Stansted Airport is one of the 6 major airports in London, and the third busiest (after Heathrow and Gatwick). It’s also one of the furthest away from London proper, so it pays to know your transportation options. This guide will give you all the information you need. (Handy tip: use the very detailed table of content to jump to the information you’re looking for.)
At a glance...
- 1 How to get to London from Stansted Airport: a quick summary
- 2 How to get from Stansted Airport to London by train: the Stansted Express
- 2.1 How much does the Stansted Express cost?
- 2.2 Where do you buy Stansted Express tickets?
- 2.3 How long does the Stansted Express take to get to London?
- 2.4 Where in London does the Stansted Express get you?
- 2.5 How to get from the Stansted terminal to Stansted Airport train station
- 2.6 Can you use an Oyster card to travel to and from Stansted Airport?
- 2.7 Can you use local train services travel to and from Stansted Airport?
- 3 How to get to London from Stansted Airport by coach
- 4 Getting from Stansted Airport to London: a price comparison table (train/ coach)
- 5 Other transports options to get to London from Stansted Airport
- 6 How to get from Stansted Airport to other London Airports
- 7 How to get from Stansted Airport to everywhere else
- 8 Stansted Airport: quick answers to some questions
- 8.1 How far is Stansted Airport from London?
- 8.2 Can you take the tube to Stansted Airport?
- 8.3 Is it better to fly into Stansted, or fly into Heathrow?
- 8.4 Is it better to fly into Stansted, or fly into Gatwick?
- 8.5 How many terminals does Stantead Airport have?
- 8.6 Is Stansted Airport Ryanair only?
- 8.7 Is Stansted Airport Easy to navigate?
How to get to London from Stansted Airport: a quick summary
There are three main ways to get to London from Stansted Airport (and vice versa)
- Train (the Stansted Express)
- Coaches
- Taxis | Uber
Here’s a quick summary of how the options compare:
- The fastest way to get from Stansted Airport to London is the Stansted Express, although a National Express coach to Stratford is a close contender (50 to 55 minutes).
- The cheapest way to get from Stansted Airport to London is to travel by coach.
- The most flexible way from Stansted Airport to London is by taxi or Uber.
And here’s a quick link to the 5 sites you’ll probably find the most useful to look at:
Stansted Airport | Stansted Express | National Express | Airport Bus Express | The Trainline
Now that we have that out of the way, here’s the detailed lowdown.

How to get from Stansted Airport to London by train: the Stansted Express
Like Gatwick Airport and Heathrow Airport, Stansted Airport has a special train service that links the airport to central London: the Stansted Express.
Unlike the Gatwick Express or the Heathrow express, it stops at several stations on the way. Having said that, it’s still the fastest and easiest way to get to London. It’s also the most expensive of the public transport options. (This may or may not matter to you, of course.)
Stansted Express trains go to and from London Liverpool Street, in the City. If your final destination is not in The City, and you need to take the Tube, Liverpool Street tube station is on the Central, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines, as well as on the Overground and the Elizabeth Line. So that covers plenty of destinations in London.
If you want an overview of how to get around London, I have a nifty article called: “How to get around London” that you might find useful.
How much does the Stansted Express cost?
From about £10 to about £22, depending on how early you buy your ticket.
Where do you buy Stansted Express tickets?
When it comes to buying Stansted Express tickets, you have a few options:
- Online on the Stansted Express website. Handy tip: you can choose to display the site in 5 additional languages besides English; look for the little flag icon in the top right-hand corner. Available languages are German, Spanish, French, Italian and Polish.
- Online on the Greater Anglia website
- On The Trainline website. This allows you an ever greater choice of languages than the Stansted Express site, and you can also choose from a selection of currencies, and mix and match the two, should you want to. You might also be able to get cash back. (In the UK, The Trainline is a participant in both Top Cash Back and Quidco.)
- And you can also buy tickets from ticket machines in the train station on the day
How long does the Stansted Express take to get to London?
Under an hour (about 50 minutes).
Where in London does the Stansted Express get you?
Liverpool Street train and tube station
How to get from the Stansted terminal to Stansted Airport train station
Stansted train station is very conveniently located right below Stansted Airport, so getting from the terminal to the train is only a few minutes’ walk – well, in theory. If you’re travelling from London to Stansted Airport, it’s best to allow plenty of time, because the trains to Stansted are more often than not very busy and there are usually bottlenecks and long queues for the escalators.

