Arrival and transport

UK airports: getting into the city

One page per airport, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City. We say how you reach the city, quote times only where the airport or operator publishes them, and link to the official site and its assistance service.

Facts last checked Oct 25, 2026. Britlens is independent: see our editorial policy.

Long, bright arrivals hall at Heathrow Terminal 5 with travellers and shops
Photo: Mr Ignavy, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How we check. We read each airport's own pages where its site allowed it. 9 of the 28 airports below block automated access; for those we say so on the page, rely on operator pages and Wikipedia for what services exist, and quote no times. Always check the airport and operator before you travel.

London airports

Each London airport has its own page with terminals, rail, Tube and coach links into the centre, step-free notes and the airport's assistance service. For the steps after you land (money, a SIM, a transport card), see our first 24 hours guide. London Southend is listed under England below.

England

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

Passengers with luggage waiting at the transit train platform in Heathrow Terminal 5C
Photo: Richard Cooke, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Before you fly in

Rules, fares and times change. These official pages have the current details (links checked on ).

Tram stop platform at Edinburgh Airport with a tram waiting and a departure display overhead
Photo: Thomas Nugent, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

Pages we opened and read on Oct 25, 2026, and sites we could not read. Schedules, fares and rules change: check the source before you travel.

  1. Transport and directions (opens in new tab), Heathrow Airport.
  2. London Gatwick (opens in new tab), London Gatwick.
  3. Stansted to London (opens in new tab), London Stansted Airport.
  4. London Luton Airport (opens in new tab), London Luton Airport.
  5. London City Airport (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  6. Getting to and from Manchester Airport (opens in new tab), Manchester Airport.
  7. Birmingham Airport (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  8. Bristol Airport (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  9. Liverpool John Lennon Airport (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  10. East Midlands Airport (opens in new tab), East Midlands Airport.
  11. Leeds Bradford Airport (opens in new tab), Leeds Bradford Airport.
  12. Newcastle International Airport (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  13. Cornwall Airport Newquay (opens in new tab), Cornwall Airport Newquay.
  14. Exeter Airport (opens in new tab), Exeter Airport.
  15. Southampton Airport (opens in new tab), Southampton Airport.
  16. Bournemouth Airport (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  17. London Southend Airport (opens in new tab), London Southend Airport.
  18. Edinburgh Airport: trams (opens in new tab), Edinburgh Airport.
  19. Glasgow Airport (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  20. Aberdeen International Airport (opens in new tab), Aberdeen International Airport.
  21. Inverness Airport (opens in new tab), Highlands and Islands Airports Limited.
  22. Glasgow Prestwick Airport (opens in new tab), Glasgow Prestwick Airport.
  23. Glasgow Prestwick Airport (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  24. Kirkwall Airport (opens in new tab), Highlands and Islands Airports.
  25. Kirkwall Airport (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  26. Sumburgh Airport (opens in new tab), Highlands and Islands Airports.
  27. Sumburgh Airport (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  28. Stornoway Airport (opens in new tab), Highlands and Islands Airports.
  29. Stornoway Airport (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  30. Cardiff Airport (opens in new tab), Cardiff Airport.
  31. Belfast International Airport (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  32. George Best Belfast City Airport (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.