Stansted Airport sits right by the M11 motorway, around 64 kilometres (40 miles) from central London. There are three realistic ways to get from Stansted to London: the Stansted Express train to Tottenham Hale and Liverpool Street, the cheap National Express coaches, which run around the clock to stops including Stratford, Liverpool Street, Paddington and Victoria, and a taxi or Uber, which gets expensive on such a long journey.
Planning a last minute trip to London? 🇬🇧
Here are my favourite places to stay & things to do in the British capital.
🛌 Places to Stay:
1. The Savoy is one of the city's best and most well-known luxury hotels
2. Sea Containers and Canopy by Hilton are both incredible hotels, but the price isn't too bad
3. Park Plaza Westminster Bridge is a good, family-friendly hotel near the London Eye
4. Zedwell Piccadilly Circus is a cheap, no-thrills hotel in the heart of London
🎟️ Top Activities & Tours:
1. Visit the impressive Harry Potter Studios (remember to book tickets well in advance, as they always sell out)
2. Experience a musical in the West End (see showtimes and buy tickets here)
3. Take a boat trip on the Thames and see London from the riverside
4. Visit the iconic London Eye and the impressive Tower of London
Which one you choose mostly depends on where you’re staying and when you land. The train is the fastest, but it doesn’t run in the middle of the night, and the coach is the cheapest, but it takes longer. Here you’ll find fares, journey times and stops, and how to get on to your hotel.
Contents
At a glance
- Stansted Express: From £9.90 if you book online well in advance, otherwise £21 off-peak with contactless, 48 minutes to Liverpool Street, runs from around 05:30 until 00:30.
- National Express: From £7 booked online, around 45 minutes to Stratford and 1 hour 15 minutes to Liverpool Street, runs around the clock.
- flibco: From £7.49, around 90 minutes to Liverpool Street, runs every half hour day and night.
- Taxi: No fixed fare, booked with the airport’s taxi company Street Cars in the arrivals hall, and the price is agreed when you book.
- Uber: Typically £85 to £90 for a standard UberX between the airport and London.
Finding your transport at the airport
Everything is close together at the terminal building. The railway station is directly below the terminal, and you’ll be there in a couple of minutes by escalator, lift or ramp. Follow the signs for trains once you’re out in the arrivals hall. Down at the station you’ll find the ticket machines and a staffed rail information desk, where you can also buy a ticket.
The coach station is opposite the terminal’s main entrance, also a couple of minutes’ walk away. There’s a waiting room, a café, a shop and toilets. National Express has desks and touchscreen ticket machines both in baggage reclaim and in the arrivals hall, and the coaches stop at bays signed with the route number. If you want a taxi, you book it at the Street Cars desk in the international arrivals hall. Uber picks up in the Short Stay car park, and the app shows you the way. You can see all the options on the airport’s page about getting to London.
1. Stansted Express to Tottenham Hale and Liverpool Street
The Stansted Express is the fastest way into London. The train runs from the station below the terminal to Tottenham Hale in north-east London in around 36 minutes and on to the end of the line at Liverpool Street in 48 minutes. Liverpool Street is in the City of London, and from here you can reach most of the city on the Underground and the Elizabeth line. I almost always take the train myself, because it’s the most comfortable way into the city.
During the day there’s a train every 15 minutes, seven days a week. The first train from the airport leaves between 05:28 and 05:55 depending on the day of the week, and the last one leaves at 00:30. So if you land after midnight, it’s the coach or a taxi. The train doesn’t go directly to Stratford: if you’re heading there, you change at Tottenham Hale, and the journey then takes around an hour. You’ll find the timetable and live departures on the Stansted Express website.
The biggest trap is the Oyster card. It isn’t valid to or from Stansted Airport, so you’ll need either a ticket or to pay contactless. If you travel without a valid ticket, you can be charged a £100 penalty fare on top of the single fare.
