded!

BY TAXI

There are multiple taxi and private car companies that work out of Stansted airport, which can both be booked in advance or found on the day. There are many taxi kiosks right inside the airport terminal, so you can book your taxi within the comfort of the airport. Most companies let you book well in advance, offering a 24/7 reservation desk, and offer a range of different cars and people movers to suit your group size. Of course, this option means you can be taken straight to your hostel or hotel door, but it can be costly! However, if you arrive in the middle of the night, or need to get somewhere fast, this can be the perfect option.

BY CAR

If you're lucky enough to have someone picking you up, or if you want to rent a car (remember to drive on the left!!) then the fastest route to get to London is to take the M11 motorway southbound and when you reach the M25 you can head in a circular route around the city, or continue heading into the center. Be warned though, the M25 is known to Londoners as the ‘World's biggest Carpark’, so you can expect some queues!

Need to find a hostel or hotel for when you arrive in London? Not convinced a hostel will be what you want? Take a look at our article on the top 7 hostels in London and we will convince you! Take a look at our huge range of accommodation in the capital city!