Trains in London

London has major terminals such as King's Cross, Paddington, Waterloo, Euston and St Pancras. The Elizabeth line crosses the centre from west to east and reaches Heathrow.

Most services run about 05:00 to 00:30. Elizabeth line trains come every few minutes in the central section.

Tickets and prices

• Tap in and out with a contactless bank card in zones 1 to 6
• National Rail: buy on the operator app or the Trainline in advance
• Advance tickets are cheaper but tied to one train
• Railcards give about a third off for eligible travellers

Where to buy tickets

• In and around London: tap in and out with a contactless bank card, phone or Oyster card at the gates, including the Elizabeth line, Overground and many National Rail routes
• Longer trips: ticket offices and ticket machines at National Rail stations
• Apps and websites: Trainline or the train company's own app (LNER, Avanti West Coast, GWR and others), with e-tickets on your phone
• Eurostar: buy on the Eurostar website or app. No tickets sold on board
• On board: usually not possible. Buy before you board. You can buy from the conductor at the same price only if the station had no ticket office or working machine
• Penalty fare without a valid ticket: 100 GBP plus the single fare (50 GBP plus the fare if paid within 21 days)

Good to know: Daily price capping means contactless never costs more than the day cap.

Transport for London (official site)

Direct trains from London

• Cambridge: about 50 min from King's Cross, Great Northern, Thameslink
• Canterbury: about 50 min from St Pancras, Southeastern high speed
• Oxford: about 55 min from Paddington, GWR
• Windsor: about 55 min from Waterloo, South Western Railway
• Winchester: about 1 h from Waterloo, South Western Railway
• Brighton: about 1 h from Victoria, Southern, Gatwick Express
• Dover: about 1 h 05 from St Pancras, Southeastern high speed
• Bath: about 1 h 15 from Paddington, GWR
• Birmingham: about 1 h 15 from Euston, Avanti West Coast
• Salisbury: about 1 h 20 from Waterloo, South Western Railway
• Portsmouth: about 1 h 25 from Waterloo, South Western Railway
• Bristol: about 1 h 30 from Paddington, GWR
• Nottingham: about 1 h 35 from St Pancras, East Midlands Railway
• Bournemouth: about 1 h 45 from Waterloo, South Western Railway
• Cardiff: about 1 h 45 from Paddington, GWR
• Norwich: about 1 h 45 from Liverpool Street, Greater Anglia
• York: about 1 h 45 from King's Cross, LNER, Grand Central
• Exeter: about 2 h from Paddington, GWR
• Sheffield: about 2 h from St Pancras, East Midlands Railway
• Manchester: about 2 h 05 from Euston, Avanti West Coast
• Leeds: about 2 h 10 from King's Cross, LNER
• Liverpool: about 2 h 15 from Euston, Avanti West Coast
• Newcastle: about 2 h 40 from King's Cross, LNER, Lumo
• Swansea: about 2 h 40 from Paddington, GWR
• Plymouth: about 3 h from Paddington, GWR
• Edinburgh: about 4 h 10 from King's Cross, LNER, Lumo
• Glasgow: about 4 h 30 from Euston, Avanti West Coast
• Penzance: about 5 h from Paddington, GWR
• Aberdeen: about 7 h from King's Cross, LNER
• Inverness: about 8 h from King's Cross, LNER
• Lille (France): about 1 h 20 from St Pancras International, Eurostar
• Brussels (Belgium): about 2 h from St Pancras International, Eurostar
• Paris (France): about 2 h 16 min from St Pancras International, Eurostar
• Rotterdam (Netherlands): about 3 h 15 from St Pancras International, Eurostar
• Amsterdam (Netherlands): about 4 h from St Pancras International, Eurostar

Trams and metro in London

The Underground (11 lines) is the backbone. Trams run only in south London (Croydon). The DLR serves Docklands and east London.

Tube about 05:00 to 00:30. Night Tube on Friday and Saturday on several lines.

Tickets and prices

• Single Tube fare in zone 1: about 3 GBP (contactless or Oyster)
• Zone 1 to 6 daily cap: about 16 GBP
• Visitor Oyster card: Oyster for tourists, with a non-refundable card fee
• Weekly cap runs Monday to Sunday

Where to buy tickets

• Tube, DLR and trams: tap a contactless bank card, phone or Oyster card on the yellow reader. It is the cheapest way to pay
• Oyster and Visitor Oyster cards: buy and top up at Tube station ticket machines or at Oyster Ticket Stop shops. Visitor Oyster can be ordered online before your trip
• Paper single tickets: from Tube station ticket machines, but they cost more
• TfL Oyster and contactless app: top up Oyster and check your journeys
• Not possible on board trams or DLR. Tap the reader on the platform before you board

Good to know: Paying with a phone or card is cheaper than buying a single paper ticket.

