Luton to Westminster

Which route does the chauffeur take?

From the airport, the car joins the M1 at junction 10 and follows it south to its end, then takes the A5 Edgware Road through Kilburn and Maida Vale to Marble Arch, and Park Lane to Hyde Park Corner and into Westminster. Our route data puts it at about 37 miles. It is one of the simplest routes into central London from any airport, with very few turns.

When the Edgware Road is slow, the chauffeur may use the A41 through Swiss Cottage and the Finchley Road instead.

How long should you allow?

About 67 minutes off-peak and up to 97 minutes in the weekday rush. The M1 section is usually quick; the Edgware Road, with its traffic lights and bus lanes, is the slow part, particularly around Kilburn and between Maida Vale and Marble Arch. Late evening arrivals are the quickest, often under an hour.

Car or train?

The rail route is the DART shuttle from the terminal to Luton Airport Parkway, a Thameslink train to St Pancras or Farringdon, and the Underground to Westminster. It involves two changes. For a light traveller during the day, it can be competitive at busy times.

With luggage, children or a group, the car is much simpler: no shuttle, no platforms, no Underground with cases, and a drop-off at your door. It is also the better choice for late-night arrivals and on engineering weekends.

Where does the car drop you?

For hotels around Park Lane, Victoria and St James’s, at the hotel entrance. For homes in Pimlico and the residential streets of Westminster, as close to the door as the one-way streets allow. For offices and government buildings, at the entrance you use, or near Parliament and Whitehall, at an agreed set-down point on an open street nearby.

Does the Congestion Charge apply?

For most Westminster addresses, yes, during charging hours. The route enters the zone at Marble Arch or Hyde Park Corner. When the charge applies, the £18 daily charge is part of your fixed price. Addresses in Maida Vale, Paddington and St John’s Wood, which the route passes, are outside the zone.

Arriving at a Park Lane hotel?

Because the route runs down Park Lane, it is especially convenient for the hotels along it. The chauffeur will pull into the hotel’s forecourt, and door staff will take your luggage. If you arrive before your room is ready, the hotel will hold the bags.

Why does the Edgware Road vary so much?

The A5 Edgware Road is a single long road with shops, bus stops and traffic lights for most of its length between Kilburn and Marble Arch. At quiet times, the stretch from the end of the M1 to Park Lane takes about 25 minutes. On a weekday morning, a Saturday afternoon or during school holidays, it can take twice as long. The chauffeur knows where the worst junctions are and may switch to the A41 and the Finchley Road, arriving via Baker Street instead.

Travelling with family in the school holidays?

Luton has a large number of family holiday flights, and many Westminster families use it in the school holidays. Tell us the children’s ages when you book, and the right car seats will be fitted before the pickup. With pushchairs and holiday luggage, the V-Class is the comfortable choice, and it avoids the DART, the train and the Underground with tired children.

Arriving late at night?

Many Luton flights land late in the evening, and delays can push arrivals past midnight, when the DART and Thameslink run a reduced service. A car booked in advance avoids waiting on a platform with luggage. The chauffeur follows the flight, however late, and at night the drive into Westminster is steady and quick.

Where will the chauffeur meet you at Luton?

In the arrivals hall of the single terminal, holding a board with your name. The chauffeur follows your flight and adjusts to delays, then walks you to the car park.

And going back to Luton?

From Westminster, allow about two and a half hours before a short-haul flight on a weekday, and a little more on a Friday afternoon, when the Edgware Road and the M1 northbound are busy. For early departures, before 07:00, the roads are clear and a pickup at about 04:00 is typical. Luton’s drop-off charge is included, and the chauffeur sets you down at the terminal doors.