Book Your Stansted to London City Transfer
Airportbee runs fixed-price, licensed transfers between Stansted and London City Airport, with your driver tracking your inbound flight so pickup happens when you actually land. Worth being clear from the start: this page is about London City Airport (LCY) in the Royal Docks specifically. If you’re heading from Stansted into central London generally rather than to the airport, that’s a different trip — the Stansted Express into Liverpool Street is the usual way to do that.
Get a Fixed Quote — Stansted to London City →
Quick facts
- Distance: around 27 miles direct; the road route via the M11 and A406 is typically 34–40 miles
- Typical journey time: 50–75 minutes in normal traffic
- No M25 needed — the M11 connects directly to the North Circular without joining the orbital motorway
- London City has a weekend flight curfew — no flights land or depart between roughly 12:30pm Saturday and 12:30pm Sunday
- Pickup: Stansted Airport terminal (single terminal)
- Drop-off: London City Airport terminal (single terminal)
The Shortest of London City’s “Outer Airport” Routes
Stansted and London City both sit on the north-eastern side of London, which makes this one of the more direct airport-pair journeys Airportbee covers — shorter than the equivalent trip from Gatwick or Luton, and second only to the Heathrow–London City route in overall distance. By road, they’re around 27 miles apart direct, or 34–40 miles by the standard route, with a typical journey time of 50–75 minutes in normal traffic.
The road route also has a genuine advantage over most of Airportbee’s other London City pairings: the M11 runs south from Stansted and meets the North Circular (A406) directly at South Woodford, without needing to join the M25 at all. From there, it’s the A406 and A12/A13 into the Royal Docks. That’s one less motorway interchange to worry about than the Gatwick or Luton routes to the same airport.
London City’s Weekend Curfew
Worth knowing before you book either leg of a trip: London City Airport doesn’t operate flights between roughly 12:30pm on Saturday and 12:30pm on Sunday, under a long-standing noise curfew, plus an overnight curfew during the week and a first departure around 06:30. If you’re planning a weekend connection through Stansted and London City, check your London City flight time against the airport’s current operating hours before finalising anything.
Getting There Without a Car
The Stansted Express runs frequently into London Liverpool Street in around 50 minutes, and from there the DLR or Elizabeth line can get you on to London City in a further short hop. It’s a reasonable option if you’re travelling light, though by the time you’ve factored in the change and the walk between stations, it’s rarely faster than driving on this particular route — more a genuine alternative than a clear shortcut.
Pickup at Stansted
Stansted has a single terminal, so there’s no terminal choice to confirm. With Meet & Greet, your driver monitors your flight and adjusts to your actual landing time. Two Meet & Greet options are available: a Zone D express pickup point (£7), or premium Meet & Greet where your driver waits inside arrivals with a name board (£15, parking included up to £10) — and as an express-pickup airport, you get 10 minutes of free waiting rather than the standard 5. See the full Stansted Airport transfers guide for more.
Drop-off at London City
London City has a single, compact terminal, so there’s no terminal choice at this end either, and the walk from gate to arrivals is short. Premium Meet & Greet is available for £17, with your driver waiting inside arrivals, and — as an express-pickup airport — you get 10 minutes of free waiting rather than the standard 5. The express drop-off charge here is £3.50, the lowest of any airport in Airportbee’s network. See the full London City Airport transfers guide for more.
Connecting Between Separately Booked Flights
Because Stansted and London City have no shared airline network, any same-day connection between the two is a self-transfer — clear immigration if arriving internationally, collect your baggage, travel by road, then check in and clear security again. Given how comparatively short this route is, the transfer itself eats less into your connection than on Airportbee’s longer routes, but it’s still worth checking your airline’s own guidance rather than assuming the short distance guarantees a comfortable connection. Many travellers with checked luggage allow a minimum of around 4–5 hours between scheduled landing and departure, more during peak traffic.
If your inbound Stansted flight runs late, flight monitoring means your driver adjusts to your actual landing time automatically, so a delay doesn’t mean a missed pickup.
Fixed Price, Confirmed Before You Travel
Airportbee runs fixed fares for every booking channel — phone, app, live chat, email or online — so the price you’re quoted is the price you pay, regardless of traffic on the day. Get your live fixed quote through the booking engine below.
Get Your Fixed Stansted to London City Quote →
Choosing Your Vehicle
A Saloon covers most solo and business journeys on this route. Families or anyone with more luggage should look at an Estate or 6-Seater; groups can use the 8-Seater. For a business transfer where comfort matters more than boot space, the Executive option is available.
Why Book Airportbee
- Fixed price agreed before you travel — traffic on the day doesn’t change what you pay
- Flight monitoring on your Stansted landing and your booking details
- Meet & Greet available at both Stansted and London City
- Fully licensed, TfL-authorised vehicles and PCO-certified drivers
- 24/7 booking and support, 365 days a year
Stansted to London City FAQs
Is this page about London City Airport or getting to central London?
This page covers transfers to London City Airport (LCY) in the Royal Docks specifically. If you’re heading into central London from Stansted rather than to the airport, the Stansted Express into Liverpool Street is the usual way to do that.
How far is Stansted from London City Airport?
Around 27 miles direct. By road, via the M11 and A406, it’s typically 34–40 miles — one of the shorter airport-pair journeys in Airportbee’s network.
How long does it take to get from Stansted to London City?
Usually 50–75 minutes in normal traffic.
Do I need to use the M25 for this journey?
No. The M11 connects directly to the North Circular (A406) at South Woodford, so this route doesn’t need to join the M25 at all.
Does London City Airport fly on weekends?
Not in the early-to-mid part of Saturday afternoon — London City operates under a curfew with no flights between roughly 12:30pm Saturday and 12:30pm Sunday.
Does London City Airport have more than one terminal?
No. London City has a single, compact terminal.
How much does a transfer from Stansted to London City cost?
Airportbee runs fixed fares agreed before you travel, so the price doesn’t change with traffic on the day. Get a live quote through the booking engine for your exact route and vehicle.
What happens if my flight into Stansted is delayed?
Airportbee tracks your flight and adjusts your pickup to your actual landing time, so a delay doesn’t mean a missed pickup.
Book your fixed-price Stansted to London City transfer today — flight-monitored, door-to-door, no surprises at the terminal.
