London (Fodor's 2012) - Fodor's [216]
Heathrow by Train: The cheap, direct route into London is via the Piccadilly line of the Underground (London’s extensive subway system, or “Tube”). Trains normally run every four to eight minutes from all terminals from early morning until just before midnight. The 50-minute trip into central London costs £4.50 one-way and connects with other central Tube lines. The Heathrow Express train is comfortable and convenient, if costly, speeding into London’s Paddington Station in 15 minutes. Standard one-way tickets cost £16.50 (£32 round-trip) and £26 for first class. Book ahead (online is the cheapest option, at a counter/kiosk less so), as tickets are more expensive to buy on board. There’s daily service from 5:10 am (5:50 am on Sunday) to 11:25 pm (10:50 pm on Sunday), with departures every 15 minutes. The Heathrow Connect service leaves from Paddington station and makes five local stops before arriving at Terminals 1, 3, and 5. At 25 minutes, journey time is only slightly slower than the Express and one-way tickets are £7.90.
Gatwick by Bus: Hourly bus service runs from Gatwick’s north and south terminals to Victoria Station with stops at Hooley, Coulsdon, Mitcham, Streatham, Stockwell, and Pimlico. The journey takes up to 90 minutes and costs from £4.50 one-way. The easyBus service runs a service to west London (Fulham) from as little as £2; the later the ticket is booked online, the higher the price (up to £10 on board).
Gatwick by Train: The fast, nonstop Gatwick Express leaves for Victoria Station every 15 minutes 5:15 am–midnight. The 30-minute trip costs £16.90 one-way, £23. round-trip. Book in advance, as tickets cost more on board. The First Capital Connect rail company’s non-express services are cheaper; Capital Connect train runs regularly throughout the day until midnight to St. Pancras International, London Bridge, and Blackfriars stations; departures are every 15 to 30 minutes, and the journey takes almost one hour. Tickets are from £8 one-way. FlyBy service to Victoria (£10 single) is not express, but the fare applies only on trains operated by Southern Trains.
Stansted by Bus: Hourly service on National Express Airport bus A6 (24 hours a day) to Victoria Coach Station costs from £10 one-way, £17 round-trip, and takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Stops include Golders Green, Finchley Road, St. John’s Wood, Baker Street, Marble Arch, and Hyde Park Corner. The easyBus service to Victoria via Baker Street costs from £2.
Stansted by Train: The Stansted Express to Liverpool Street Station (with a stop at Tottenham Hale) runs every 15 minutes 4:10 am–11:25 pm daily. The 45-minute trip costs £18.80 one-way, £26.70 round-trip if booked online. Tickets cost more when purchased on board.
Luton by Bus and Train: A free airport shuttle runs from Luton Airport to the nearby Luton Airport Parkway Station, from which you can take a train or bus into London. From there, the First Capital Connect train service runs to St. Pancras, Farringdon, Blackfriars, and London Bridge. The journey takes about 25 minutes. Trains leave every 10 minutes or so from 5 am until midnight. Single tickets cost £13.50. The Green Line 757 bus service from Luton to Victoria Station runs three times an hour, takes about 90 minutes, and costs from £14 (£15 return).
Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, and Luton by Taxi: This is an expensive and time-consuming option. The city’s congestion charge (£8) may be added to the bill if your hotel is in the charging zone, you run the risk of getting stuck in traffic, and if you take a taxi from the stand, the price will be even more expensive (whereas a minicab booked ahead is a set price). The trip from Heathrow, for example, can take more than an hour and cost more than £50.
Transfers Between Airports
Allow at least two to three hours for an inter-airport transfer. The cheapest option—but most complicated—is public transport: from Gatwick to Stansted, for instance, you can catch