Stansted Airport which is located about 30 miles north of London earned the title of being the fourth busiest airport in the UK. If you need to travel from Stansted to London for either business or pleasure, the last thing you will want is to waste your time trying to figure out where to go.

Arrival Information

Upon your arrival at Stansted whether you come in via domestic or international flights you will be on the ground floor of the terminal. When you depart the plane there will be signs telling you where to go. If you are arriving from an international flight you will have to pass through passport control and customs and you need to check in advance of your arrival that your passport will not expire during your trip to the UK.

There are two separate lines for passport check, one is for European Union and economic are as well as British and Swiss nationals. All other nationalities will need to go to the other passport check. Make sure you have all required papers ready and out of folders and stuff when you arrive. These papers include national passports or 1951 convention travel for refugees' documents. If you are traveling with a child that is not yours, you may want to bring documentation with you stating you have the child legally. Your average wait time at the passport check will be about 45 minutes, though times may increase during peak times.

Stansted Airport also supports e-passports if you are from the European Economic Area, UK, or Switzerland and have the EEA chip logo on your passport. You cannot use these gates with only a national identity card.

After your get through the passports/customs area, you should follow the arrival signs to the baggage reclaim area. There are information screens provided to show you which carousel will have your luggage. If you need a trolley for your baggage you can find one in the reclaim hall as well as other areas around the terminal building. The cost of a trolley is refunded when the trolley is returned. You will need to pay either $0.25, £1, or €1. For your safety as well as that of others you need to remain patient while waiting on your baggage and no one is allowed to ride on the luggage trolleys.

While at the airport

There are cash machines, restaurants, and gift shops placed around the airport. Most are easy to find with the help of the information desk or by using maps. You will need proper currency while in London and the airport can help you get it if you haven't already.
There are also many hotel options to choose from if you would rather stay over and continue your journey into London after you have rested up a little.

Continuing your travel from Stansted to London

If you are planning to meet with someone who will take you the rest of the way you can meet them in restaurants or you may want to meet at the BHRC information desk which has chairs located nearby. Due to security measures, the person you are meeting is not allowed to wait on the terminal forecourt. They can park their cars and enter the airport and come in to meet you. While inside they will also be able to keep track of whether your flight has landed, going through passport check, or if you should be in the baggage area soon.

Do you need to take part in one of the public transportation options? There are several options for you to consider taking. These options include:

Trains are an easy way to finish your journey from Stansted to central or eastern London. You can purchase tickets either in advance or upon your arrival at the airport. Trains depart every 15 minutes and your travel will take between 35-46 minutes depending upon whether you travel to Tottenham Hale or Liverpool Street. The average cost is £22.50 at the airport. If purchased online it will be about £1.00 less. However, keep in mind that train costs and schedules are subject to change so you may want to find out in advance of your arrival. Trains are located directly under the terminal building.

Bus or Coach: If you don't mind enjoying the countryside, you may want to take a bus or coach in London. This station is located opposite the main terminal entrance. On average they will pick you up from Stansted airport every 10 to 30 minutes. Your journey time and cost from the airport to London will depend on which area in London you will be traveling to. For instance: If you want to go to London Victoria you will take the National Express A6 and the travel time will take you 85-100 minutes. The average cost is £10.50 or you may also take the Terravision A50 which will cost you £9.00 and take about 75 minutes. If you will travel to London's Liverpool Street, you can choose either National Express A9 or the Terravision A51. The express travel time will be 45 minutes to an hour. Wither the Terravision you can expect 55 minutes travel time. The cost will be £8.50 to £9.

Car: Another way to enjoy the countryside is by car. Stansted is about 40 miles from London and you can use a route planner tool to help you plan ahead. Your cost of travel will be based mostly on the car rental facility you use and depending on where you are going you may have to pay a congestion charge. This may cost you between £9 and £12. This fee may be paid up to 90 days in advance of your trip and will be charged once daily no matter how many times you travel through the charging zone.

Taxi: You may also choose to travel to London via a taxi service. They operate 24 hours a day every day. The reservations desk is located in the international arrival concourse or you can use the telephone in domestic baggage reclaim to connect to the reservation desk. You can book in advance or you can pay the driver when he drops you off at your destination. Up to 4 people in your group can ride with you in the taxi and the average cost will be about £99 depending on your destination.

Enjoy your stay in London.

All-in-all your flight into Stansted should be hassle-free. It is laid out very simply and there are signs all over that tell you where to go. So relax and enjoy your trip to London via Stansted Airport. When it is time for you to return home, you will want to get to the airport well ahead of your flight to ensure you make the flight with the ease in which you arrived.