There are two other airports within striking distance of London (actually, you could count Birmingham, but we'll steer clear of that for now). These are Southampton (SOU) and Manston Kent International (MSE). The latter, I believe, was being considered for inclusion in the London Metro Airports area (despite being closer to France than London...)
MSE currently has no regular passenger service since the demise of EUJet. However, I will leave it here for future use, or in case anybody gets diverted there, as often happens!
SOU is a useful hub for the Channel Islands, the West Country and Regional France as well as for LCC
FlyBE. To get to London, I'm not going to consider taxis (too far) and I'm not going to look at local options, as these airports serve areas in their own right. The airport links will contain those details anyway.
Southampton (SOU)
South West Trains
About 1h10 to Waterloo. Details on the
South West Trains website.
Fares:
- £27.10 single in Standard Class
- £48.30 single in First Class
This is a National Rail service, but some through tickets to London Underground zones are available.
Pros:
- Fast and comfortable, with reasonable luggage storage. These are generally medium-distance services headed for Southampton itself, or further West.
- Takes you to Waterloo, in SW Central London. Connections to Eurostar services available.
- Takes 1h10 to Waterloo, which is as fast as you're going to get.
- Despite being called a 'Parkway' station, it is actually only 50m from the terminal building, which is extremely convenient.
- Additional services to Southampton itself, the Dorset coast, Woking (for connections to Surrey and Hampshire) and some stop in Clapham Junction, for services to Gatwick Airport, SW London and Victoria.
Cons:
- Expensive, particularly for multiple travellers.
- People do commute on these services, despite the distance. So, peak trains can get very busy.
Tips:
- SW Trains do have fare promotions. Enquire locally, or look at the website.
- Get a fast train, unless you want one of the intermediate stations. They will overtake the slow services.
- This line is very old, and subject to extensive engineering works at weekends, occasionally involving route diversions and replacement buses. Check the SW Trains website for disruption before travelling. LCCs at SOU will not accept train delays as an excuse for late check-in.
- There are on-board upgrades to First Class available at weekends.
Manston Kent International (MSE)
Bus and South Eastern Train
A limited bus service (or taxi) connects Ramsgate station to the airport. Ramsgate to London is about a 2 hour journey.
Details on the
South East Trains website.
Fares:
- £15.90 in Standard Class
- £35.90 in First Class
This is a National Rail service, but some through tickets to London Underground zones are available.
Pros:
- The fastest option to London.
- You have a choice of Victoria, London Bridge, Waterloo East and Charing Cross stations in London (depending on the train). There are good Tube connections at all these stations.
- The new trains are comfortable, with reasonable luggage storage.
Cons:
- Expensive, particularly for multiple travellers.
- People do commute on these services, despite the distance. So, peak trains can get very busy.
- The old commuter trains on this route are somewhat, umm, rustic, with limited storage space. These are being phased out.
- This line is infamous for delays. One particular problem is caused by leaf mulch in the Autumn, due to the vegetation around the tracks (this is a very fertile part of the country).
Tips:
- There are intermediate stations in SE London that can be of use. A particularly useful one is Ashford International, which offers a very convenient connection to the Eurostar.
- Additional trains run to the Kent Coast, including Dover, for cross-channel ferry services.