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Travelling between London airports

National Express coach

If you need to connect between Heathrow and another London airport, here are some suggested ways to make the journey by public transport.

Allow plenty of time! As well as journey times quoted here you’ll need to factor in things like passport control, baggage reclaim, waiting for buses, check-in, airport security and maybe taking a break.

All journey times and costs are approximate – please confirm with the operator.

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Heathrow – Gatwick

Approximate distance by road: 42 miles / 68km

Coach

National Express

Coaches run direct between Heathrow and Gatwick up to six times an hour.

  • Journey time: 65 minutes
  • Cost: From £25
  • Tickets and information: 0871 781 8181 or NationalExpress.com

megabus.com

Coaches run direct between Heathrow and Gatwick with departures up to every hour.

  • Journey time: 75 minutes
  • Tickets and information: megabus.com or 0900 1600 900*

*Open 7 days a week, 7am - 10pm. Calls to this number are operated by JourneyCall Ltd and will cost 65p per minute, plus telephone access charges.

Train

Gatwick Express trains run non-stop between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport. The journey takes 30 minutes and a standard-class single costs £17.70.

To make the link with Heathrow your options include:

  • Heathrow Express between Heathrow and London Paddington, Underground between Paddington and Victoria (45min, £27)
  • London Underground between Victoria and Heathrow (50min, £4.80)

There’s an alternative route via Clapham Junction and Feltham (linked to Heathrow by bus route 285) but it’s only really viable if you have an Oyster card or UK contactless bank card for the bus leg (no cash fares). Journey time: 90min–2hr. Cost (with Oyster): £27.

Heathrow – Stansted

Approximate distance by road: 60 miles / 96km

Coach

National Express coaches run direct between the airports every 30-60min.

  • Journey time: 80 minutes approx
  • Cost: From £15
  • Tickets and information: 0871 781 8181 or NationalExpress.com

Train

Stansted Express trains run to the airport from London Liverpool Street every 15 or 30 minutes. Journey time: 46min. Cost: £19.

Links with Heathrow:

  • Tottenham Hale, via London Underground (69min, £5.80)
  • Liverpool Street, via London Underground (66min, £6)
  • Paddington, via London Underground and Heathrow Express (40min, £27)

Heathrow – London City

Approximate distance by road: 26 miles / 42km

It takes just over an hour to travel between London City Airport and Heathrow:

  • Docklands Light Railway (DLR) between London City Airport and Canning Town (10min)
  • London Underground between Canning Town and Paddington (30min, change at Baker Street)
  • Heathrow Express between Paddington and Heathrow (15min).

Cost: around £27 (Heathrow Express + Underground/DLR).

Heathrow – Luton

Approximate distance by road: 34 miles / 55km

Coach

National Express coaches run direct between Heathrow and Luton 28 times a day.

  • Journey time: 70min
  • Cost: From £15
  • Tickets and information: 0871 781 8181 or NationalExpress.com

Train

Journey time is around 75min between Luton Airport Parkway and Heathrow:

  • Thameslink trains between Luton Airport Parkway and Farringdon (40min)
  • London Underground between Farringdon and London Paddington (15min)
  • Heathrow Express between Paddington and Heathrow (15min).

Cost: around £42 (main line rail + Underground + Heathrow Express).