Stansted Airport transfers
Stansted, up the M11
Stansted is about 40 miles north-east of Westminster. From Stratford the drive takes around an hour off-peak; from the West End allow an hour and a half. Your chauffeur meets you in the arrivals hall of the single terminal, with a fixed price agreed in advance.
Stansted sits in Essex, beside the M11, and it is the airport of early starts. Its timetable is dominated by short-haul flights to Europe, many of them leaving before seven in the morning, which means many of our Stansted journeys begin in the dark on quiet roads.
It has one terminal, a long glass building designed so that passengers arrive and depart on the same level, which keeps meeting a chauffeur simple. This page covers the drop-off rules, how long the drive takes from different parts of London, and when the train is the better choice.
Which parts of London are closest to Stansted?
North-east and east London. From Havering the drive is under an hour even in traffic, and from Stratford, Walthamstow or Hackney it is about an hour off-peak. The further west you start, the longer it takes, because every route has to cross London to reach the M11.
| Destination | Distance | Off-peak | Rush hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Havering | 33 miles | 55 min | 72 min |
| Stratford | 35 miles | 61 min | 79 min |
| Barnet | 37 miles | 64 min | 83 min |
| Canary Wharf | 38 miles | 64 min | 83 min |
| Liverpool Street | 38 miles | 71 min | 103 min |
| Mayfair | 40 miles | 83 min | 120 min |
Times come from road routing, with a rush-hour allowance in the last column. From Kensington or Paddington, a Stansted journey can take as long as a trip to Gatwick, which is worth knowing if you have a choice of airports for the same destination.
What is the Express Set Down charge?
The drop-off area directly outside the terminal is called Express Set Down. Since March 2026, using it costs £10 for up to 15 minutes. The zone is barrier-free and uses number plate cameras, so chauffeurs pay online or by phone afterwards, by midnight on the day after the visit. An unpaid charge leads to a £100 parking charge notice, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.
The free alternative is the Mid Stay car park, a short shuttle bus ride from the terminal. When we take you to Stansted, we use Express Set Down and the charge is included in your fixed price, so you are dropped at the terminal doors rather than at a bus stop.
How does an early morning departure work?
For a 06:30 flight, most passengers need to be at the terminal by around 04:30, which from central London means a pickup at about 03:15. It sounds brutal, and it is, but the roads at that hour are nearly empty, and a car removes the question of whether the first train will get you there in time.
We confirm early pickups the evening before, and the chauffeur messages you when they are outside. If you want to sleep on the way, the S-Class is the quietest cabin we run. Security queues at Stansted can be long at the first wave of departures, so we build that into the suggested pickup time.
Is the Stansted Express quicker?
To Liverpool Street, often yes. The train takes just under an hour and runs from a station underneath the terminal, so for a traveller with a small bag heading to the City it is a sensible choice outside the very earliest and latest hours.
A car is the better option when you start or finish away from Liverpool Street, carry more than you can manage on escalators, travel as a family or group, or fly before the first train or after the last one. The door-to-door time, not the train time, is what decides it.
Where will your chauffeur meet you?
In the arrivals hall, just beyond the doors from baggage reclaim, with a board showing your name. The chauffeur then walks with you to the car in the nearby short stay car park.
Because Stansted has one terminal, there is no risk of waiting in the wrong building. Your chauffeur follows the flight, and many Stansted arrivals are late in the evening; a delay simply moves the pickup, and the chauffeur will still be there if you land after midnight.
Can you connect Stansted with other airports?
Yes. Stansted to Heathrow is a common booking for passengers switching from a European flight to a long-haul one, and it runs round the M25 in about an hour and a half off-peak. Stansted to Luton crosses Hertfordshire on the A120 and A505 and is shorter.
Plan connections generously. A short-haul delay at Stansted followed by a slow M25 can erase a tight margin, and we would rather suggest a later onward flight than watch you run for one.
Which car suits a Stansted trip?
Most Stansted flights are short-haul, so many passengers travel light, and the Mercedes E-Class covers two travellers with a case each comfortably. Families heading to the sun with pushchairs and several cases are better in the V-Class. Ski season is the exception: boots, skis and bulky bags fill a car quickly, and a group of four skiers almost always needs the V-Class.
Mention anything unusual in the notes when you book, and we will match the car to it.
