Stansted Express

Ridiculous fare – ripoff. I would take national express instead (8 pounds usually). They have more and better pickup and dropoff locations. On Stansted Express, they give you ridiculous fines (which happened to me my first time) for things like not knowing that you can’t use your Oyster card to get onto this particular train even though you get into the station using the Oyster card turnstiles (very unforgiving about this). Keep in mind that if you say you «lost your ticket,» they won’t fine you, they’ll just make you pay the normal fare. The penalty fee is obviously targeted at first-​time riders/​foreigners.

The wait is a bit of a faff but at least they have free wifi according to this website!

Ok so keep in mind, i’m a Canadian expat who isn’t used to taking trains and still finds them glorious… but even if you took away my wide eyed wonder, this is still a solid choice to get from Point A to Point B.
I know this, because when arriving at Stansted, I made the mistake of hiring a car to go into the city: which cost me far too much, took nearly two hours with traffic and was without wifi.
When I took the Stansted Express back home, I kicked myself the whole way: it’s painless, it’s much cheaper and I can check my emails.
The tickets are reasonable to get to and from the airport, you can book online prior but it’s just as easy to pick up a ticket at the station. On this specific trip, the train wasn’t busy, so there was lots of room to toss my bag beside me. The wifi, though spotty, prevailed through the whole trip and it took about 40 minutes from central London. Plus, it arrives not just at but IN the airport, so it’s near impossible to get lost.
I’ve learned my lesson — next time I find myself headed to Stansted, this will be my transportation of choice.

A bit expensive and not express at all, it takes like an hour to get to the airport so bear that in mind when planning. There’s a free WiFi connection.

Dear Stansted express
1. You’re hardly an express with a 47 – 56 minute journey time, that’s a SLOW train not an express.
2. The fares of £33.20 return are outrageous. I know what you’re thinking, ‘Heathrow express charges that so we can too’. Heathrow express can get away with it since it is really fast (15 minutes vs an hour on the tube) and mainly caters to the business traveller. Stansted is mostly budget airlines and holidays. In fact, I know for sure you can get cheaper flights on Ryanair than the cost of your fare just to get to the b**** airport.
I can get to Heathrow for around £5 by Underground. I can get to Gatwick or Luton airports by train from St. Pancras for £10 but Stansted at £23.40 one way is waaay too much.
There’s a sad irony in the fact that Stanstead has some of the cheapest flights but unfortunately the most expensive train to get there.
Luckily I’ve found another option: Easybus at £6 and even after weaving through central London traffic only takes 60 mins which isn’t that much longer than your slow, overpriced train for £23.40. £6 is where the fare should be. OK. That’s it.

I can’t understand why the cost of this train. Am I travelling across Europe? Does it come with a free massage? Free food? No… but it cost like it should.
Those of us that live or have lived in London know about the cost of these trains, and are used to it. We just pay the fare and move on. Still better than waiting for the alternative which is considerably slower. And really only save you about 5 quid for the inconvenience.
And it’s not only this train, Heathrow express and Gatwick express are all equally overpriced.
The Standsted express comes with free wifi. The only drawback is trying to fill out all the forms on my ipad. By time I got to fill out everything (addresses, phone numbers, etc) I was at my destination.
I always loved the bathrooms on this train. The round bubble thingy. I can’t explain it, you have to see for yourself. The only train bathroom you will ever find that is super clean and futuristic!
So being that i’m not a traveller with a budget, I take this train. But I always think of the poor young travellers who take this train and can’t afford it.

Stansted Express is alright. It’s nicer than Gatwick express but that’s just personal preference. I go to and from Stansted pretty often and the train services have been pretty reliable. If you don’t buy your tickets right before the departure they’re not too expensive. I’ve spotted other reviewers saying that they’re pricey but Gatwick Express is actually more expensive.
There’s always plenty of seats and plugs to charge your tech. The only downside is that trains don’t run ²⁴⁄₇ and sometimes there’s service alterations, so make sure to check the website. If you need to get to the airport after 1am and before 4ish am you’ll have to get a coach. Luckily, I’ve never had to subject myself to a 2am flight, hence my 4 stars.

die wohl schnellste Verbinung in die City, aber preislich echt teuer!!!

Immer wieder eine gute Verbindung zwischen Flughafen und London Service ist gut, die Verbindung mit ca. 40 Minuten auch recht zügig. Ist aber sicher nicht die günstigste Variante.

ich finde das der express völlig okay ist man ist ja nicht auf der flucht oder sonst geht ja immer noch taxi

A rather expensive (in absolute terms) way to get from Central London to Stansted Airport. Unfortunately, I believe it is also the cheapest way (in relative terms). It cost a little over £20 last I took it. It’s a train and it gets you there. Not a short journey, though, from Liverpool Street Station to the airport.