Before it gets to London, the Stansted Express also stops at Bishop’s Stortford and Harlow Town. The first stop within London is Tottenham Hale, in North London, which is on the Victoria Line.
The first train is at 5:30 am and the last one at 0:30. You can download the timetable, too.
And you can check live departures here.
You can find information about the facilities at Stansted Airport train station on the Greater Anglia website; there’s a map on that page, too.
Stansted Airport Train Station practical information
Address: Under the Airport Terminal, Bassingbourn Road, Stansted, Essex, CM24 1QW
Station facilities: click here to see detailed station information.
Can you use an Oyster card to travel to and from Stansted Airport?
No, if you have an Oyster card, you can’t use it to pay for getting to or from Stansted Airport. The last stop of Oyster validity on that route is Tottenham Hale in north London. Between Stansted Airport and Tottenham Hale, you’ll need a train ticket.
If you’re hoping to save money on the train fare that way, know that a train ticket between Stansted Airport and Tottenham Hale is only £1 cheaper (at most! Sometimes it’s only 20 pence cheaper…) than a train ticket between Stansted Airport and Liverpool Street.
Can you use local train services travel to and from Stansted Airport?
Between Stansted and London, the Stansted Express is basically is the local service.
If you’re travelling to destinations other than London, there are direct trains to Cambridge, Norwich and Birmingham – see below.
How to get to London from Stansted Airport by coach
Where is the Stansted Airport bus and coach station?
You’ll find the Stansted Airport bus and coach station opposite the main entrance to the terminal; the way is clearly signposted.
Two coach companies link Stansted Airport to various areas of London:
- National Express, with two main drop-off points: London Victoria coach station and Stratford Bus Station. National Express coaches also serve several stops all over London on the way to these 2 main drop-off points.
- Airport Bus Express, which mainly serves Stratford.
You can buy tickets directly from either companies, and you can also buy tickets from 4 additional portals:
- Megabus https://uk.megabus.com/ https://www.topcashback.co.uk/share/emma_d/megabus
- EasyBus https://www.easybus.com/
- Terravision https://www.terravision.eu/
- Looking4transfers https://airporttransfers.stanstedairport.com/uk

National Express coaches from Stansted Airport to London
How much does it cost?
To London Victoria: from £11 to £16.
To Stratford: from £7 to £16.
Add a £1 booking fee, unless you have a (free) account.
(These are just indicative figures, because price can vary depending on whether you choose a flexible option or not, and what time of day you travel.)
How long does it take?
Around 50 to 55 minutes to Stratford, 1h45 to Victoria;
Where in London does it get you?
London Victoria Coach station or Stratford bus station. Some services also go to Liverpool Street.
There are also stops along the way, for example in Central, North and East London such as Baker Street, St John’s Wood, Golders Green, Shoreditch, Miles End, Whitechapel and Bethnal Green (please check website for the complete list).

Where do you buy tickets?
- Online on the National Express website
- At self service kiosks in the arrivals area at Stansted airport
- From the driver/ National Express agents, although pre-booked passengers will of course have priority boarding.
- From one of the other coach operators described below.
How frequent are the coaches?
There are 3 coaches per hour round the clock
Useful links
Handy tip
You can change the site language, look for the little flag icon. Languages available besides English are German, Spanish, French, Italian and Polish.
Airport Bus Express from Stansted Airport to London (mainly Stratford)
How much does it cost?
From £8 to £15, depending on how early you book. There’s no mention of a booking fee.
How long does it take?
Around 55 minutes to Stratford
Where in London does it get you?
Stratford bus station, with a smattering of services to Liverpool Street (mostly in the dead hours of the night).
Where do you buy tickets?
- Online on the Airport Bus Express website
- From one of the other coach operators described below.
- At self-service kiosks in the arrivals area at Stansted airport
How frequent are the coaches?
2 per hour, every half hour, round the clock
Useful links
Handy tip
You can change the site language, look for the little flag icon. Only English and Italian are available, though.
Buying coach tickets from Stansted Airport to London from other operators
You can also buy tickets from 3 more coach companies: EasyBus, Megabus, and Terravision. These 3 companies use either National Express or Airport Bus Express coaches, but they have their own pricing structure.
