Trains to London Southend Airport
London Southend is one of Britain’s busiest airports and many passengers take advantage of its direct train links with London to get there. This can save both money and time. The airport is 42 miles east of London city centre, situated in Essex county. Greater Anglia trains run direct from London Liverpool Street to Southend Airport, stopping in Stratford station on the way. This provides easy access to the airport from Canterbury, Oxford, Brighton and many other cities and towns in South East England.
Trains run every 15-30 minutes, 7 days a week. Once you get to London Southend Airport train station, the airport terminal is only 2 minutes’ walk away.
Read on to learn more about buying train tickets, timetables and possible connections.
Getting to London Southend Airport by train
Using Trainline, you can purchase cheap train tickets to London Southend Airport from anywhere in mainland 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 a further 1/3 off adult fares and 60% off kids’ fares.
A Greater Anglia train runs from London Liverpool Street to Southend Airport station, via Stratford station. Trains run 7 days a week every 15-30 minutes and operate from early morning to late at night. The journey takes 52 minutes from London Liverpool Street station and 45 minutes from Stratford station.
You can take the London Underground to travel to London Liverpool Street station from other London train stations. This allows easy reach from other train stations in mainland UK. Once you get to London Southend Airport train station, London Southend Airport terminal is only 2 minutes away on foot via a covered walkway.
There’s no hotel in the airport itself. However, a Holiday Inn lies within 2 minutes’ walk of London Southend Airport terminal.
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 Southend Airport
London Southend Airport terminal is relatively small compared to the other London airports. However, it still has a few places to shop, eat, drink and relax before your journey. For eating, the airport has Arnold Forbes Café Kitchen and Lakers Bar and Restaurant, as well as a Bourget deluxe lounge bar. It also has a WHSmith, so you can pick up what you need for your journey. If you need foreign currency, you can get it from the Moneycorp exchange.
Finally, there’s a duty-free straight after security, with a selection of confectionary, alcohol, souvenirs and other items. The check-in area is on the ground floor of London Southend Airport terminal. Screens at the entrance will direct you to your designated check-in desk. After you’ve checked-in, you’ll need to go upstairs to get to security.
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.