TfL fares (official site)

London network

11 Underground lines, plus the Elizabeth line, DLR and Overground.

• Bakerloo: Harrow & Wealdstone to Elephant & Castle. Stops: Paddington (Trains, Heathrow Express), Baker Street (Madame Tussauds), Piccadilly Circus (West End), Waterloo (Trains).
• Central: West Ruislip to Epping. Stops: Marble Arch (Hyde Park), Oxford Circus (Oxford Street), Tottenham Court Road (Soho), St Paul's (Cathedral), Bank (City).
• Circle: circle line around the centre. Stops: Victoria (Trains), Westminster (Big Ben), Embankment (Thames), Tower Hill (Tower of London), King's Cross St Pancras (Eurostar).
• District: Upminster to Richmond / Wimbledon / Ealing Broadway. Stops: South Kensington (Museums), Victoria (Trains), Westminster (Big Ben), Embankment (Thames), Tower Hill (Tower of London).
• Hammersmith & City: Hammersmith to Barking. Stops: Paddington (Trains), Baker Street (Sherlock Holmes), King's Cross St Pancras (Eurostar), Whitechapel (East End).
• Jubilee: Stanmore to Stratford. Stops: Baker Street (Madame Tussauds), Bond Street (Shopping), Westminster (Big Ben), London Bridge (Shard), Canary Wharf (Business district).
• Metropolitan: Aldgate to Amersham / Watford / Uxbridge. Stops: Baker Street (Madame Tussauds), King's Cross St Pancras (Eurostar), Farringdon (Elizabeth line), Liverpool Street (Trains).
• Northern: Edgware / High Barnet to Morden / Battersea. Stops: Camden Town (Markets), Leicester Square (West End), Waterloo (Trains), London Bridge (Shard).
• Piccadilly: Cockfosters to Heathrow / Uxbridge. Stops: Heathrow (Airport), Hyde Park Corner (Buckingham Palace), Piccadilly Circus (West End), Covent Garden (Market), King's Cross St Pancras (Eurostar).
• Victoria: Walthamstow Central to Brixton. Stops: Euston (Trains), King's Cross St Pancras (Eurostar), Oxford Circus (Oxford Street), Green Park (Palace), Victoria (Trains).
• Waterloo & City: Waterloo to Bank. Stops: Waterloo (Trains), Bank (City).
• Elizabeth line: Reading / Heathrow to Abbey Wood / Shenfield. Stops: Heathrow (Airport), Paddington (Trains), Tottenham Court Road (Soho), Liverpool Street (Trains), Canary Wharf (Business district).
• DLR: Bank / Tower Gateway to Lewisham / Beckton / Woolwich. Stops: Tower Gateway (Tower of London), Canary Wharf (Business district), Cutty Sark (Greenwich), London City Airport (Airport).

Where lines meet: King's Cross St Pancras (Piccadilly + Victoria + Northern + Circle + H&C + Met); Oxford Circus (Central + Victoria + Bakerloo); Bank / Monument (Central + Northern + W&C + District + Circle + DLR); Westminster (Jubilee + District + Circle); Baker Street (Bakerloo + Jubilee + Circle + H&C + Met).

Buses in London

London's red buses cover the whole city. They take only contactless and Oyster, no cash.

Most routes run 05:00 to 00:00, with many night routes.

Tickets and prices

• Single bus fare: about 1.85 GBP (since 1 November 2026)
• Hopper fare: unlimited buses and trams within one hour
• Daily bus and tram cap: about 5.55 GBP
• National Express and FlixBus for other cities

Where to buy tickets

• Tap a contactless bank card, phone or Oyster card on the reader next to the driver
• No cash, and you cannot buy a ticket from the driver
• Top up Oyster at Tube stations, Oyster Ticket Stop shops or in the TfL Oyster and contactless app
• National Express and FlixBus coaches: buy online or in their apps

Good to know: Sit upstairs at the front for a free sightseeing tour.

TfL buses (official site)

Airport links in London

Heathrow (LHR) is the main hub, with Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City and Southend around it.

Heathrow to Paddington by Heathrow Express takes about 15 minutes. Elizabeth line takes about 30.

Tickets and prices

• Elizabeth line from Heathrow: about 15 GBP
• Heathrow Express: about 26 GBP, from about 10 GBP if booked 30 days ahead
• Gatwick Express or Thameslink to Gatwick
• Stansted Express: from about 10 GBP booked ahead, more on the day

Where to buy tickets

• Heathrow: the Elizabeth line and Piccadilly line take contactless and Oyster. Heathrow Express also takes contactless and Oyster, or buy on its app, website or machines (cheapest online)
• Gatwick: tap in and out with contactless or Oyster on Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink to London (not for stations south of Gatwick). Or buy online, or at the South Terminal station machines. Gatwick Express takes about 30 min to Victoria
• Stansted Express: buy online, at station machines or ticket offices, or tap a contactless bank card. Oyster is not valid. You must have a ticket before boarding
• London City: DLR with contactless or Oyster
• Luton: buy a train ticket to "London Luton Airport" online, in apps or at stations. It includes the DART shuttle from Luton Airport Parkway. A "Luton" ticket needs a separate DART ticket (about 4.90 GBP, online or at machines that take contactless)
• Airport coaches (National Express): buy online, in the app or at the coach station

Good to know: The Elizabeth line is the best value into central London from Heathrow.

Heathrow (official site)

Airport to city centre: full guide

Tips for London

• Stand on the right on escalators so others can pass on the left.
• Off-peak fares are cheaper, so travelling outside rush hours saves money.
• Check TfL status updates before you go. Weekend line closures are common.

Apps to download

• TfL Go: Official live tube, bus and rail updates
• Citymapper: Route planning with live disruptions
• Trainline: National Rail tickets
• Uber / Bolt: Ride-hailing

Route guides

• Brussels to London by Train: The Ultimate Eurostar Travel Guide (2026)
• London to Paris by Train: The Ultimate Eurostar Travel Guide (2026)