How it works
From Stansted arrivals to the car
- 01
Book online
Add your flight number and terminal. The price is fixed at that point.
- 02
We follow the flight
An early landing or a delay moves the pickup automatically. You do not need to call.
- 03
Met in arrivals
Your chauffeur waits in the arrivals hall with a board showing your name.
- 04
To the car
A short walk to the car park beside the terminal, with the chauffeur handling your bags.
Every route from Stansted
From the terminal to every London borough
Choose any airport to compare. Off-peak drive times from road routing.
From Stansted
STN
- Westminster41 mi84 min
- Mayfair40 mi83 min
- City of London38 mi72 min
- Canary Wharf38 mi64 min
- Kensington and Chelsea47 mi91 min
- Paddington45 mi87 min
All 58 destinations from Stansted
| Destination | Distance | Off-peak | Rush hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redbridge | 32 mi | 52 min | 68 min |
| Waltham Forest | 30 mi | 52 min | 68 min |
| Enfield | 32 mi | 53 min | 69 min |
| Havering | 33 mi | 55 min | 72 min |
| Newham | 35 mi | 59 min | 77 min |
| Barking and Dagenham | 36 mi | 60 min | 78 min |
| Hackney | 35 mi | 61 min | 79 min |
| Stratford | 35 mi | 61 min | 79 min |
| Tower Hamlets | 37 mi | 62 min | 81 min |
| Haringey | 36 mi | 63 min | 82 min |
| Barnet | 37 mi | 64 min | 83 min |
| Canary Wharf | 38 mi | 64 min | 83 min |
| Bexley | 47 mi | 68 min | 88 min |
| Shoreditch | 36 mi | 68 min | 99 min |
| Islington | 37 mi | 71 min | 103 min |
| Liverpool Street | 38 mi | 71 min | 103 min |
| City of London | 38 mi | 72 min | 104 min |
| Greenwich | 36 mi | 72 min | 94 min |
| Southwark | 41 mi | 74 min | 107 min |
| Hampstead | 42 mi | 74 min | 107 min |
| London Bridge | 38 mi | 74 min | 107 min |
| Harrow | 46 mi | 76 min | 99 min |
| Lewisham | 44 mi | 77 min | 100 min |
| St Pancras International | 38 mi | 77 min | 112 min |
| King's Cross | 38 mi | 77 min | 112 min |
| Brent | 45 mi | 78 min | 101 min |
| Camden | 39 mi | 78 min | 113 min |
| Covent Garden | 39 mi | 79 min | 115 min |
| Euston | 39 mi | 79 min | 115 min |
| Bromley | 54 mi | 80 min | 104 min |
| Soho | 39 mi | 80 min | 116 min |
| Waterloo | 40 mi | 80 min | 116 min |
| St John's Wood | 44 mi | 81 min | 117 min |
| Mayfair | 40 mi | 83 min | 120 min |
| Marylebone | 40 mi | 83 min | 120 min |
| Ealing | 47 mi | 84 min | 109 min |
| Westminster | 41 mi | 84 min | 122 min |
| Hillingdon | 63 mi | 85 min | 111 min |
| Lambeth | 42 mi | 86 min | 125 min |
| Knightsbridge | 41 mi | 87 min | 126 min |
| Paddington | 45 mi | 87 min | 126 min |
| Victoria | 42 mi | 87 min | 126 min |
| Belgravia | 41 mi | 88 min | 128 min |
| Notting Hill | 46 mi | 88 min | 128 min |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 50 mi | 90 min | 117 min |
| South Kensington | 42 mi | 90 min | 131 min |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 47 mi | 91 min | 132 min |
| Chelsea | 42 mi | 91 min | 132 min |
| Battersea | 43 mi | 92 min | 133 min |
| Richmond upon Thames | 51 mi | 95 min | 124 min |
| Croydon | 62 mi | 96 min | 125 min |
| Hounslow | 53 mi | 96 min | 125 min |
| Wandsworth | 45 mi | 97 min | 126 min |
| Fulham | 52 mi | 97 min | 126 min |
| Merton | 48 mi | 105 min | 137 min |
| Sutton | 74 mi | 105 min | 137 min |
| Wimbledon | 47 mi | 106 min | 138 min |
| Kingston upon Thames | 55 mi | 111 min | 144 min |
Central London
From Stansted to the centre
The ten central addresses people ask for most, off-peak and in the weekday rush.
