A Guide To Gatwick And Stansted London Airports

If you're not landing at Heathrow, the name of your airport may be unfamiliar. Gatwick and Stansted, although less well-known than their busier counterpart, are both reliable and easy to access from London's central areas.

Gatwick Airport

Gatwick is known for focusing more on the European continent than on American flights. If you are coming from the US you may find yourself landing at Gatwick as there are some flights through here, but it more frequently serves flights within England, and to locations in other countries further west.

Gatwick is designed with two terminals, the North and the South. If you need to transfer between terminals, allow about 20 minutes for the process. Gatwick is installing a rapid inter-terminal shuttle, but for the moment they are using buses until the installation is complete. The buses do leave every three minutes, but travel takes some time. If you are traveling past July 2010, then you will find travel easier as the shuttle should be completed.

Travel to Gatwick is slightly more difficult than travel to Heathrow, but the flights may well make up for the time difference. There is a Gatwick Express that leaves from central London every 15 minutes, and takes some 30 minutes to arrive at the airport. In addition, there are bus services and easy car access for those who rent a vehicle.

Stansted Airport

Moreso than Gatwick, Stansted is an airport serving travelers between London and the European continent, as well as travelers within England.

One of the major advantages of Stansted is that it is small and easy to navigate, which is an advantage for travelers on a tight schedule. It also has all the convenience of the other airports, including the Stansted Express train into the heart of London. It is a longer ride -- 45 minutes from the airport to Liverpool Street in London.

There are also the National Express East Anglia trains, which take travelers to Stratford in East London through the Lea Valley. The Stansted railway station is directly below the airport, and trains connect to the London Underground at Liverpool Street, Stratford, and Tottenham Hale. In addition, many coaches and driving routes are accessible from the airport.