London Stansted Airport
Stansted is London's low-cost hub and, in 2025, its busiest year ever: more than 30 million passengers to over 200 destinations, with Dublin and Istanbul the favourites. It is one terminal, with the railway station directly underneath and the coach station two minutes' walk away, about 40 miles north-east of central London. The gates are spread across satellites reached by a transit train, which is where the time goes. Here is how to do it well.
The 30-second version
Book the Stansted Express ahead: it leaves every 15 minutes from under the terminal, reaches Tottenham Hale in about 36 minutes and Liverpool Street in 46 to 48, and advance singles start at £9.90. Going home, validate your boarding pass at security at least two hours before departure, or book FastTrack from £6.49 for early flights. The only paid lounge, Essence, sits beyond the Gates 1-19 transit stop and is not open to Ryanair or easyJet passengers, so for those flights, eat well in the departure lounge instead.
Book a private transfer
Booked with
A driver meets you in arrivals with your name on a sign, at a fixed price agreed when you book. Booked and paid with Welcome Pickups through our partner Travelpayouts; we may earn a commission.
Ryanair, Jet2, easyJet, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, TUI, Lufthansa, SunExpress, Royal Air Maroc and others
One terminal for check-in, security, the departure lounge and arrivals. Gates are in satellites: the transit train runs to Gates 1-19, and some gates are a longer walk, so allow time once your gate is called.
Visitors from the EU, the US, Canada, Australia and most other visa-free countries need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation before boarding: £20 on the government's own site, one per traveller including babies. Irish passport holders do not need one.
British and Irish citizens, and nationals of the EU, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, can use the eGates with a biometric passport. Children aged 8 to 17, at least 120cm tall, can use them with an adult. Passport Control FastTrack is open 24 hours from £15 a person, booked online; every member of the group needs a pass, and it is not for arrivals from Ireland or the rest of the UK.
Find your carousel on the screens in the Baggage Reclaim Hall, then walk through customs. Since 12 April 2025, meat and dairy from EU countries, sandwiches and cheese included, cannot be brought into Great Britain for personal use.
ChangeGroup has 26 cash machines across the airport, dispensing pounds, euros and US dollars, with exchange desks landside and airside. The airport sells eSIMs through its partner Celitech, and the terminal wifi is free for two hours.
The station is directly beneath the terminal, two minutes' walk, step-free by lift, escalator and ramp. Tap in with a contactless card or phone; Oyster is not valid to or from the airport. The last Stansted Express to London leaves at about 00:30.
The bus and coach station is two minutes' walk from the terminal. National Express runs to London 24 hours, from £5 booked ahead: the A6 to Baker Street, Paddington and Victoria, the A8 to Shoreditch, Liverpool Street and Waterloo, the A9 to Stratford and Canary Wharf. Flibco runs every 30 minutes, 24 hours, to Liverpool Street, Stratford and Finsbury Park.
Street Cars Taxis, the on-airport firm, has a desk in the international arrivals concourse and a courtesy phone in domestic baggage reclaim. A pre-booked driver will meet you in arrivals; give them your flight number so they track any delay.
The airport's advice is at least two hours before a short-haul flight and three before a long-haul one, and to validate your boarding pass at security at least two hours before departure. Check-in desks open four hours before Emirates flights, three before Jet2, TUI, AJet and Ryanair international flights, and two before everyone else.
Some airlines run a Twilight bag drop, usually the evening before, so on the day you walk straight to security. Ask your airline about times and limits.
From £6.49 a person, 04:00 to 20:00, bookable up to 12 months ahead or on the day. The airport suggests a slot about two hours before departure. Infants under three with a pushchair or car seat go through free with a paying group, and are sent to the assistance lane automatically.
New scanners mean large electricals and liquids stay in your hand luggage. Individual containers still need to be 100ml or less, so keep the full-size bottles in the hold.
The UK has no outbound border checks; the airline checks your passport at check-in or the gate. From security you are straight into the departure lounge.
Gates 1-19 are reached by the transit train, and once you take it you cannot come back to the main departure lounge. Others are a walk, and some are some way from the shops. Eat first, and leave as soon as your gate is shown.
Light bites, wine and beer, fast wifi and quiet near your gate: a good pause if your airline is on the list.
If you are flying Emirates up front, this is the best seat in the building.
Comptoir LibanaisDeparture lounge, airside
Mezze, wraps and falafel plates, and they will pack it to take on board; 04:00 to 21:30.
Bottega Prosecco BarDeparture lounge, airside
A glass of prosecco and Italian small plates; open 04:00 to 22:00.
The Camden Bar & KitchenDeparture lounge, airside
Breakfasts, pub classics and street food from 03:30, with a good kids' menu.
Terracotta Italian KitchenDeparture lounge, airside
Pasta and pizza for a sit-down meal before a long flight; 04:00 to 21:30.
Harris + HooleDeparture lounge, airside
Proper coffee, open 24 hours.