Fares and tickets
The cheapest option is an Advance ticket, which is only sold online and costs from £9.90. You can buy it from three days to six months before you travel, but the cheapest tickets usually mean booking around three months ahead. Returns cost from £19.80, and a return ticket is valid for a month, so you can use it for the journey back. If there are two of you, a Duo ticket costs £18.75 per person each way.
Children aged 5 to 15 travel at half price, and children under 5 travel free. If there are three or four adults, the Group Offer gives you a return ticket for £75.80 for three people or £101 for four, but you have to travel together the whole way in both directions. If you have children on a group ticket, there must be at least two paying adults. You can buy tickets from the machines and at the information desk at the station, but buying on the day is usually more expensive than online. The tickets and conditions are listed on the Stansted Express website.
Buy your Stansted Express ticket here, so it’s ready on your phone when you land.
Pay by card: touch in and touch out
You can pay contactless with your bank card, Apple Pay or Google Pay on every Stansted Express train. Many cards issued outside the UK work too, but your bank may charge a fee for paying in a foreign currency. Touch your card on the reader before you board at the airport, and touch the same card on the reader again when you get off. You need to do this even if the gate is open.
To Liverpool Street the journey costs £21 off-peak and £23 at peak times, from 06:30 to 09:30 on weekdays. To Tottenham Hale it costs £19 and £22. If you forget to touch out, you’ll be charged the highest fare. Your phone and your physical card count as two different cards, so use the same one the whole way. There are no child fares with contactless, so you’ll need to buy a ticket for children. Read more about contactless payment on the Stansted Express.
Where to get off
Tottenham Hale: Get off here if you’re carrying on by the Victoria line, which runs directly to King’s Cross St. Pancras, Euston, Warren Street, Oxford Circus, Green Park and Victoria. It’s a good route to Bloomsbury, Oxford Street and Victoria, and according to the airport you’ll reach Victoria around 1 hour 15 minutes after leaving Stansted. From Tottenham Hale you can use your card or an Oyster card just as on the rest of the Underground.
Liverpool Street: The end of the line is in the City of London, just south of Shoreditch. Both are good areas to stay in, and my guide to where to stay in London helps you choose. If you’re staying here, you can walk to your hotel, and you can see hotels near Liverpool Street here. If you’re heading further into town, take the Elizabeth line to Farringdon, Tottenham Court Road, Bond Street and Paddington, or the Central, Circle, Hammersmith & City or Metropolitan line.
2. National Express coach to Stratford, Liverpool Street and Paddington
National Express runs coaches from Stansted to London around the clock, and it’s the cheapest option, especially if you book early. On the other hand, the journey takes longer than the train, and traffic can delay the coach at rush hour. There are three routes into London:
- A9: Stratford, Bow, Mile End, Whitechapel, Liverpool Street and Bethnal Green, with some departures also via Canary Wharf. Around 45 minutes to Stratford and 1 hour 15 minutes to Liverpool Street.
- A8: Tottenham Hale, Stamford Hill, Dalston, Shoreditch, Liverpool Street, Southwark, Waterloo and Victoria. Around 50 minutes to Tottenham Hale, 1 hour 25 minutes to Liverpool Street and just over two hours to Victoria Coach Station.
- A6: Golders Green, Finchley Road, St John’s Wood, Baker Street and Paddington, with some departures continuing to Victoria. Around 1 hour 35 minutes to Baker Street and 1 hour 40 minutes to Paddington.
The A9 runs up to every 20 minutes, and the A6 and A8 up to every half hour. At night the A9 still runs around every 20 minutes, and the A6 has night departures too, so you’ll get into town even if your flight is badly delayed. The journey times are from the daytime timetables. You can bring one large suitcase of up to 20 kg in the hold and one soft piece of hand luggage on board. You’ll find the timetables and stops on the National Express website.
Fares and tickets
A single costs from £7 when you buy online, as long as there are tickets left at that price. If you buy on the website without logging in, you pay a £1.50 booking fee, which you avoid by logging in to your profile (My Account) on the website or in the app. If there are four or more of you, National Express gives you 33 per cent off single tickets. You can pay with Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay. You’ll see the child fares when you choose passengers during booking.
