The London Traveler

London City Airport is only 20 years old, and was only conceived of in the last three decades. It’s located in the London Docklands area, east of both the City of London and the Canary Wharf financial district. The airport is rather small, and is used most by small or specialised routes as well as private planes. Cities you can reach from London City Airport include Belfast, Dublin, Amsterdam, Milan, Frankfurt, Munich, Copenhagen, Oslo, Geneva and Zurich.

There are really only two good ways to get to and from London City Airport.

1 – Docklands Light Railway

The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) was just recently extended to London City Airport, and is certainly the best value for money to get to and from the airport. DLR trains are automated trains that run to and from stations in the City of London and Canary Wharf, the home of new skyscrapers and international bank headquarters.

The most this would ever cost you to get to central London is £4. If you travel only on the DLR, buy a Travelcard, or get/use a London Oystercard, the fares will all be significantly cheaper. It takes about 30-40 minutes to get to central London via the DLR.

2 – Taxi

Taxis are another good way to get to and from London City Airport. They are certainly more expensive, and could potentially get caught in City traffic, but will take you door-to-door quite efficiently. Traditional fares to the City of London are around £20-£30, and to the West End about £30-£40.

Recommendation

I’m a fan of public transport, so the DLR is always a great option. But if you have a lot of luggage, or just want some privacy to do some work or make phone calls, a taxi is a good (but more expensive) option.

Photos from Flickr.

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