Ich finde das die Buse wegen dem Verkehr in London viel zu lange brauchen.
Letztens bin ich um 14 Uhr am Marbel Arch gewesen und nicht nur das der Bus ca.1 Std zu spät kam, war ich erst um 7 am Flughafen.
Eine Alternative ist der Zug, leider ist es sehr Teuer.

Oh Stansted Express, I am so dependent on you but oh do you need a makeover. For 18 months I have consistently been taking you for that expensive trip to and fro to the airport. I look at your ratty nasty carpets, I sit on those nasty seats, I feel the drafts through your old windows, I have to hear your screeching wheels through my ipod… oh how much I wish you were the Gatwick Express… clean, somewhat new, and pleasant. Oh Stansted Express, you had adverts all over the airport about 6 months ago promising new trains which I have never seen. And have I mentioned how cold you are in the winter, especially when the heat doesn’t work and the cold air comes blowing in at 6:00am?
You are grotty and need a makeover. Love, me

This is a quaint option. Trying to avoid the riff raff of Heathrow, Stansted is the perfect, low key, airport for arrivals on inter-​european flights. The Stansted Express gives you a little time to unwind and stare out of the window at the English countryside before hoofing it around London.

Ja, der Stansted Express ist wahrscheinlich die beste Möglichkeit vom Flughafen nach London zu kommen — aber leider auch die unzuverlässigste! Es ist unglaublich wie oft einfach mal die gesamte Strecke lahmgelegt ist und man sich ewig anstellen muss um sein Geld zurückerstattet zu kriegen um dann noch ein Busticket nach London zu kaufen. 2x in Stansted gewesen und beim ersten Mal gabs 1h Verspätung (1h fuhren keine Züge!) und beim zweiten Mal fuhr wohl den ganzen Tag lang keiner. Nur die Rückfahrt London-​Stansted war immer problemlos.
Fazit: Wenn man Termine hat die einzuhalten sind, lieber etwas länger mitm Bus fahren und pünktlich eintreffen, als ewig auf den Zug warten der am Ende vielleicht eh nicht kommt…

The Stansted Express is a good option is you have more time than money if you are traveling lightly with one or two small bags.
The price is high considering it is just a subway car that servers food and drinks (it’s no Eurostar for sure).
Also the distance yo must walk from the Terminals in the airpot to the actual train is about ¼ mile down steps and to the platform. I felt like I had already walked to East London already.
On Ryanair they sell discounted tickets which is nice…
But if you are a tourist and need to just quickly get to Stansted Airport and not break a sweat like an extra in 300 hauling your bags through multiple tubes stops just to get on another 45 minutes train to haul them upstairs into the terminal — take a $ 40 private cab the extra money is worth not being stresses and dry cleaning costs.

Very effective mode of transport from central London to Stansted airport, there really is no reason anyone should need to take a cab from Stansted into the city. The are trains generally every 15 minutes, which is not bad for London. The trains in general are fine, clean and well maintained, seats are comfortable and of decent size (unless the person sitting next to you decides to take half of yours.).
In terms of pricing, it is one of the cheaper options, there are cheaper ways, but balancing price, comfort and duration of travel, the Stansted express is still probably my transport of choice (especially when getting a return ticket, you can use the return leg anytime on that specified day — no need to worry about the flight being delayed or getting held up when circling the airport and waiting for a a gate).

I am a frequent traveller on the Stansted Express as I fly from Stansted airport quite a bit. It’s not cheap though at £24 return if you buy on line and £26 if you buy at the ticket machine, if you get on it from Tottenham Hale which I normally do as it’s closer to me it’s that bit cheaper at £22 if you buy on line and £24 if you get it at a ticket machine.
The first train leaves Liverpool street at 3.40 am and a train departs every 15 minutes which is good to know if you miss one train. There is a coffee, tea and sandwich service available on-​board and it only takes 46 minutes to get from central London to Stansted airport.
Recently I had an early morning flight and got on the train at 4am and it was absolutely freezing, the heating was off and I thought I was going to die with the cold, my fingers turned purple.