If you haven’t bought a ticket in advance, you can buy one at the desks and machines in baggage reclaim and in the arrivals hall. The driver only sells tickets for cash and doesn’t always have change, and you’re only guaranteed a seat if you’ve booked in advance. Be at the bay at least ten minutes before departure.
If you’d rather have a coach ticket ready on your phone, you can buy a coach ticket between Stansted and London here. Check on the ticket which coach company and which stops it’s valid for.
Where to get off
Stratford: The A9 stops at Stratford City Bus Station, just outside the Westfield shopping centre. It’s the quickest stop from the airport, and from Stratford you can carry on by Underground. Get off here if you’re staying in Stratford or near the Olympic Park.
Shoreditch: The A8 stops at Shoreditch High Street Station, in the heart of the neighbourhood known for its nightlife, street art and Brick Lane. If you’re staying in Shoreditch, it’s the easiest stop by coach.
Liverpool Street: Both the A8 and the A9 stop on Bishopsgate by Liverpool Street Station. From here you can walk to hotels in the City of London and Shoreditch, or change to the Elizabeth line and the Underground.
Southwark: The A8 stops on Southwark Street in Bankside, south of the Thames. From here it’s a short walk to Tate Modern and Borough Market, and I’ve gathered more of the city’s highlights in my guide to things to do in London.
Waterloo and Victoria: The A8 continues to Waterloo and ends at Victoria Coach Station, but it’s a long ride, and for Victoria the train to Tottenham Hale and the Victoria line is usually quicker.
Baker Street and Paddington: The A6 is the only direct connection to west London. Paddington is right next to Bayswater and Hyde Park, where there are lots of hotels in every price range. If you’re staying there, you can see hotels in Paddington here.
3. flibco to Stratford and Liverpool Street
flibco is an alternative to National Express between Stansted, Stratford and Liverpool Street, and the company also runs to Finsbury Park among other stops. The coaches run every half hour day and night, and the journey to Liverpool Street takes around 90 minutes. A single costs from £7.49 for adults, children aged 4 to 13 pay from £4.99, and children under 4 travel free. One piece of hand luggage and one suitcase are included in the price.
You buy your ticket online or in the flibco app, and on board the driver only takes cards. Compare the price with National Express before you book, because the cheapest departure changes from day to day. If you want to see several coach companies at once, you can compare coach tickets on Omio here. See the timetable on the flibco website, and see all the coach companies on the airport’s page about buses and coaches.
4. Taxis and Uber
The airport’s official taxi company is Street Cars, and its desk is in the international arrivals hall. If you land on a domestic flight, there’s a free phone in baggage reclaim that rings the desk directly. You can also book a car in advance with Street Cars or through the airport’s taxi page, where you can compare quotes from several companies. There’s no fixed fare to London, so get the price confirmed when you book. Read more on the airport’s taxi page.
Uber picks up in the Short Stay car park, and the app shows the exact spot. According to Uber, a standard UberX between London and the airport has typically cost £85 to £90, and the larger cars cost more. It’s a long journey, so a taxi or Uber only pays off if there are several of you, you have lots of luggage or you land at a time when you don’t feel like changing on the way. According to Stansted Express, the journey by car can take up to an hour.
Private transfer
If you’re landing late with children, or there are several of you with lots of luggage, you can book a private transfer from Stansted Airport here. The car takes you straight to your hotel in central London, and the price is agreed in advance. You can also book a transfer with Welcome Pickups here.
Onward travel around England straight from the airport
If you’re not heading into London, there are direct trains and coaches from Stansted to several other cities. CrossCountry runs trains from the airport station to Cambridge, Leicester and Birmingham, but you can’t pay contactless on its trains, so buy your ticket from the machine or online. National Express also runs coaches from the coach station to Cambridge in around 40 minutes, as well as to Oxford and Birmingham, among other places. You can see the trains on the airport’s page about the railway station, and you can compare train and coach fares to other cities on Omio.
