Your first 24 hours in Britain

Most visitors to Britain land at one of London's five airports, so this guide starts there, but the steps work for any arrival. Each step links to a fuller guide. We state times, fares and rules only as the airport, operator or GOV.UK states them, with the date we read them; facts were last checked on 1 November 2026.

1. 1

   Before you fly: entry and assistance

   Sort out permission to travel before you book. GOV.UK says most visitors need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) or a visa, that each traveller needs one, babies and children included, and that an ETA lets you visit for up to six months but does not guarantee entry. On 1 November 2026 it stated that an ETA costs £20 and warned that other websites may charge more.¹ Our entry requirements guide links the official pages for ETAs, visas, Ireland and the Common Travel Area, and what you can bring.

   If you need help getting through the airport, book it with your airline or travel agent. Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton each ask for at least 48 hours' notice before you fly.^2,3,4,5 See accessible travel for the rest of the journey.

   Do now: save your accommodation address offline, check how you will reach it from your arrival airport, and look up the last train if you land late.

2. 2

   Landing: the border and your terminal

   

   After the border and baggage hall, follow the signs to the railway or Underground. At Gatwick, all trains leave from the South Terminal station, and a free shuttle links the North Terminal. At Heathrow there are three stations: one for Terminals 2 and 3, one below Terminal 4 and one under Terminal 5. Stansted's station is directly beneath the terminal, and at Luton the DART shuttle runs from the terminal to Luton Airport Parkway station. Details and sources are on each airport page.

   For live disruption on the day, use our travel status links. Arriving by ferry or through the Channel Tunnel instead? See ports and ferries.

   

3. 3

   From the airport into the city

   Pick the route that ends nearest your bed rather than the one that reaches "central London" first: a slower direct train often beats a fast one plus two changes with luggage. Each London airport has its own page with operators, stations, the times and fares the airport publishes, and step-free notes.

   

   • 

     Heathrow Airport LHR

     • Heathrow Express
     • Elizabeth line Transport for London
     • Piccadilly line (Tube) Transport for London
     • Bus and coach Several operators
     • Taxi Licensed taxis and minicabs

     Routes, times and access from Heathrow Airport

     Foto: CedarGlen86, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

   • 

     Gatwick Airport LGW

     • Gatwick Express
     • Thameslink
     • Southern
     • Coach National Express, Airline, Flixbus
     • Taxi Airport Cars Gatwick

     Routes, times and access from Gatwick Airport

     Foto: Mike McBey, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

   • 

     Stansted Airport STN

     • Stansted Express
     • Coach National Express
     • Taxi 24x7 Taxis

     Routes, times and access from Stansted Airport

     Foto: Richard Vince, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

   • 

     Luton Airport LTN

     • Luton DART
     • Luton Airport Express East Midlands Railway
     • Thameslink
     • Coach National Express, Greenline

     Routes, times and access from Luton Airport

     Foto: Mike Peel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

   • London City Airport LCY

     • DLR Transport for London
     • Elizabeth line Transport for London
     • Bus and taxi London Buses and taxis

     Routes, times and access from London City Airport

   A few things the airports themselves point out: Heathrow Express runs to Paddington from Terminals 2 and 3 and Terminal 5, and for Terminal 4 you change to a free transfer train.⁶ At Gatwick, contactless and Oyster cover journeys to and from London but not stations further south.⁹ At Luton the DART is a separate fare unless you buy a through ticket to "Luton Airport (LUA)".¹²

   Step-free: Heathrow says its Heathrow Express and Elizabeth line stations have unaided wheelchair access and train doors level with the platform, and its Underground stations step-free access to the platforms. National Rail lists the Gatwick Airport, Stansted Airport and Luton Airport Parkway stations as step-free to all platforms.^18,19,20,21 Check the rest of your route too.

   Arriving somewhere else

   We have the same kind of page for 23 other UK airports:

   England: Manchester Airport, Birmingham Airport, Bristol Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, East Midlands Airport, Leeds Bradford Airport, Newcastle International Airport, Cornwall Airport Newquay, Exeter Airport, Southampton Airport, Bournemouth Airport, London Southend Airport.

   Scotland: Edinburgh Airport, Glasgow Airport, Aberdeen International Airport, Inverness Airport, Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Kirkwall Airport, Sumburgh Airport, Stornoway Airport.

   Wales: Cardiff Airport.

   Northern Ireland: Belfast International Airport, George Best Belfast City Airport.

   All airports are on the airports hub. To go straight on to another city by train or coach, see getting between regions and rail tickets.

4. 4

   Pay for transport with a card or Oyster

   In London you rarely need a paper ticket. Transport for London says you can pay with a contactless card or device, or an Oyster card, on buses, the Tube, trams, the DLR, London Overground, most of the Elizabeth line and most National Rail services within Zones 1 to 9. Touch in at the start and out at the end, always with the same card or phone, or you may pay too much. Fares are capped in Zones 1 to 9, so you will not pay more than a set amount in a day or a Monday-to-Sunday week. Many non-UK cards work, but TfL notes that overseas charges may apply and that some non-UK mobile payments may not work, so check with your bank.¹⁶

   Each person needs their own card or Oyster. Outside London, cities run their own systems: see local transport for city fare cards, getting around for how the networks fit together, and passes before you buy a sightseeing pass.

   Do now: pick one card for all your transport and keep it handy at the barriers.

5. 5

   Money: cards first, a little cash

   Before you change money at the airport, read our money guide. It covers cards and contactless, cash machines, Scottish and Northern Irish banknotes, tipping and service charges, and VAT. If you want to spend less from day one, see free and cheap things to do.

   Do now: tell your bank you are travelling if it asks you to, and check its overseas fees.

6. 6

   Get your phone working

   Decide before you land whether you will roam on your home plan, buy a UK SIM or eSIM, or rely on Wi-Fi. Our phones and SIM guide compares the options and covers coverage in rural areas, older phones, and plugs and voltage, so you can charge it all on the first night.

   Do now: download offline maps for the area around your accommodation.

7. 7

   Know the numbers: 999 and 111

   In an emergency, call 999. For urgent medical help that is not an emergency, the NHS says to use 111, by phone or online (111 online is for people aged 5 and over; call for a child under 5). You can ask 111 for an interpreter, and text relay is on 18001 111.¹⁷ Our health and safety guide covers pharmacies, who pays for NHS care, travel insurance, scams and lost passports.

8. 8

   Your first evening

   Keep the first evening simple. Check in, drop your bags and stay close to your accommodation: a short walk and an early dinner nearby leave the big sights for a day when you are rested. If you land late, check last trains before you leave the airport; the airport pages give first and last trains where the airport publishes them.

   • Pubs and restaurants: our etiquette guide explains ordering at the bar, queuing and tipping.
   • Planning tomorrow: start with the London guide, the first time in Britain guide or the itineraries.
   • Forgot something? The packing list covers adaptors, layers and rain gear.
   • Want a change of scene later in the trip? See day trips from London.