London is one of the best connected cities in the world, providing visitors with six different airports to reach the city from. Whether you’re visiting Park Grand London hotels from overseas for business or pleasure, the chances are that you are entering from one of these six sites.
Flying is still one of the easiest and quickest ways to reach London, a city that lies inland within the southeast of England. With efficient train routes into the city and increasingly eco-friendly flights, visitors will be pleasantly surprised at the comfort and amenities of many of these airports. This blog will outline each airport and some of the waiting times, travel restrictions and transport options that you can expect when arriving for your stay at the Park Grand London Paddington hotels.
Heathrow
The largest airport in London, this northwest city terminal is one of the main international airports in the city. With five terminals serving all continents in the world, Heathrow is the main international hub for travellers coming in from outside of Europe. The third busiest airport in Europe, the sic terminals act as the British main hub for a wealth of airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, providing guests of the Park Grand executive stay Heathrow with easy access to nearby hotels in the area.
Train Services
Getting into central London from Heathrow is one of the easiest journeys of the six airports. With the Piccadilly Line serving several of the terminals and reaching Central London in less than an hour, visitors can also enjoy direct train routes from Heathrow Airport train station that reach Paddington Station in just over half an hour.
Gatwick
The southeast hub of both London, Sussex and Kent-based travellers, Gatwick Airport has two terminals and offers visitors some of the best options for flying into the country from Europe. Gatwick serves many European airlines and destinations in the middle east such as Dubai and runs from a single runway. Smaller than Heathrow, Gatwick has one runway and two terminals – north and south, transport between which is accommodated by a tramline.
Train Services
Trains to Gatwick run on Southern Rail and Thameslink, serving many Central London stations such as London Bridge and Farringdon. The Victoria terminus serves the Gatwick Express, which can take as little as half an hour to reach the city centre.
Luton
28 miles outside of London, this airport also serves travellers from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Luton Airport’s history spans back to World War Two when it was built and used by the R.A.F for departing fighter planes. Developing after the war into a key airport for package holidays, Luton has one terminal and serves several key budget airlines such as Wizz Air and Easyjet, serving many European holiday destinations such as Greece, Turkey and many destinations in Eastern Europe.
Train Services
For guests of the Kensington Hotel London, train services into the city centre run to St Pancras, Farringdon and City Thameslink in often less than half an hour. Shuttle buses serve as additional transport from London Luton Airport to the train station named Luton Airport Parkway.
Stansted
Located in Essex, Stansted Airport is a single terminal airport with four satellite buildings that serve different airlines. Stansted Airport is the main base of operations for Ryanair services and also acts as a main hub for internal flights to airports such as Edinburgh and Manchester. Stansted Airport, like Luton, was originally built for use by the RAF in the Second World War and has developed into a key airport for European, Asian and African flights as well as national and private airlines.
Train Services
Train services from Stansted Airport can get you to Tottenham Hale train station in less than 40 minutes. From there, you can reach the city centre on the Victoria Line in just an extra 20 minutes.
London City Airport
City Airport is probably the most central of the six and is in easy reach of business hubs such as the Canary Wharf area of East London. The airport itself is located in the Docklands area of London and acts as a prime commuter and business traveller terminal. With one terminal and European flights, London City Airport is a compact, quick to use airport that flies you right into the heart of the city from major European and UK destinations.
Train Services
London City Airport is unusual in that it is served not by a train station, but by the Docklands Light Railway. This nippy TFL service reaches destinations in London such as Canary Wharf, Stratford International and Greenwich, providing efficient and quick access to many of the city’s main business and commercial hubs.
London Southend Airport
London Southend Airport is located 58 kilometres outside of London close to the Essex town of Southend On Sea. Only two airlines now run out of Southend Airport – Amazon Air to Rome and Easyjet to Malaga and Mallorca in Spain. This makes Southend Airport a quieter and pain free airport for your journey.
Train Services
Regular trains run to and from London Southend Airport from the train terminus London Liverpool Street in the central east of the city. These trains take an hour to reach Southend, whilst London Liverpool Street serves the District, Circle and Central Lines into other parts of London.
Tips For London Airports
When you book your flights from one of the six London airports, it’s worth remembering to put extra time for your journey either side of your flight. Peak times in London can lead to longer queues at baggage drop off, collection and security.
On top of this, it’s worth remembering that you will need to pay extra for any extra luggage that will be stowed in the cargo hold, whilst hand luggage will have different size restrictions depending on your airline. Make sure to check with your airline before travelling to make sure that your bag is not too big for the overhead compartment on board your flight.