EasyBus
As mentioned above, EasyBus does not actually run their own busses from Stansted Airport to London. Instead, the EasyBus website is a portal to the fares offered by National Express, Megabus and the Stansted Express.
Megabus
Megabus uses Airport Bus Express coaches, but – like Easy Bus – have their own fare structure. They offer discounts if you have a Totum card (student card).
Terravision
Terravision is an Italian coach operator that runs airport transfers all over Europe, plus England. They operate in partnership with National Express, and they, too, have their own pricing structure.
Looking4transfers
Looking4transfers is basically an interface to National Express prices and times, so there’s very little to say about them.
Getting from Stansted Airport to London: a price comparison table (train/ coach)
- All comparisons made to Liverpool Street, Straftford or Victoria (Victoria Coach Station). Please check the exact price, this table is only intended to give you a general idea of what you might expect to pay.
- Offers available for the Standed Express might sometimes make the train more attractive than booking a coach, especially for groups.
- The earlier the booking, the cheaper the price (usually)
- Prices captured July 2023.
- Do check booking fees which might push the price up slightly
Service | one day ahead | one week ahead | one month ahead | Further ahead |
---|---|---|---|---|
Stansted Express (Liverpool Street) | £21.90 | £21.90 | £14.50 | 2 months ahead is £12.50; 3 months ahead is £9.90, and this is the cheapest fare |
National Express (Victoria) | £17 | £13 | £12 | £12 seems to be the cheapest it gets to, unless you go to Stratford (£7) |
Airport Bus Express (Stratford) | £14 (same day is £15) | £13 | £8 | £8 |
EasyBus | £12 (Stratford) /£13 (Victoria) | £11 (Stratford) /£12 (Victoria) | £8 (Stratford) or £12 (Victoria) | £8 (Stratford) or £12 (Victoria) |
Megabus | £14 | £10 | £7 | £7 |
Terravision | £12 (Stratford) or £13 (Victoria) |
And a quick summary: the cheapest tickets to get to London from Stansted Airport are:
- Cheapest one day ahead: EasyBus or Terravision
- Cheapest one week ahead: Megabus
- Cheapest one month ahead: Megabus again
- Cheapest beyond one month ahead: Megabus yet again
Other transports options to get to London from Stansted Airport
Stantead Airport to London by taxi
Stansted Airport allows you to book a taxi in advance, and you can also reserve on arrival; look for the Street Car Taxis reservation desk.
How much does it cost? When booking online, a car (1 to 4 people) is £166, and so is a wheelchair accessible mini-van. A mini bus (1 to 8 people) is £236 [prices checked July 2023]
How long does it take? About as long as the coach journey, so around one hour at least, and then it’ll depend on where in London you’re going, and what the traffic is like.
Where in London does it get you? Anywhere you want
Stantead Airport to London by Uber
Can you get Uber from Stansted airport to London? Sure you can. You can even reserve in advance.
How much does it cost? About £40, or so the internet tells me.[check – ask reddit]
How long does it take? Same as with a taxi, so see above
Where in London does it get you? Anywhere you want.
How to get from Stansted Airport to other London Airports
You’ll find below an overview of the options for getting from Stansted Airport to other London airports by public transport. However, it’s worth mentioning the option of a taxi transfer. Stansted Airport links to Street Cars Taxi, their on-airport provider, on their website. You can book in advance or on the day at the reservation desk. Alternatively, a quick Google search will bring up dozens of companies offering that service.
Now unto the public transport options.
How to get from Stansted Airport to Heathrow Airport
If you need to get from Stansted Airport to Heathrow Airport, you have three options:
Option one: National Express coach
Depending on what time you travel, you can take the National Express direct coach (it’s number 727) from Stansted to London Heathrow. The coach goes to first to Heathrow Airport Bus Station (for Terminals 1, 2, 3 &4) and then to the Terminal 5 Arrivals forecourt.
The fastest journey is scheduled to take about 90 minutes, but quite a few journeys are longer than that (up to two hours). There’s also a non-direct route that goes via central London (change at Victoria Coach Station).
The price from Stansted to Heathrow depends on what time you’re travelling, whether you travel on the direct route, and how far in advance you buy your tickets, and ranges from around £44 to around £16/£18.
Where to buy tickets: on the National Express website.
