London

Getting in

• London Heathrow Airport: For Paddington, the West End, the City or Canary Wharf, take the Elizabeth line: roughly 30 minutes to Paddington, 35–40 to Tottenham Court Road and about 45 to Liverpool Street; central-London fares are roughly £13–14 with contactless. Use the Piccadilly line instead for South Kensington, Knightsbridge, Leicester Square or a cheaper ride—about 45–60 minutes and roughly £6. Heathrow Express is fast to Paddington but poor value for most travellers unless a discounted advance fare makes it competitive.
• London Gatwick Airport: Take Thameslink for St Pancras, Farringdon, Blackfriars or London Bridge, or Southern for Victoria, according to your hotel; allow 30–50 minutes and roughly £12–20 depending on train and fare. The Gatwick Express is only worth considering if you specifically need Victoria and its premium is small; it is not inherently quicker than the ordinary trains on the same route.
• London Stansted Airport: Stansted Express to Liverpool Street is the straightforward choice: about 50 minutes, roughly £23 walk-up, often much less booked ahead. It is best for the City, Shoreditch and east/central London; coaches can be cheaper but are vulnerable to road traffic and rarely save enough to recommend after a flight.
• London Luton Airport: Use the Luton DART shuttle to Luton Airport Parkway, then Thameslink to St Pancras, Farringdon or London Bridge. Allow about 45–60 minutes to St Pancras and roughly £15–20. A direct coach to Victoria can work for a Victoria hotel, but traffic makes the rail route the safer default.
• London City Airport: Take the DLR, changing as needed for the Tube or Elizabeth line: Canary Wharf is about 20 minutes and Bank about 25–30. It is usually the easiest airport arrival for the City, Docklands and east London; fares are ordinary TfL contactless fares, not an airport premium.
• London Southend Airport: Take the Greater Anglia train from the airport station to Liverpool Street; expect a little over an hour and roughly £20 or more depending on ticket. It is a workable east-London arrival, but its sparse flight network and long transfer mean it is not a London-centre bargain by default.
• St Pancras International (Eurostar): You arrive in central London. Walk or take the Tube one stop only if your luggage and hotel make it sensible: King’s Cross St Pancras connects to six Tube lines plus Thameslink and National Rail. Allow time for UK border formalities before departure, not after arrival.
• Major domestic rail termini — Paddington, Euston, King’s Cross, Waterloo, Victoria and Liverpool Street: These are already central or on its edge. Choose the hotel by station if possible, then walk, use contactless on the Tube, or take a short taxi only with heavy bags; do not automatically transfer across London to a supposedly more convenient terminus.