Trains to London City Airport
London City Airport is London’s most central airport, making it accessible for passengers travelling by train from South and Southeast England. It’s situated in the Royal Docks area of the River Thames, just 3.1 miles east of the Canary Wharf business district in Central London. The airport is also on the Docklands Light Rail (DLR) line. This makes it easy to get from anywhere in London to London City Airport using the London Underground network. In turn, this provides easy access from many towns and cities within mainland UK.
London Waterloo, London Bridge and Stratford International are some of the closest train stations to London City Airport. All three of these train stations connect to Canning Town via the London Underground Jubilee Line. From Canning Town, you can take the Docklands Light Rail (DLR) line to London City Airport in just 6 minutes.
Read on to learn more about buying train tickets, timetables and possible connections.
Getting to London City Airport by train
Using Trainline, you can purchase cheap train tickets to London from anywhere in the UK. This means you won’t have to pay for taxis and airport parking, so you’ll have more to spend on your holiday. If you want to find the cheapest fares, then we recommend that you book tickets well in advance of travelling. You can use National Railcards to save 1/3 off adult fares and 60% off kids’ fares.
South Western Railway, Southern and Southeastern train companies operate direct trains to Stratford International, London Waterloo and London Bridge stations from major stations across Southeast and South England. These include Ashford, Weymouth, Guildford, Exeter, Reading, Hastings, Dover, Brighton, Sutton and Eastbourne.
This makes London City Airport one of the most accessible airports for travellers coming from this part of the UK. London City Airport is also on the Docklands Light Rail (DLR) line which links to the London Underground. This makes it easy to get to from train stations in central London to London City Airport. From Stratford International, London Waterloo or London Bridge, take the Jubilee train to Canning Town, where you can take the DLR direct to London City Airport.
The DLR from Canning Town to London City Airport takes 6 minutes and operates from around 5:30 a.m. to around 12:15 a.m. Monday to Saturday. On Sunday, the train runs at reduced times, from around 7:00 a.m. to just after 11:15 p.m. Trains depart every 4 to 10 minutes. Tickets cost £1.90 in peak time or £1.80 off-peak.
If you have an early flight, there’s a Travelodge hotel only 10 minutes’ walk from London City Airport DLR station.
Useful travel tips
We want to make travel easier for you, which is why we’ve compiled a selection of useful travel tips to help you on your way.
Off-peak fares
Learn more about peak and off-peak fares, and how they can affect the cost of your journey.
Seat reservations
Need information about seating? Read our guide to find out more about what's available.
Interrail
Planning to travel Europe by train soon? Read our handy guide on how to save with an Interrail Pass.
Things to do at London City Airport
London City Airport services over 4 million passengers a year, making it one of the largest airports in the UK. Therefore, it has a variety of places to eat, drink and shop. On entering the airport terminal, you’ll see the check-in desks on your left, including some self-check-in terminals. After that, you’ll need to go upstairs to get to the security gates.
After security, there’s an Aelia Duty-Free with a selection of spirits, confectionery and other products. If you’re hungry or thirsty, you’ll find a Caffe Nero, Pilots Bar & Kitchen, Pret a Manger, and other restaurants, bars and coffee shops. For shopping, there’s also a WHSmith, WHSmith Book Shop, Boots, Dixons Travel and Ladurée.
If you’re planning a holiday in Europe, then why not take the train for a memorable experience? You can use Trainline to book cheap fares to major European cities such as Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, Brussels, Barcelona and Rome.