Sunny Side CaféDeparture lounge, airside
All-day brunch from 04:00, the one children like most.
The PerchDeparture lounge, airside
An all-day bar and kitchen; 04:00 to 21:30.
LeonArrivals and departure lounge
Quick, healthy fast food, with a branch in arrivals for when you land hungry.
AN&By the bus and coach station, landside
Punjabi-inspired food, 04:00 to 21:30, handy if you are waiting for a coach.
The hotel at London Stansted
For an early flight, a late landing or a long wait: the one we would book.
Stansted's on-airport hotel, joined to the terminal by a covered link, with the facilities to match: three restaurants, a pool and 24-hour room service. Easy for a dawn departure and comfortable for a long wait.
Check-in is from 2pm and check-out at noon, with late check-out only when there is space.
Getting to the terminal
Joined to the terminal by a covered link, about 2 minutes on foot
The old Escape Lounge in the main terminal has closed, and its replacement, Essence, sits beyond the Gates 1-19 transit stop. Because of that location, the airport says Ryanair and easyJet passengers cannot use it. If you fly either, budget for a good meal instead: Comptoir Libanais, Bottega or Terracotta. The airport's £1.1bn terminal extension will add a new lounge.
Stansted Express fares fall the earlier you book: advance singles start at £9.90 and returns at £19.80, and same-day tickets cost more. For the West End or King's Cross, get off at Tottenham Hale and take the Victoria line rather than riding to Liverpool Street. Pret's main branch, Caffè Nero and Harris + Hoole are open 24 hours, so a first-wave flight is not a hungry one. The Radisson Blu is the only hotel joined to the terminal by a covered walkway, two minutes from check-in.
Infants under three go through FastTrack security free with a paying group. The terminal has baby change and breastfeeding rooms, you can reserve baby milk to collect airside, and Sunny Side Café, The Camden and Comptoir Libanais all have children's menus. The airport's Little Flyers Club has free activity booklets and games to download before you leave. Children are welcome in the Essence lounge.
Ask your airline for assistance at least 48 hours before departure. On arrival at the airport, use the help phones in the short-stay car parks or in Zones B and C of the forecourt, or go to the Assistance Desk in Zone A. Airside there is an Assistance Lounge on the route to gates 40-59, away from the crowds, and Passport Control has a dedicated lane for passengers who need help. The railway station is step-free throughout, with induction loops, and staffed every day except Christmas Day.
UK261 covers flights from Stansted. Delayed two hours or more on a short flight (three for 1,500–3,500 km, four beyond), the airline owes you food and drink, and a hotel if it runs overnight. Arrive three hours or more late and you can claim £220 for 1,500 km or less, £350 for 1,500–3,500 km and £520 beyond (£260 if three to four hours late). If your train is late too, check your rail ticket's rules for missed connections.
The Radisson Blu is joined to the terminal by a covered walkway, two minutes to check-in, with a pool and spa. Hampton by Hilton is on the airport grounds, a short walk away. Overnight, the coaches run 24 hours, and Pret, Caffè Nero and Harris + Hoole stay open.
Stansted serves the east and the City best. Liverpool Street is the stop for The Ned and a short hop to Town Hall Hotel in Bethnal Green; from there the Central line runs to Tottenham Court Road for Hazlitt's, and the Elizabeth line to Farringdon, Bond Street for The Zetter Marylebone and Claridge's, and Paddington for The Pilgrm. Change at Tottenham Hale for the Victoria line to King's Cross (The Standard) and Pimlico (Artist Residence). Our transfers page has the door-to-door times and fares for each hotel.
Questions people ask
About 36 minutes to Tottenham Hale and 46 to 48 minutes to Liverpool Street. Trains run every 15 minutes through the day; advance singles start at £9.90.
Yes, contactless cards and mobile wallets work. Oyster cards are not valid to or from Stansted Airport.
No. The airport's only paid lounge, Essence by Escape Lounges, is beyond the Gates 1-19 transit stop, and the airport says Ryanair and easyJet passengers cannot access it.
At least two hours before a short-haul flight and three before long-haul, and validate your boarding pass at security at least two hours before departure.
Security FastTrack is from £6.49 a person, 04:00 to 20:00. Passport Control FastTrack on arrival is from £15 a person and open 24 hours.
No. Liquids and large electricals stay in your bag, but each container must still be 100ml or less.
The Radisson Blu is joined to the terminal by a covered walkway, two minutes from check-in. Hampton by Hilton is a short walk away on the airport grounds.
About 40 miles. The Stansted Express reaches Liverpool Street in 46 to 48 minutes; coaches run 24 hours from £5.
Yes, for two hours, in the terminal and the lounges.
Image credits: Oxyman (CC BY 2.5) · Cnbrb (CC0) · Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Richard Humphrey (CC BY-SA 2.0) · EWR (CC BY 3.0) · Hugh Llewelyn (CC BY-SA 2.0)