Tips for London mini-bus and coach tourism

Useful tips for London bus groups with ‘what to see’ and ‘what to do’ items and  ‘bus- friendly’ or must see tourist sites in London. Check our list of attractions before planning your bus tour with a stop or departure in London. Let us know if your favourite attraction or ‘bus-stop’ is not there and you think we should add it to our list of London highlights.

What you need to know about London Airports

London has six international airports, although visitors will usually arrive and leave from one of four different airports. Make sure you check your tickets for your departure airport; the person with the funniest job in the world is the taxi driver who has to take a confused passenger from Heathrow to Gatwick. London Heathrow (LHR) is 22kms west of the city centre and the third busiest airport in the world. Gatwick (LGR) is 48kms south while Stansted (STN) and Luton (LTN) are north and primarily for budget airlines and European flights.

St Paul"s Cathedral, London, UK credit: JackPeasePhotography CC BY 2.0

Arrive in one of these airports and you wouldn"t believe England is a developed country. Facilities are ancient, there aren"t enough chairs for all the passengers, and none of the staff seem to know what"s going on. Fortunately we can give you a bit of help on what to expect. Whichever London airport you arrive at you will have the same transport options to take you to the city.

Pre booked airport transfers

Pre booked Taxi:

The most convenient method of transport is to pre book a taxi. Pre booked taxis are significantly cheaper than getting a taxi on arrival. The driver will meet you at a pre-determined place in the airport, usually at the arrivals lounge where there is a clear meeting point. Some companies also offer a more personalised meet and greet service so you will have a driver waiting for you immediately outside the arrivals gate. With a pre booked taxi you can request a certain quality of vehicle. You can even get an immediate experience of British motor history and go by Aston Martin.

UK, Heathrow T5 credit: jo.sau CC BY 2.0

London airport transfer companies:

A number of companies specialise in airport transfers. Some of these service all airports like Airport Transfer in Park Place, and Airport Transfer Company in Battersea Business Centre. Others focus on the airport in their area; for example from Heathrow you can use Heathrow Airport Transfers on City Road, and Westampstead Minicab on West End Lane. While each airport is connected by public transport, these services are very expensive and if you are more than one person it is probably cheaper to travel by pre booked taxi.

Minicabs from Pinnacle Chauffeur Transport North London

Costs and transfer times between London and different airports

We"ve detailed the transfer times and estimated costs to central London below. Costs for each company will vary so these are just a guide and the price will depend on the type of vehicle you choose.

Heathrow – 22kms - £40-50 – approximately 45 minutes

Gatwick – 48kms - £60 – 80 – approximately 60 minutes

Stansted – 64kms - £60 – 80 – approximately 90 minutes

Luton – 57kms - £55 – 70 – approximately 90 minutes

Start comparing quotes and book a vehicle that meets you r needs with our easy to use tool.

Mini bus airport transfer: 

A number of taxi companies also supply minibuses that can provide airport transfers for 8, 12, or 16 passengers. This is good value because an 8 seater minibus is a lot cheaper than getting 2 separate taxis. For a 16 seater minibus expect a price around double that of a normal taxi.

Holland Park, London credit: Brian Taylor CC BY 2.0

Airport transfer by hired bus or coach: 

If you plan to arrive to any London airport with a large group of travellers it might be more efficient and economical to hire a 50 seater coach. Or more coaches if you have a larger group. On our London Bus rental page you can read more about this service. On this page you can plan all group travel and day trips and tours starting in London. Continue here to compare bus rental with driver quotes.

50 seater tourist bus from Coaches Excetera

Organising an airport transfer on arrival at London Airports

Taxi on arrival:

When landing in any London airport you can follow signs for the taxi stand. Here you will find black cabs that will take you into the city. These are significantly more expensive than pre booked taxis as they use a metre. Expect to pay up to double the price of a pre booked taxi, and for Gatwick, Stansted, and Luton, it"s rare to get a black taxi into the city centre that costs less than £100.

View an minicab airport transfer from Pinnacle Chauffeur Transport North London

Using Public Transport:

All airports are connected to the city by public transport but services at the different airports vary. Only Heathrow is on the London Underground. It takes around 90minutes by the underground to get to central London but this is the cheapest options. For £23 there is a fast train that takes 30 minutes to the centre. Add on around £5 for an underground journey to your final destination. Gatwick also has an express train (£20) and this is the main mode of public transport from the airport. Trains connect Luton and Stansted to central London and take just over an hour.

King"s Cross station, London credit: Paul Wilkinson CC BY 2.0

More travel and transport info for tourist flying in to London

Want to know more about travel in UK? Read more about things to do and see in London, various travel services in UK or ideas for trips and transport in Greater London. A relaxing holiday or successful business trip starts at the airport. Start your trip the best way you can by booking the airport transfer of your choice. Just fill out the form to start receiving airport transport quotes for free and discover the benefits of using RentAutobus first hand!