| Destination | Distance | Off-peak | Rush hour | Main roads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster | 41 mi | 84 min | 122 min | A120, M11 |
| Mayfair | 40 mi | 83 min | 120 min | A120, M11 |
| City of London | 38 mi | 72 min | 104 min | A120, M11 |
| Canary Wharf | 38 mi | 64 min | 83 min | A120, M11 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 47 mi | 91 min | 132 min | A120, M11 |
| Paddington | 45 mi | 87 min | 126 min | A120, M11 |
| St Pancras International | 38 mi | 77 min | 112 min | A120, M11 |
| Victoria | 42 mi | 87 min | 126 min | A120, M11 |
| Shoreditch | 36 mi | 68 min | 99 min | A120, M11 |
| South Kensington | 42 mi | 90 min | 131 min | A120, M11 |
Quickest from Stansted
The twelve closest areas
Off-peak and weekday rush-hour times from road routing, fastest first.
| Area | Distance | Off-peak | Rush hour | Main roads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redbridge | 32 mi | 52 min | 68 min | A120, M11 |
| Waltham Forest | 30 mi | 52 min | 68 min | A120, M11 |
| Enfield | 32 mi | 53 min | 69 min | A120, M11 |
| Havering | 33 mi | 55 min | 72 min | A120, M11 |
| Newham | 35 mi | 59 min | 77 min | A120, M11 |
| Barking and Dagenham | 36 mi | 60 min | 78 min | A120, M11 |
| Hackney | 35 mi | 61 min | 79 min | A120, M11 |
| Stratford | 35 mi | 61 min | 79 min | A120, M11 |
| Tower Hamlets | 37 mi | 62 min | 81 min | A120, M11 |
| Haringey | 36 mi | 63 min | 82 min | A120, M11 |
| Barnet | 37 mi | 64 min | 83 min | A120, M11 |
| Canary Wharf | 38 mi | 64 min | 83 min | A120, M11 |
Cruise connections
From Stansted to the ship
Straight from arrivals to the cruise terminal, fastest first.
| Cruise port | Distance | Off-peak | Rush hour | Main roads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tilbury | 45 mi | 66 min | 86 min | A120, M11 |
| Harwich | 54 mi | 84 min | 109 min | A120, A12 |
| Dover | 101 mi | 134 min | 174 min | A120, M11 |
| Portsmouth | 130 mi | 159 min | 207 min | A120, M11 |
| Southampton | 128 mi | 161 min | 209 min | A120, M11 |
In every fare
What the price includes
- 01
Flight tracking
The chauffeur follows your flight number, so an early landing or a delay moves the pickup with it.
- 02
Meet and greet
Your chauffeur waits in arrivals with a board showing your name, and takes the bags from there.
- 03
A fixed price
Agreed when you book. Traffic, a longer route on the day or a late landing do not change it.
- 04
The £10 drop-off charge
Paid by us, so you are set down at the terminal doors rather than at a bus stop.
- 05
A route from live traffic
The chauffeur checks the roads before setting off and picks the line that is moving.
Other airports
The rest of London’s airports
Road distance and off-peak time between the two airports.
Good to know
Questions, answered
How far is Stansted from central London?
About 40 miles from Westminster by road, typically 75 to 85 minutes off-peak and more in the rush hour.
Is there a free place to be dropped at Stansted?
Yes, the Mid Stay car park has a free drop-off area with a shuttle bus to the terminal. When you travel with us, we drop you at the terminal and cover the Express Set Down charge.
Do you meet private jets at Stansted?
Yes. Private flights use a separate business aviation terminal on the airport site. Tell us the handling agent and the chauffeur will go there instead of the main terminal.
Can you collect me from Stansted late at night?
Yes. The chauffeur follows your flight, so late or delayed arrivals are covered and you will not be left waiting for a last train.
Which is closer to east London, Stansted or London City?
London City is much closer to Docklands and Stratford. Stansted is often the closer major airport for north-east London and Essex, and it has far more destinations.
Ready when you are
Your chauffeur, already waiting
A named chauffeur, a fixed price and a quiet car, at every London airport.