London City Airport is in the Docklands area of east London. It is one of the easiest airports to travel to and from central London by public transport.
Non-European flights usually land at either London Heathrow or London Gatwick airport.
See a map of all London airports.
DLR and tube: London City airport to/from central London
The best way to travel to/from London City Airport is via the Docklands Light Railway (DLR)
The airport has its own station — ‘London City Airport’ (zone 3). Trains from here connect with the underground (tube) network at:
- Canning Town (for the Jubilee line)
- Bank (for the Central & Northern lines)
- Tower Gateway DLR (it’s a short walk to Tower Hill tube station for the District or Circle lines)
See how to to plan a journey.
Journey time & frequency
DLR trains leave every 10 minutes. Approximate journey times, including connection with the underground:
- To/from Victoria – 40 minutes
- To/from King’s Cross or St Pancras – 40 minutes
- To/from Paddington – 45 minutes
- To/from Bayswater – 55 minutes
- To/from Holborn – 35 minutes
DLR/Tube fares: London City airport to/from central London (zone 1)
If you buy ticket from a ticket machine, a single ticket to central London (zone 1) is £6.70
With a Pay as you go Oyster card or contactless debit/credit card it’s either £3.70 if you travel before 9.30am Monday–Friday, or £3 at any other time.
If you plan to use public transport for the rest of the day in London there are three choices:
Use a Pay as you go Oyster card
Top up an Oyster card with £9.60. This is the one day cap for travel in zones 1-3. It’s the maximum amount deducted for unlimited one day travel.
Use a contactless card
If you have a contactless debit or credit card, £9.60 is deducted from your card.
Buy a One Day Travelcard
If you don’t have a contactless card and don’t want an Oyster card, a zone 1-4 One Day Travelcard costs £15.20.
Single tickets, Travelcards and Oyster cards are available from the London City Airport DLR station.
Bus: London City airport to/from central London
There are two bus routes that serve the airport. We would only advise taking a bus if you need to travel to/from certain parts of east London. We do not advise using the bus to/from central London.Traffic is very heavy in that part of London.
Book a hotel near London City Airport
Related pages
Last updated: 5 March 2023