If you need to get to one of London’s other airports, National Express runs directly to Heathrow around once an hour in about 1 hour 30 minutes, and to Gatwick and Luton every two hours. The details are on the airport’s page about travelling between airports. I’ve also written guides to getting from Heathrow to central London, from Gatwick to central London and from Luton to central London.
Getting back to the airport
The airport recommends that you’re through security with your boarding pass at least two hours before departure, and the train from Liverpool Street takes 48 minutes. The last Stansted Express train from Liverpool Street leaves at 23:21, and the first trains in the morning leave as early as around 03:40 to 04:40, depending on the day of the week. Check the timetable for your day before you plan. Remember that contactless fares from London on weekdays also have peak prices in the afternoon, from 16:00 to 19:00.
If you’re catching a very early flight, the coaches run all night. The A9 leaves Stratford around every 20 minutes, and there are departures from Liverpool Street through the night too, while the A6 runs from Paddington all night. The coach arrives at the coach station opposite the terminal.
If someone’s driving you, drop-off is free in the Mid Stay car park, where a free shuttle bus takes you to the terminal in a few minutes. Dropping off closer to the terminal costs a fee, which you have to pay online or by phone by midnight the following day, otherwise there’s a £100 penalty charge. Cash isn’t accepted. The rules are on the airport’s page about drop-off and pick-up.
Which option should you choose?
Here’s what I’d recommend, depending on where you’re staying:
Soho and Covent Garden: Take the Stansted Express to Liverpool Street and the Elizabeth line on to Tottenham Court Road. That puts you right in the West End.
Paddington and Bayswater: If you want to save money, the A6 coach runs directly to Paddington. If you want to get there faster, take the train to Liverpool Street and the Elizabeth line to Paddington.
Bloomsbury: Take the train to Tottenham Hale and the Victoria line to King’s Cross St. Pancras or Warren Street.
Camden Town: Take the train to Tottenham Hale and the Victoria line to Euston, then change there to the Northern line towards Camden Town.
Shoreditch and the City of London: Take the Stansted Express to Liverpool Street and walk the last bit. By coach, the A8 to Shoreditch High Street or Liverpool Street is the cheapest option.
Bankside: The A8 coach stops on Southwark Street. By train, you change at Liverpool Street.
Mayfair: Take the train to Liverpool Street and the Elizabeth line to Bond Street, or the train to Tottenham Hale and the Victoria line to Green Park.
Arriving overnight: After the last train at 00:30, it’s the A9 coach to Stratford and Liverpool Street, the A6 to Paddington or a taxi.
Three or four of you: Buy the Stansted Express Group Offer. It’s far cheaper than a taxi, and you’ll get there faster than by coach.
Practical tips for getting from Stansted Airport to central London
Book the train early. The cheapest Advance tickets for the Stansted Express are only sold online, and the price is lowest if you book around three months ahead.
Leave your Oyster card out of the airport journey. It isn’t valid to or from Stansted. Use your bank card contactless or a ticket, and touch in and out with the same card. You can read what happens if you only touch in or only touch out on the Transport for London website.
Buy tickets for the children. Contactless always charges the adult fare, while children aged 5 to 15 travel at half price with a ticket, and children under 5 travel free.
Book the coach if you’re landing late. With a ticket bought in advance, you’re guaranteed a seat, and at night the coach is the only public transport into London.
Choose your hotel with the connection in mind. If you stay near Liverpool Street, both the train and two of the coach routes take you right to the door, and you can see hotels near Liverpool Street here. If you’d like to stay in west London, the A6 runs directly to Paddington, and you can see hotels in Paddington here. If you stay in Stratford, you’re only around 45 minutes from the airport on the A9, and you can see hotels in Stratford here.
If you’re not sure which neighbourhood suits you, read my guide to where to stay in London, and find ideas for your trip in my guide to things to do in London.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
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