London's Airports, Heathrow (LHR) vs Gatwick (LGW): Where to Land and How to Get Into Town

London's airports: start here

Search for flights to London and several airports can show up under the same city name. This post focuses on Heathrow (LHR) and Gatwick (LGW), and also covers Stansted, which the guide lists too.

Each airport has its own rail links and arrival stations. Heathrow has the Elizabeth line and the Piccadilly line (Tube), Gatwick has Gatwick Express and Thameslink, and Stansted has the Stansted Express.

So before you book, check which airport is on your ticket. It changes how you get to your hotel and what you pay to get there.

• Full London travel guide →
• Incheon → London (Heathrow) flights →

Heathrow (LHR): Elizabeth line vs Piccadilly line

The Elizabeth line runs from Heathrow to Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and beyond in one ride. At ~30-45 min and about £14, it is the best balance of speed and price.

The Piccadilly line (Tube) is the cheapest option at about £5-6, running straight to Covent Garden and Piccadilly Circus. It is slower, though, at ~50-60 min, and awkward with lots of luggage.

Travelling light and keeping costs down? Consider the Piccadilly line. Short on time or carrying a lot? Look at the Elizabeth line first.

Gatwick (LGW): Gatwick Express and Thameslink

From Gatwick there are two trains to know. Gatwick Express runs non-stop to Victoria, and Thameslink serves London Bridge and the City.

Journeys take ~30-45 min and cost about £12-22. Advance tickets can be cheaper, so once your dates are fixed, check train fares before you travel.

Pick the train by where you're staying: around Victoria, or towards London Bridge and the City.

Matching your arrival station to where you stay

If the airport train stops near your hotel, day one is much easier. From Heathrow, the Elizabeth line serves Paddington, Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road, and the Piccadilly line serves Covent Garden and Piccadilly Circus.

Covent Garden / Soho puts West End theaters and restaurants on your doorstep and suits first-timers and theater fans, but it is expensive and can be noisy at night. Bloomsbury / King's Cross is walkable to the British Museum, with many Tube lines.

Arriving at Gatwick, your first stop in town is Victoria (Gatwick Express) or London Bridge and the City (Thameslink); from Stansted it is Liverpool Street (Stansted Express). From there, change to the Tube for your hotel.

What to check when booking

First check whether your ticket says Heathrow (LHR), Gatwick (LGW) or another airport. For routes and schedules, check with the airline.

The cost of getting into town differs by airport too: at Heathrow about £5-6 on the Piccadilly line or about £14 on the Elizabeth line, at Gatwick about £12-22, and about £20 on the Stansted Express. Weigh this against the difference in airfare.

From Stansted, the Stansted Express takes ~50 min to Liverpool Street; coaches are cheaper but slower. If you arrive at one airport and leave from another, double-check the day before which airport your return flight uses.

At a glance

Choose by the arrival station nearest your hotel, how much luggage you have and your budget. All times and fares are approximate.

• Heathrow, Elizabeth line: Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and beyond; ~30-45 min; about £14; best balance of speed and price
• Heathrow, Piccadilly line (Tube): Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus; ~50-60 min; about £5-6; cheapest but awkward with lots of luggage
• Gatwick Express: non-stop to Victoria; ~30-45 min; about £12-22 (same range as Thameslink)
• Gatwick, Thameslink: London Bridge and the City; advance tickets can be cheaper
• Stansted Express: Liverpool Street in ~50 min; about £20; coaches are cheaper but slower

Your first day: a few essentials

London's public transport does not accept cash. Tap a contactless card or phone at the Tube gates, and daily and weekly fare caps apply automatically. Tap in and out with the same card. If you don't have contactless, buy and top up an Oyster card at a station; the same fare caps apply.

If you have time on arrival day, walk the river from Westminster along the South Bank to Tower Bridge. It passes most of the major sights.

• Bring a card with low foreign transaction fees (London is largely card-based)
• Red double-decker buses take no cash either, and bus-to-bus transfers within 1 hour are free
• Watch out for pickpockets and phone snatching on crowded trains and around sights
• Stand on the right on escalators and leave the left side free
• The UK uses 230V and Type G (three-pin) plugs, so bring an adapter
• Check entry requirements (including the UK ETA) with official UK government sources

• Full London travel guide →
• London 4 nights, 5 days route →
• How to choose an airport transfer →

FAQ

Related reading

Itinerary · United KingdomHow Many Days in London? A 4-Night, 5-Day Route and Getting AroundLondon suits 4 to 5 nights. A day-by-day route from Heathrow to Westminster, the British…ComparisonAirport to City: Train, Bus, Taxi or Transfer? A Practical ComparisonCompare the five ways to get from the airport into town, with tips for late-night…Comparison · United KingdomChoosing Your First European City: London, Paris, Rome, Madrid or Barcelona?First trip to Europe — where should you start? We compare London, Paris, Rome, Madrid…

All articles →