Option two: take the Elizabeth Line from Stratford or Liverpool Street
The second option is to go to Stratford or Liverpool Street, one way or the other, and then take the Elizabeth line to Heathrow Airport. This takes you to terminal 2 & 3, and you can make your way to the other terminals from there.
Not familiar with the Elizabeth Line? I’ve got a nifty article that will tell you all about it: “Is the Elizabeth Line a tube line?“
Where to buy tickets from Stratford/ Liverpool Street: from ticket machines on the day, or simply use contactless with your credit card or your phone. If you have an Oyster card (with enough money on it!), you can also use that.
Option three: take the Elizabeth Line from Stratford or Liverpool Street
The third option is to make your way to Paddington and take the Heathrow Express. To get to Paddington from either Stratford or Liverpool Street, the fastest way is to take the Elizabeth Line.
Where to buy Heathrow Express tickets: on the Heathrow Express website.
How to get from Stansted Airport to Gatwick Airport
If you need to get from Stansted Airport to Gatwick Airport, you have two options.
Option one: National Express coach
You can take a National Express from Stansted to Gatwick, but most trips are not direct. You’ll have to change, either at Victoria Coach Station or at Heathrow.
Where to buy tickets: on the National Express website.
Option two: Stansted to London Victoria, London Victoria to Gatwick
Option two involves getting to London Victoria and taking the train to Gatwick, either the dedicated Gatwick Express or the normal commuter trains.
Where to buy tickets from Victoria to Gatwick:
Gatwick Express: on the Gatwick Express website.
Commuter trains: on the Southern website or from ticket machines in Victoria station on the day.
How to get from Stansted Airport to Luton Airport
If you need to get from Stansted Airport to Luton Airport, you have 2 options, one of which is not particularly practical.
Option one: National Express coach
National express runs regular coaches from Stansted Airport to Luton Airport. Some are direct, some aren’t and require you to change at Victoria coach station. The journey time for the direct route is about 1h30.
Where to buy tickets: on the National Express website.
Option two: via Farringdon
The second option is more of a hassle, because there’s no train station at Luton Airport, but for the sake of completeness, here goes:
First you need to get to Farringdon by taking the Elizabeth line from Stratford. Then, from Farringdon, take the train to Luton Airport Parkway. And finally, take either the DART (Direct Air Rail transit) or a bus for the final few minutes of the journey to Luton Airport.
Where to buy tickets: on the Thameslink website or go to the Trainline website.
If you like this post, maybe you’d like to subscribe to the newsletter, for updates, exclusive content and the occasional special offer? I will never spam you or sell your data, I promise. Here’s my privacy policy.
How to get from Stansted Airport to everywhere else
Stansted airport to the Stansted local area
If you need to get to places like Stansted Mountfitchet, Bishop’s Stortford or Saffron Walden, local buses will take you there. Follow the signs for the bus/ coach station. The services are operated by First Bus Essex. Click here for an overview of their route maps. Click here to plan a specific journey. You can buy tickets using either cash or contactless.
Stansted airport to the rest of the UK
There are direct trains from Stansted Airport to Cambridge, Norwich and beyond. Services are run by Greater Anglia and Cross Country Trains, and you can buy tickets on their website, or on The Trainline website.
You can check routes and timetables on the National Rail website.
And you can also check live departures and arrivals from Stansted train station.
Stansted Airport: quick answers to some questions
How far is Stansted Airport from London?
About 36 miles, or about 58 kilometers [source: Google Maps].
Can you take the tube to Stansted Airport?
No.
Is it better to fly into Stansted, or fly into Heathrow?
There’s no easy answer to that, but Heathrow is better connected, with the Heathrow Express, the Tube and the Elizabeth line. The Heathrow Express gets you to Paddington; the Tube and the Elizabeth line go through West and central London.
Is it better to fly into Stansted, or fly into Gatwick?
Again no easy answer, but Gatwick has fast and regular rail service (the Gatwick Express, plus local services), plus these get you to London Victoria Station, which might make it easier to get to your hotel/Airbnb.
How many terminals does Stantead Airport have?
Just the one. It’s not a big airport.
Is Stansted Airport Ryanair only?

Only? No. Mostly? Yes. It’s very much a hub for low-cost airlines.
Yes, very. There’ only one terminal, and it’s not very big.