At the last count London has six international airports, bringing tens of millions of people into the country every single year. From Heathrow out west, to the new Southend Airport (which technically isn’t in London), to the city centre London City Airport, there’s a lot of choice and getting from the airport to one of the top Mayfair hotels (if you’re lucky – check out Millennium Hotels for some great deals) can seem like a bit of a challenge. So here’s a quick guide:
Train
London’s train providers have a captive audience, and they’re not afraid to make the most of it. A train ticket to London Heathrow represents one of the most overpriced tickets in the country, and is simply not worth it. To the other airports you can get good deals but only if you book in advance, you also have to be sure to get the right train, otherwise, you may have to buy another ticket on the day, and that could get expensive. The major exception to this is Gatwick, which has a great train service offering good value.
Underground
Heathrow and London City are the only London airports that you can get to on the underground. It’s a really cheap way of getting around, however, if you happen to be staying in a hotel that isn’t near a tube station (particularly south of the river) the underground could be more hassle than it’s worth, as you’ll have to work out the buses, which can be tricky even for a local.
Car
You can rent a car at all of the London Airports, but it’s never really a good idea if you’re then going to head immediately into the city. Central London has a congestion charge, which means you have to pay to use the roads, and it’s a nightmare to get around, don’t bother with a car unless you absolutely have to.
Shuttle
All of the airports, and some of the airlines, offer shuttles into central London, these are really good value, but tickets can be difficult to get hold of and they go fast, so make sure you book ahead on the internet.
Taxi
There are few taxi services more famous than the ones you’ll find in London, and it’s a fair claim that they’re the best taxi drivers in the world. You do have to pay a little more for a taxi to central London from the airport, but if you’ve got a lot of luggage, or if you’re staying a little bit out of the way, it’s definitely worth the money. It’s also a great way of getting around the city, as the London cabbies know every short cut available, and because of a very stringent regulation system, there’s no chance of getting fleeced, or having any problems.
