Stansted Airport Transfers to and from Central London

Stansted and London: what to expect

Stansted is north-east of the capital: the airport says it is just off the M11 motorway, 40 miles from central London. That makes a Stansted transfer one of the longer London airport journeys, so it is worth booking the vehicle size you need in advance rather than relying on finding one on arrival.

The Stansted to Central London route page below shows live base fares for every vehicle. For journeys to Stansted, or to an address elsewhere in London, use the fare form above — the fare is calculated from your exact pickup and drop-off.

One terminal — and its overnight closure

Stansted operates a single terminal, so there is no terminal to choose: arrivals and departures use the same building.

For early departures, note that the airport's FAQs say the terminal closes between midnight and 02:00, and that passengers on early-morning flights should not arrive sooner than their scheduled check-in time. Choose a pickup time in London that gets you to Stansted for your check-in opening rather than hours before it.

Drop-off and pickup at Stansted

Stansted charges for vehicles using its Express Set Down drop-off area, which has no barriers or payment machines — payment is made online or by phone — and the airport's short-stay car parks are used for picking up. For your MisterFare collection, follow the meeting instructions supplied with your booking.

Your pickup uses the date and time you book and is not changed automatically if your flight is early or late, so allow for landing, passport control and baggage reclaim. Any waiting options available for Stansted pickups are shown during booking, before you pay.

Stansted transfer or the Stansted Express?

According to the airport, Stansted Express trains run every 15 minutes during the day, with direct services from London Liverpool Street, Tottenham Hale and Stratford, and National Express coaches run 24 hours a day to stops across London.

A private transfer goes from the terminal to your exact address with no change of train or Underground connection — useful late at night, with children or heavy luggage, or when you are heading somewhere away from those stations. For a single traveller going near Liverpool Street, the train may suit better.

How your Stansted fare is calculated

Base fares come from MisterFare's live route and vehicle pricing; the vehicle cards below show what each category currently starts from on listed routes. Your final fare depends on your exact address, date, time, vehicle and party, and any charge that applies — such as the Central London Congestion Charge during charging hours — is shown as a separate line before payment.