London City (LCY)
First of all, it's worth looking at the excellent
Journey Planner website. It will plot a route for you, using public transport, with timings, costs and detailed destination and walking route maps.
Docklands Light Railway
The
DLR service provides an excellent light railway link to the very well-connected Bank station, in the City of London. There are further connections via Canning Town (notably the Jubilee Line to Canary Wharf), Poplar, Westferry, Limehouse and Shadwell. The line is currently being extended to Woolwich Arsenal, for connections to SE London and North Kent.
Destinations:
- Bank station is at the heart of the city's financial district. As if this weren't enough, it has connections to the Northern, Central, Circle, District and Waterloo & City Lines, linking it to most of the city's railway stations.
- Canning Town has an easy interchange to the Jubilee Line, heading directly (and very quickly) to Stratford (for services to the East of England), Canary Wharf, London Bridge, Waterloo, Bond Street and W and NW London.
- Poplar and Westferry have other DLR connections, to Stratford, Greenwich and Lewisham.
- Limehouse has connections to c2c services to the Thames Estuary.
- Shadwell has connections to the East London Line.
Fares:
- Varies according to time and distance, see the Fares Guide.
- £4.00 cash fare to Bank, £2.50 peak on Oyster pre-pay, £2.00 off-peak. See note below on Oyster.
Travelcards that include Zone 3 are valid to London City Airport station.
Pros:
- This is a very fast, convenient service, inside the terminal, with full escalator and lift access to the platforms.
- Good value, compared to road transport.
- The trains are automatic, but most are manned with 'Passenger Service Agents' who are there for security, ticket inspection, and to answer any queries.
Cons:
- This is a commuter service, and there is only limited space for luggage. There can be crowding at peak times.
Tips:
- Transport for London (TfL) have recently introduced punitive fares for single paper tickets on their network. This is to encourage people to use Oyster, a proximity card with either a rechargeable pre-pay balance (at discounted journey rates) or a season ticket. One-day travelcards (must include Zone 6 for LHR) are still good value, but the Oyster pre-pay scheme will 'cap' the price of a day's journeys at 50p less than the equivalent travelcard - however, this does not work if you want to use National Rail services within Greater London. Pre-pay Oyster cards need not be registered, and can be bought in advance or from any London Underground ticket counter, and now from several Oyster vending machines - this saves a lot of time!
- Not all trains go through to Bank. If there is a long wait, then it's worth getting the first train, then changing at Canning Town.
- As these are automatic trains, the place to sit, is obviously at the front. And everybody tries to do this. So, when boarding, look on the tracks for two yellow strips with a black diamond. This is where the cab stops. Go back a few yards, and these are the front doors. At Bank, these roughly align with the metal box next to the control room. They currently don't use the full length of the platform at either. At LCY, if there is a King George V train on the other platform, and the next Bank train is 2-3 minutes, then you can just hop on at the last set of doors on the King George train, it will turn around immediately at the next stop, and head back.
- Note that sometimes, the front left seats may be taken over by the PSA, when manual driving is required (e.g. when personnel need track access.)
- If you have an Oystercard, remember to touch in/out at LCY. The machine is in a stupid location, on the ticket office side of the metal divider, and it's easy to miss it.
- Heading for the airport, you need a King George V train.
Liverpool Street & Canary Wharf Shuttle
This shuttle no longer runs.
To reach Liverpool Street, take the DLR to Bank, then use the Central Line.
To reach Canary Wharf, take the DLR to Canning Town, then use the Jubilee Line.
Canning Town Shuttle & Bus
This shuttle no longer runs.
To reach Canning Town, use the DLR.
Silverlink Trains
Silvertown and London City Airport station has now been permanently closed, replaced by the DLR King George V branch. The DLR is currently being extended to cover the Stratford - Canning Town section, and North London Line services will terminate in Stratford.
To reach Custom House, take the 473 bus.
To reach Canning Town, take the DLR.
To reach West Ham and Stratford, take the DLR and change to the Jubilee Line at Canning Town.
London Taxis ('Black Cabs')
City Airport is close to the centre of London. If you're headed anywhere central, particularly the East side, or the 'City' financial district, the black cabs aren't unreasonable.
Fares:
- Varies according to length of journey, time of day and traffic.
- Expect £15-20 for the City.
Pros:
- Easy, fast, and you even get a top-hatted doorman in the bargain.
- Well-regulated, so a safe, convenient option.
- Black cabs can use bus lanes, and so speed up your journey.
- Many black cabs are fully accessible.
- Some may take credit cards (specify before starting the journey) at a premium.
Cons:
- While traffic heading into London from City Airport isn't too bad compared to the rest of the city, once you get to Central London, you're still subject to the awful traffic.
Tips:
- If you want to pay by credit card, you must ask before you go.
- It's standard protocol, in London, to request the destination before you get into the taxi, not just to get in.
Pre-Booked Taxis
Actually, City Airport is one of the rare instances where pre-booked taxis may not actually save you that much. Personally, travelling from SW London to City, I find it actually cheaper to get a black cab (about £25) than a pre-booked taxi (£30). YMMV, of course, and it depends on your destination.
Fares:
- Varies according to length of journey and company involved.
- Flyertalkers have noted Addison Lee and Airport Direct as options.
Pros:
- Can be cheaper than a rank taxi, and cheaper than the Liverpool Street Shuttle in a large group.
- You will get met at arrivals.
- You can order MPV taxis, usually seating up to 7.
Cons:
- Much lighter regulation than the official rank Taxis. While I personally have had nothing but good experiences with the companies mentioned above, it is extremely important only to deal with reputable private hire ('minicab') companies in London. The PCO (website above) has a licencing scheme, which is a good indicator. You can also go on personal recommendations. But, I cannot stress enough, do not just get into a 'taxi'. Black cabs are fine, decent minicab companies are fine. But there are instances of all sorts of problems reported in London, from dangerous vehicles and driving, through to armed robbery and rape in illegal minicabs. Never take a taxi from a tout.
- Credit cards are not generally accepted.
- You are still subject to the vagaries of London traffic, without the ability to use bus lanes.
Tips:
- Private hire companies are not bound by per-mile or other fee regulations. Always agree a price beforehand.
- Unless you specify otherwise, a taxi will sit 3, 4 at a push.
Bus Links
The 69 no longer serves the airport, only the
473 now does, linking it to Plaistow and Stratford.
Fares:
- £1 flat fare with Oyster pre-pay; £2 cash.
- All London Transport travelcards are accepted, regardless of zone.
Pros:
- Cheaper than a taxi for local journeys.
Cons:
- Very limited selection of destinations.
Tips:
Will update with other airports, and inter-airport links when I get the chance. Comments, corrections, etc, all welcome in the meantime.