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Transport from London Luton Airport: My Tips
Luton Airport is connected by public transport to both central London and the town of Luton.
The quickest way to get to the city centre is by combining the Luton DART automated train with a connecting train.
National Express offers the lowest promotional fare. The bus is also more convenient for travelling to Golders Green, Baker Street, Paddington, Marble Arch or Victoria stations, as it runs directly from the terminal.
| Transport | When to choose it | Journey time and fare to the city centre |
|---|---|---|
| Train + Luton DART | St Pancras, Farringdon, Blackfriars and London Bridge | 32 to 60 minutes, from 10 gbp |
| National Express | Baker Street, Paddington, Marble Arch, Victoria | 40 to 90 minutes, from 9 gbp |
| Green Line 757 / Terravision | Brent Cross, Baker Street, Marble Arch, Victoria | 75 to 105 minutes, from 13 gbp |
Trains to London
The train is the quickest way to get to central London, although the station is not located directly next to the terminal.
From the airport, you’ll first take the Luton DART automated train to Luton Airport Parkway station. The journey takes 4 minutes.
When buying a train ticket, select Luton Airport as your departure or destination station, not Luton Airport Parkway. This will include the Luton DART fare. A separate ticket for the DART costs 4,90 gbp, but you won’t need one.
There are two train services to choose from:
- The Luton Airport Express runs to London St Pancras every 30 minutes. The entire journey from the terminal, including the DART, takes from 32 minutes
- Thameslink runs directly to St Pancras, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars and London Bridge. During peak hours, up to 10 trains depart per hour and selected services run throughout the night. The journey takes just under 45 minutes.
The cheapest Advance tickets start from 10 gbp, including the DART. They are valid only on the booked train. A flexible ticket costs more, but you can use any permitted service on the day of validity.
I use thetrainline.com almost exclusively to buy tickets in the UK.
Standard prices when booking at the station or just a few days in advance range from 11 gbp to 17 gbp.
Bus to London
Buses offer the lowest fares and run directly from the terminal to various parts of London without the need to change.
Choose this option if you’re travelling to north-west London or to a hotel near a bus stop. Journey times to the city centre may be longer depending on traffic.
Bus stops are located in front of the terminal.
National Express
National Express runs 24 hours a day and offers up to 49 services a day. The journey to Golders Green takes from 40 minutes, and to Victoria 60 to 90 minutes.
Prices start at 7 gbp, including a booking fee. This price is available only on selected services and stops on the Luton Airport–Golders Green route. The price varies depending on the date, time and destination.
If you’re travelling to the city centre (Paddington, Marble Arch or Victoria), the cheapest tickets, when purchased at least 14 days in advance, cost 9 gbp.
The standard price when buying on the spot or at shorter notice is around 14 gbp.
Buses stop at Golders Green, Finchley Road, St John’s Wood, Baker Street, Paddington, Marble Arch and Victoria.
You can also use a standard ticket on a service 3 hours before or 3 hours after your booked departure, provided there is space available on the bus.
Buy a ticket for National Express
Green Line 757 and Terravision
Terravision sells tickets for Green Line 757 buses. This is not a separate Terravision bus route.
A single ticket costs 13 gbp, whilst a return ticket costs just 14 gbp. For a return journey, this is the best value fixed price, without the need to search for two separate journeys with limited-time promotional fares.
The Green Line 757 stops at Bricket Wood, Brent Cross, Finchley Road, Baker Street, Marble Arch and Victoria.
The journey from the airport to Victoria takes between 75 and 105 minutes. Buses run 24 hours a day, every 30 minutes during the day and every 60 minutes at night.
If your flight is delayed, you can take the next bus, except when travelling on the Lower Fare fare.
Book your bus ticket at Terravision.eu
Night-time transport
National Express buses, the Green Line 757, Thameslink trains and the Luton DART run throughout the night.
Before booking, check the arrival time at your hotel. A night bus may be quicker than a train involving a change and a subsequent journey on London public transport.
Map of transport from Luton Airport
To Gatwick Airport
The fastest connection is provided by the direct Thameslink train from Luton Airport Parkway station. You can get from the terminal to the station by DART train and then continue on to Gatwick without changing trains.
The journey takes between 80 and 105 minutes. Early-bird fares start at 20 gbp including the DART. When booking, select Luton Airport as your departure station to ensure the ticket includes the DART.
- Buy a ticket: Trainline.com
To Heathrow and Stansted airports
National Express provides a direct service from the terminal.
- Heathrow: the journey takes from 50 minutes, with tickets costing from 15,50 gbp, with up to 25 services a day
- Stansted: journey time from 70 minutes, tickets from 18,10 gbp, with up to 9 services a day
- Buy a ticket: Nationalexpress.com
When connecting between two flights, allow plenty of time to account for traffic, check-in and security checks.
Bus to Luton
Luton city centre is a 10- to 15-minute journey from the airport.
Routes A, Z, X1, X2, X3 and X4 run between the terminal and Luton Station Interchange. Routes A and Z run 24 hours a day.
A single ticket costs a maximum of 3 gbp. You can pay by contactless card to the driver or via the operator’s mobile app. You can find the latest routes and timetables on the Luton Airport website.
- Journey time: 10 to 15 minutes
- Fare: 3 gbp
- Night-time service: routes A and Z
To Oxford and other towns
The direct National Express bus to Oxford runs from 1.55 am and tickets cost from 20,20 gbp.
National Express also offers direct services to Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham, Manchester, Cambridge, Milton Keynes and other cities. Please check the price and journey time for your specific date.
- Buy a ticket via Nationalexpress.com
Car hire
If you’re heading from Luton Airport into the English countryside, hiring a car offers the greatest freedom.
Car hire companies are based at the Car Hire Centre, which is served by a free shuttle bus running 24 hours a day from the terminal.
Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, National and Alamo all operate at the airport. Compare prices before you travel, as there can be significant differences between offers.
Transport in London
Luton Airport lies outside the London public transport fare zones. The Oyster Card cannot be used on trains to Luton Airport Parkway or on the DART. You can pay by contactless card, but two separate fares for the train and the DART may work out more expensive than a ticket bought in advance.
You can find information on the Underground, buses and card payments in the London transport guide.
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Any questions left?
If you have any questions or comments about the article...
It looks as though National Express has reduced its price to 7 GBP and Terravision has increased its price to 13 GBP. Arriva UK, which operates Greenline, charges 15 GBP for a single ticket and 16 GBP for a set of two tickets, which can be used in either direction but not at the same time (i.e. they are not suitable for a single journey for two adults), 16 GBP, and also offers other types of tickets. https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/tick...cc5e557eed Tickets can also be purchased via Flixbus for 422 Kč, i.e. 15 GBP.