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A London weekend can start with a flight that looks almost too cheap to miss. Two nights in a hotel, a carry-on bag and you are off. Then you look at the booking and realise that “London” means one of several airports, each with a different journey into town. Suddenly, that bargain flight needs a second look.
The easiest way to plan a city break is to choose the airport and hotel together. There is no point saving a little on the flight if you spend the difference on transfers or lose half your first evening travelling across the city. This guide stays with the practicalities – arrival, getting into London and finding somewhere to sleep. Sightseeing deserves its own article.
London has five airports worth comparing
Most flight searches will show Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City. They all serve London, but they are not interchangeable. Before booking from Poland, compare your final flight price with baggage, the landing time, transport in both directions and the location of your hotel. Flight routes and schedules change seasonally, so check the airline rather than assuming last year’s route still operates.
| Airport | Main transfer | Hotel areas to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Heathrow | Elizabeth line, Piccadilly line, Heathrow Express | Paddington, West End, Elizabeth line corridor |
| Gatwick | Gatwick Express, Southern, Thameslink | Victoria, London Bridge, Farringdon, St Pancras |
| Stansted | Stansted Express to Liverpool Street | City, Liverpool Street, Shoreditch |
| Luton | DART plus rail from Luton Airport Parkway | King’s Cross, St Pancras, Thameslink stations |
| London City | DLR | Docklands, City, Bank |
These are starting points, not a rule that you must stay in one of those neighbourhoods. A hotel on a direct train line can work better than a cheaper room requiring two changes with luggage.
Heathrow and Gatwick: plenty of choice, but check the destination
Heathrow offers three very different rail journeys. Heathrow Express reaches Paddington in around 15 minutes from Terminals 2 and 3, which is excellent if your hotel is nearby. The Elizabeth line runs through stations including Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Liverpool Street, often saving a change. The Piccadilly line takes longer but is commonly the more economical option, serving places such as King’s Cross, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. Compare actual fares and the full journey on the Heathrow website and TfL.
At Gatwick, the most famous train is Gatwick Express, which takes around half an hour to Victoria without intermediate stops. But Southern also serves Victoria, and Thameslink runs directly to London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon and St Pancras. If your hotel is near London Bridge, taking a train there may be much easier than following everybody to Victoria and changing. Gatwick’s railway station is at South Terminal; there is a free inter-terminal shuttle from North Terminal. See the airport’s train guide.
Whichever airport you use, remember that “fastest train to a London station” is not the same as “fastest trip to your hotel”. A cheaper direct service can sometimes get you to your room sooner.
Stansted and Luton: pay attention to the last part of the journey
Stansted is a familiar name to anyone comparing budget flights. Stansted Express gets you to Liverpool Street in about 48 minutes, with a useful interchange at Tottenham Hale for the Victoria line. That interchange may save time if you are staying farther north or west of the City. Check the current Stansted Express route before buying.
Advance tickets to Liverpool Street are advertised from £9.90 one way, but availability is limited and depends on when you book. This is not the price to assume you will pay at the station. Contactless pay as you go is now listed by the operator as an option to Stansted, but Oyster is not accepted at Stansted Airport. Compare Advance tickets, contactless and group fares for your journey. Official Advance ticket conditions.
Luton catches some first-time visitors out because the airport terminal is not at the railway station. The first leg is Luton DART, an automated four-minute link to Luton Airport Parkway. From there, you board a train to London. The DART does not go to central London itself. It runs around the clock, with less frequent services at night; check the onward trains separately.
As of 8 October 2026, an adult DART-only single costs £4.90. But if you book a through rail ticket to “Luton Airport”, the DART is already included. A ticket only to “Luton Airport Parkway” may not include it. That small distinction is useful when you are standing at the barriers with a suitcase. See the official DART fares.
Trains from Parkway run towards St Pancras and beyond. The fastest combined DART-and-train journey to St Pancras is advertised from about 32 minutes, depending on the service. For a late arrival, compare rail timetables with coaches and check exactly where the coach stops. Luton Airport Express tickets and routes.
Then there is London City Airport, handy for the eastern side of the capital. The terminal has a DLR – Docklands Light Railway station, and the airport gives a journey time of around 21 minutes to Bank. It can be wonderfully convenient for the City or Docklands, provided the available flight fits your dates. London City Airport travel information.
Finding accommodation without spending the whole trip on transport
There is no permanently “cheap part of London”. Hotel rates change with weekends, concerts and events. Search your exact dates, compare the final price for your party, then look at the map. A room described as “London” may still be a long way from the places you intend to visit.
Near Liverpool Street or Shoreditch can be practical for Stansted; King’s Cross or St Pancras for Luton; Victoria and the Thameslink corridor for Gatwick; and Paddington or Elizabeth line stations for Heathrow. Stratford or Hammersmith are also worth comparing if they fit your route, but do not assume the outer areas are always cheaper once extra travel is included.
Check whether you are booking a whole room or a hostel bed, whether the bathroom is private, how late you can check in, whether there is a lift and how far the walk from the station really is. Compare the hotel’s own offer with booking sites, including cancellation terms. Visit London gives a useful overview of accommodation types.
What should you budget for a 2027 city break?
There is no meaningful fixed price for a “cheap London weekend” without dates, a group size and an accommodation standard. Instead, add the flight with baggage, airport transfers both ways for every passenger, total hotel cost, local transport, meals and anything you plan to do. If visiting from Poland, include insurance and any required ETA travel authorisation.
For Tube, DLR and other eligible services, read TfL’s contactless rules. Use the same card or device to start and finish your journey, and never assume a separate airport express service is priced like the Underground. The fares quoted here were checked on 8 October 2026, not guaranteed for a trip in 2027. Check National Rail, your operator and TfL for price changes and engineering work before departure.
If there is one thing worth remembering, it is this: book the flight and accommodation as one plan. In London, that often matters more than saving a few pounds on the airfare.
Information checked 8 October 2026. Journey times are approximate and exclude immigration, baggage collection and the walk to your hotel.