As a whole family, getting anywhere is never cheap and for under 50 pounds return for 2 adults and 2 children, STansted express was cheap and reliable — we did use a coupon as it was a special offer though. Now the train journey — our experience was excellent, competitive prices and a fast journey! COmfortable seats, and there is free onboard wifi which is a good bonus! Faster than car or bus by far and relaxing too! It could have been a bit cheaper as if it wasnt for the code it would have been the full hundred pounds or so which isnt competitive when compared with bus services.

The Stansted Express service is pretty reliable — getting you from Liverpool St to the airport often within an hour.
As with all train fares in the UK — it is far too expensive. Even with ¹⁄₃ off (young person’s railcard) it was over £30 for two of us. When you think that the equivalent in Berlin costs E1.50, and the bus from Treviso E6, it’s just not cricket. Or, well, it is cricket — have you tried to see a test match or ODI these days? Prices are absurd! That’s beside the by.
It’s easy though. And managed to get us back to Liverpool St just in time to catch the last Central Line train. That was a relief — saved us about a £35 taxi fare or a nightmare night bus adventure.

On my recent trip to Italy (christ, have I still not shut up about that yet? Sorry, i promise I will soon), I was planning on getting a taxi to the airport. I’m not stupid, I know Stansted is miles away, but even from my mate’s house on that side of town, I was still quoted £85 by Addy Lee! £85 for thirty minute drive? no thank you!
This unfortunately left me with two options: be forever in debt to the friend who offered to drive me there at three in the morning, ooooooor get the last Stansted Express and deal with a few hours playing with free wifi and kipping in an uncomfortable chair. I chose the latter.
And it’s not so bad. Stansted express, while it doesn’t feel very ‘express’ (got, Stansted really is bloody miles away, isn’t it?) it’s probably the fastest way of getting there. 45 minutes one way, and if you’ve got a good book, that’ll fly by.
It’s £17 one way, or £26 return so definately worth the return trip. Although if you book online you can save yourself a couple of quid.
You’re dropped right by departures and it’s simple and painless. The last train there is 12.30ish so if you’ve got an early morning flight, you’ll find yourself with only a few hours to kill before you check in. Not too shabby, although from now on I’m going to get a flight a bit later in the day.

Viele Low Cost Airlines wie Ryanair fliegen statt nach Heathrow oder Gatwick nach Stansted. Das ist ein Flughafen im County Essex, der ca. 55 Kilometer nordöstlich des Londoner Stadtzentrums liegt.
Es empfiehlt sich meiner Erfahrung nach, den Transfer in die Stadt schon vor dem Abflug zu organisieren, da man auf diese Weise ein wenig Geld sparen kann. Meist enthalten die Websites der Fluggesellschaften Sonderangebote, die allerdings nur für Kunden der jeweiligen Airline gelten (bei Ryanair beispielsweise muss man beim Kauf des Transfer-​Tickets den Bestätigungscode des Fluges eingeben).
Wer auf der Fahrt nach London die Umgebung betrachten möchte, dem empfehle ich die Busfahrt mit Anbietern wie Terravision (
). Der Bus kostet derzeit 13 Pfund für die Hin– und Rückfahrt und braucht je nach Verkehrsdichte 75 bis 90 Minuten.
Schneller (Fahrtzeit: rund 45 Minuten), aber auch teurer ist der Stansted Express der Eisenbahngesellschaft National Express East Anglia. Er kostet regulär 17 Pfund für die einfache und 26 Pfund für die Hin– und Rückfahrt, ich habe aber eben gerade bei der Buchung über die Ryanair-​Site für die Hin– und Rückfahrt nur 19,50 Pfund bezahlt.
Bei der Online-​Buchung erhält man einen Buchungscode. Mit dem und der Kreditkarte, mit der man bezahlt hat, kann man das Ticket an Automaten am Flughafen, an der Endstation Liverpool St. sowie an der Haltestelle Tottenham Hale ausdrucken lassen. Die Buchungsseite enthält nähere Infos.
Welcher Stopp (Liverpool St. oder Tottenham Hale) am günstigsten ist und welche An– und Weiterreisemöglichkeiten per U-​Bahn bestehen, kann man beim Journeyplanner (
) von Transport for London nachschlagen. (Am günstigsten fährt man übrigens mit der Oyster Card (
) .)
Tottenham Hale bietet sich an, wenn man mit der Victoria Line per Tube (U-​Bahn) an– oder weiterreist.
Der Stansted Express fährt von früh morgens bis spät abends im Viertelstundentakt.
Tipp: Kauft euch als Lektüre für die Bahnfahrt am besten schon am Flughafen das Time Out Magazine (
), denn darin erfährt man, was in der betreffenden Woche in London alles los ist.