Stansted airport is usually known as “London Stansted” which is a misleading name because it’s not all that near London.
On the other hand the connections to London are good and you have several choices. Please always make sure you allow adequate journey time.
Your main options are the train (Stansted Express) and several commercial coach services.Â
Even though the Stansted Express claims on its ads that it’s the “fastest route into London”, this is not always the case.Â
The train first stops at a station called Tottenham Hale. Even though this is on the London tube system, it is actually not that close to central London. So you actually need about 50 minutes to get to Liverpool Street. Even Liverpool Street is not so central, since people usually think of London’s centre as the West End.Â
A good alternative to the Stansted Express is to take one of the National Express coaches which run regularly 24 hours a day to and from Stansted.
This is a lot cheaper than the train and I’ve also often found it faster for the West End, providing you avoid the “rush hour” commuter traffic (during those times it will take much longer).
The only risk you take with the coach is that traffic in London can be very unpredictable at any time.Â
It often makes sense to relax and book a hotel near Stansted Airport to synchronise with your flight’s arrival or departure time.
A hotel is especially convenient if your flight is at some ungodly hour. Taxis from Stansted into central London can cost almost as much as a hotel room!
Stansted hotels also often include car parking deals with your hotel room if you are thinking of hiring a car while you are over.
Hotels near Stansted are a mixed bunch so you need to be careful in making your choice. This is why the London Hotels Insight website has done the donkey work for you by pre-selecting the best Stansted hotels, based on TripAdvisor traveler reviews.
The author provides inside information on the best London hotels in his London blog, along with a guide to Stansted hotels based on the best TripAdvisor guest reviews.
New Jersey Transit : NJT Express Commuter Train @ Newark Airport Station
