The excitement should start the minute you shut the front door behind you, but sadly that holiday buzz can be killed by the often long and pricey schlep to the airport. So how can you avoid wasting money and losing your rag en route? Just follow our low-cost guide on how to save cash on London airport transfers and get from city cintre to the big five on a budget.
How to save cash on London airport transfers:
Start planning your next trip now:
The cheapest ways to get to Heathrow

TRAIN: The speediest, if not the cheapest, option is the Heathrow Express from Paddington, which takes 15-27 minutes depending on the terminal. Or hop on the half-hourly TFL Rail (previously Heathrow Connect) service from Paddington, which takes 31-49 minutes.
COACH: You’ll get change from a tenner – and a break from heaving heavy luggage – on a National Express coach, which picks up at Victoria and takes around 50 minutes.
BUS: Hardened penny pinchers could get three buses from Victoria, but it’ll take your journey to over two hours. London buses went cashless in 2014 so you’ll need your Oyster or contactless card (don’t worry, multiple journeys a day are capped at £5.25). If you land in the early hours, the N9 night bus to Trafalgar Square departs from Terminal 5 and the Bus Station (Terminals 2 & 3).
- Heathrow Express: from £25 single (booked within 14 days of travel), from £5.50 single (booked in advance)
- TFL Rail: from £10.80 single
- Tube: from £3.10 single (Oyster/contactless card)
- National Express: from £5.20 single
- Bus: from £1.75
How to save money on London airport transfers to Gatwick

TRAIN: The Gatwick Express from Victoria, which takes half an hour and leaves every 15 minutes, is the direct route. It’s cheaper to book online and if you’re travelling with one or more people you can save by booking a WebDuo or group ticket.
Thameslink trains from London Bridge and St Pancras take 30-45 minutes and shave a couple of quid off the cost, while Southern services via East Croydon and Clapham Junction are cheaper still.
COACH: For a fiver, National Express departs hourly and takes 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours from Victoria, while easyBus runs every 15-20 minutes and will get you to departures for less than the price of a posh coffee!
Insider tip: The Gatwick Express is best if you’re staying in west London, but Thameslink is handier for east.
- Gatwick Express: £20.35 single (£18.50 online in advance)
- ThamesLink: from £13.70 single
- Southern Rail: from £13.50 single
- National Express: from £7.50 single
- easyBus: from £2 single
The cheapest ways to get to Stansted

TRAIN: The Stansted Express will whisk you from Liverpool Street to this Essex airport in 45 minutes – you’ll need a ticket as it’s out of the Oyster zone. If you’re not returning to the City or east London, consider getting off earlier at Tottenham Hale, which has speedy tube links to north, south and west London.
COACH: National Express, easyBus and Terravision all shuttle between Victoria and Liverpool Street, while the latter two stop at Stratford if you’re eastward bound. Journeys take from 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours and can cost under £12. Watch out for a new easyBus route from King’s Cross coming soon.
- Stansted Express: from £16.50 single (Standard Class), from £9.90 single (booked in advance)
- National Express: from £11 single
- easyBus: from £2 single
- Terravision: from £12 single
How to save cash on London airport transfers to Luton

TRAIN: There’s no ‘express’ service to Luton, but the Thameslink from St Pancras takes a bone-rattlingly fast 25 minutes – again you’ll need a ticket. Confusingly, the station is called Luton Airport Parkway, but if you buy a ticket to Luton Airport the 10-minute shuttle bus to the terminal is included.
COACH: The National Express offers two routes, to Paddington and Victoria stations, taking 1 to 1 hour 30 minutes. The slightly pricier Green Line coach reaches Victoria in about an hour, with stops including Finchley Road and Baker Street.
- ThamesLink: from £12.40 single
- National Express: from £5 single
- easyBus: from £2 single
- Green Line 755/757: from £11.50 single
How to get to London City Airport

DLR: Enter London’s Docklands Light Railway, which connects to rail and tube and drops you right at the airport in only 15 minutes from Zone 1. You can use your Oyster or contactless card, too. Easy peasy!
BUS: The 473 goes to Stratford, but that’s about as central as you’ll get. Changing buses to get into central London will take about an hour longer than just hopping on the DLR and with only a quid in it, the saving hardly seems worth it.
Insider tip: Nab the hallowed front seat of the DLR – you’ll feel like you’re driving the train!
- DLR: from £3 off-peak (Oyster/contactless card)
- Bus: from £1.
TAXI: We haven’t mentioned taxis as they rarely cut the money-saving mustard, but if it’s the only option, bear in mind black cabs are metered and quickly rack up big fares. It’s better to agree a fixed price with a minicab or use a taxi app like Uber or Gett. With Uber’s uberPOOL option, you can even split the fare with other passengers going your way.
All prices are as of date of publication on 02 March 2023 and are subject to change and availability.