How to travel between central London and London Stansted airport.
London Stansted airport is 40 miles (64km) north-east of central London.
There are two main options: coach or train.
- The National Express coach is the cheapest ways to travel to/from Stansted airport, especially if you book in advance.
- The Stansted Express is the only train to the airport. It is the quickest way to travel to London (Liverpool St station). It’s more expensive than the coach, but could be cheaper if you book in advance, travel in a group of 2,3 or 4 people or have a Railcard.
Important! Engineering works and train strikes may affect the Stansted Express train in 2024. Check for issues on your date of travel. Book a National Express coach ticket.
London to Stansted airport: Tickets
Scroll down the page to see full details of each service.
| Company | Single Tickets |
|---|---|
| Stansted Express train | £23.00* |
| National Express coach | £7–£17 |
*See below for more detailed fare information.
Stansted Express trains to and from Stansted airport
Unlike other London airports, there’s only one train service to and from London: The Stansted Express.
Departure and arrival in London
To/from Liverpool St Station
Trains leave from Liverpool St station (Central line) and make an additional stop at Tottenham Hale station in north-east London before continuing to Stansted airport.
To/from Tottenham Hale Station
It might be more convenient to take the train from (or get off at) Tottenham Hale station (zone 3). You won’t save much money but Tottenham Hale underground station (below the train station) is on the Victoria line, so it might be easier to travel to/from your destination instead of travelling from Liverpool St station.
Departure and arrival at Stansted airport
Stansted airport train station is below the airport terminal.
Journey times & frequency
Trains take 47-50 minutes to/from Liverpool St station and 35-38 minutes to/from Tottenham Hale station.
Departures are every 30 minutes. Trains do not operate overnight. The last train leaves Stansted airport at 00:30 arriving in Liverpool St at 01:21. If you arrive late, take a National Express coach.
Use the National Rail Journey planner to check train times.
Please note that very early departures do not stop at Tottenham Hale station.
Stansted Express ticket prices to/from Liverpool St station
There are two classes on Stansted Express trains: First or Standard class. The fares below are for Standard Class.
| Tickets | Single | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Adult | £23.00 | £36.30 |
| Standard Child | £11.50 | £18.15 |
| Duo (2 adults) | £40.30 | n/a |
| Advance Adult | From £9.90 | n/a |
| Group Offer (3 adults) | £45.60 | £72.30 |
| Group Offer (4 adults) | £60.80 | £96.40 |
- Standard fares to/from Tottenham Hale are slightly cheaper
- Railcard holders get 1/3 off the standard fares
- Tickets booked online in advance are cheaper, but do check for service alterations especially for travel on a Saturday or Sunday or bank holidays
- Advance tickets are only available online
- The Duo fare is the same price if you buy online or at the train station
- All adults buying a Duo or Group Offer ticket must travel together
Booking Stansted Express tickets
Book online with Stansted Express or buy tickets from the train station ticket offices at Liverpool St station, Tottenham Hale station or at Stansted airport. There are Stansted Express ticket desks in the airport and a ticket office and ticket machines in the airport train station.
Can I use an Oyster or contactless on the Stansted Express?
No, Oyster cards or contactless payments cannot be used on the Stansted Express.
Avoid travelling by train during planned engineering works. Always check the service alteration information before buying a ticket.
National Express coach to and from Stansted
National Express, the UK’s biggest coach company, run three frequent coach services between London and Stansted airport.
A5/A6 from Victoria via north London
The A5/A6 starts at Victoria Coach Station and has pick-up points in north London
- Victoria Rail Station
- Marble Arch
- Baker St
- St John’s Wood
- Finchley Road
- Finchley Road & Frognal
- Golders Green
- Stansted Airport
A7 from Victoria via south London
- Victoria Coach Station
- Victoria Train Station
- Waterloo train station
- Southwark
- Stansted Airport
A8 Liverpool St to Stansted airport
- Liverpool St
- Stansted airport
A9 from Stratford to Stansted airport
- Stratford
- Stansted airport
National Express ticket prices
Ticket prices start from £7 single if you book in advance.
How to Buy National Express tickets
For travel to Stansted airport, we recommend buying tickets in advance especially if you leave London after midnight.
Tickets can be booked online. They are cheaper if you book in advance.
Tickets are also available from the ticket office in Victoria Coach Station (open 7am-10pm daily).
At Stansted airport, tickets are available from the National Express desk in baggage reclaim, in the arrivals hall or from the coach station ticket office (open 24 hours).
National Express Stansted airport to London timetables
Coaches operate 24 hours a day with a reduced service at night.
Search their website for coach times.
Journey time
Journey times vary depending on the service and time of day. The fastest service is the A9 direct coach to London Stratford. From here you can change to the underground.
- A6: 1 hour 30 minutes – 2 hours to/from Victoria Coach Station
- A5/A6: 1 hour 5 minutes to Golders Green Station
- A9: 1 hour 10 – 1 hour 20 minutes to/from Liverpool St
- A9: 50 minutes to/from Stratford
Arriving in London after midnight
If you arrive late in London on Friday or Saturday you can now use the Night Tube to continue your journey once you arrive in central London. The Victoria, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Central line now run throughout the night on Friday and Saturday.
If you arrive late on other days, there are night buses.
Use a journey planner to plan your route.
Night buses to Stansted Airport Departure points
Last updated: 6 March 2024