London Airport Transfers — From £40

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At a glance

Airports

Heathrow (LHR), Gatwick (LGW), Stansted (STN), Luton (LTN), London City (LCY)

Distance to center

Heathrow to central London is 24 km (15 mi), Gatwick is 45 km (28 mi), Stansted is 63 km (39 mi)

Transfer prices

£40–90 from Heathrow, £60–120 from Gatwick, £80–150 from Stansted

Currency

GBP (£)

Taxi and Uber overview

London black cabs are metered and honest, but expensive — £60–100+ from Heathrow. For a detailed comparison of pre-booked transfer services, see our side-by-side comparison of all 4 platforms for London.

Public transport from the airport

Heathrow Express (15 min to Paddington, £25), Piccadilly Line (60 min, £5.50), Gatwick Express (30 min to Victoria, £20). All excellent but impractical with heavy luggage or late at night.

Getting to the city by train

From Heathrow: The Elizabeth Line runs every 5–10 minutes to Paddington, Liverpool Street, and beyond — £12.80 with Oyster, taking around 40 minutes. The Heathrow Express is faster (15 minutes to Paddington) but costs £25. The Piccadilly Line is cheapest at £5.50 but takes 50–60 minutes and is impractical with heavy luggage.

From Gatwick: The Gatwick Express runs every 15 minutes to Victoria (30 minutes, £20 advance). Thameslink trains go to London Bridge, St Pancras, and Luton — often cheaper and nearly as fast.

From Stansted: The Stansted Express to Liverpool Street takes 47 minutes (£20 advance). National Express coaches are half the price but take 60–90 minutes.

From Luton: Take the shuttle bus to Luton Airport Parkway station, then a Thameslink train to St Pancras (25 minutes, ~£16). The shuttle adds 10 minutes.

From London City: The DLR connects directly to Bank, Canary Wharf, and Woolwich — £3.50 with Oyster, just 20 minutes to Bank.

Bus and shuttle options

National Express operates coaches from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, and Luton to Victoria Coach Station and other London stops. Prices start from £6–10 if booked in advance but journey times are longer (60–120 minutes depending on traffic).

Night buses: The N9 runs from Heathrow to central London 24 hours. Night buses from Gatwick (N1/N23) and Stansted are limited — this is where pre-booked transfers offer the most value.

Shared shuttles: Several companies offer door-to-door shared minibus services from all London airports. Cheaper than private transfers but with multiple stops. intui.travel lists shared options from £25 per person from Heathrow.

Terminal-by-terminal guide

Heathrow: Five terminals spread across a huge campus. T2 and T3 are close together; T4 and T5 are separate. If booking a transfer, always confirm your terminal and share your flight number — switching between terminals takes 15–20 minutes by free shuttle.

Gatwick: Two terminals (North and South) connected by a shuttle train. Most budget airlines use North Terminal. Transfer drivers usually meet at the Arrivals hall of your terminal — check your confirmation for the exact meeting point.

Stansted: Single terminal, straightforward. The meeting point for most pre-booked transfers is in the main Arrivals hall near Costa Coffee.

Money-saving tips for London airports

Get an Oyster card or use contactless: TfL's daily cap means you'll never pay more than £7.70 on buses or £13.90 on tubes/trains within Zone 1–6, which covers Heathrow. Buy an Oyster at any station or just tap your bank card.

Book trains in advance: Heathrow Express and Gatwick Express are 30–50% cheaper when booked 2+ days ahead. The Elizabeth Line uses Oyster pricing so no advance booking needed.

Off-peak arrivals: If you land between 9:30am and 4pm or after 7pm on weekdays, Oyster fares drop significantly. Weekend fares are off-peak all day.

Groups of 3+: A pre-booked transfer is almost always cheaper than individual train tickets plus onward taxis. A sedan from Heathrow for 3 people (£50) works out at £17 per person — cheaper than Heathrow Express at £25 each.

Heathrow Express vs Elizabeth Line: the real cost comparison

The Heathrow Express (£25, 15 min to Paddington) markets itself as the premium option, but the Elizabeth Line (£12.80, 40 min to central London) has changed the calculus. The Elizabeth Line goes to more destinations (Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Liverpool Street, Canary Wharf) without requiring a second ticket. For two travelers, a pre-booked transfer (£45–65 total) beats two Heathrow Express tickets (£50) and goes door-to-door. The Express only wins for solo travelers rushing to Paddington specifically.

Five airports, five different experiences

London's five airports vary enormously in transfer quality. Heathrow and Gatwick have well-organized taxi ranks and excellent rail links. Stansted and Luton are further out (50–60 km) with higher transfer costs and fewer options. London City is tiny and close to Canary Wharf but poorly connected by rail. When comparing transfer prices, note that a Stansted-to-central-London transfer costs nearly double a Heathrow one — factor this into your flight booking decision.

Transfer service prices from London airport

Service	Price range	Standout feature	Book
Welcome Pickups	—	In-terminal meet-and-greet, free child seats	Check price →
Kiwitaxi	—	Wide vehicle selection, transparent pricing	Check price →
GetTransfer	—	Bidding system — often cheapest	Check price →
intui.travel	—	Shared transfers, budget groups	Check price →

Prices for a sedan (up to 3 passengers). GetTransfer prices are typical winning bids. See our full comparison for London for detailed pricing by route.

Local travel nuances

Currency: GBP (£). ATMs are available in all airport terminals.

Language: English Having your hotel address saved on your phone (screenshot or Google Maps pin) is always helpful for drivers.

Tipping: Not expected for transfers, but rounding up to the nearest £5 is appreciated for good service.

Safety: London is very safe. Use only licensed black cabs or pre-booked services. Never accept rides from touts at the airport.

SIM / connectivity: UK SIM cards available at airport shops (Three, EE, Vodafone). Prices start at £10 for 10GB data. Free Wi-Fi available throughout Heathrow.

Tips for London airport transfers

Tip 1: Heathrow has 5 terminals spread far apart — confirm your terminal before booking and share your flight number so the driver can track it.

Tip 2: Gatwick and Stansted are far from central London — pre-booking saves significant money vs metered taxis on these long routes.

Tip 3: Night transfers (before 6am or after 11pm) are 20–30% more on most platforms. Book early to lock in the day rate if possible.

Tip 4: London's congestion charge (£15/day) and ULEZ (£12.50/day) apply to most transfer vehicles — this is usually included in pre-booked prices but NOT in taxi meters.

Frequently asked questions

The Heathrow Express to Paddington takes just 15 minutes and costs £25 (or £5.50 with advance booking). The Elizabeth Line takes about 40 minutes but costs only £12.80 and goes to more destinations including Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf.

After the last Gatwick Express (around midnight), your options are a pre-booked transfer (£60–90), an Uber (£50–80 with likely surge pricing), or the night bus N23 to central London (£1.75, but takes 2+ hours). Pre-booked transfers are the most reliable late-night option.

Yes for most travelers. The Elizabeth Line is faster (40 vs 55 minutes), more spacious, has luggage space, and stops at major stations including Paddington, Bond Street, and Liverpool Street. It costs £12.80 vs £5.50 for the Piccadilly Line, but the comfort difference is significant, especially with luggage.

Yes — Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted all have Excess Baggage Company counters in terminals. Prices start around £10/day for standard luggage. Useful if you have a long layover or early arrival before hotel check-in.

The congestion charge is £15/day for driving into central London (Mon–Sat, 7am–6pm). Plus ULEZ at £12.50/day for older vehicles. Pre-booked transfer prices always include these charges. Metered taxi fares do NOT include them — so the meter total may not be the final price.