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How much time do you have?
Our recommendations take into account your actual arrival and departure times, airport processing, and transit friction.
From LCY
🏢
Under 3h
Stay airside
🚕
3–6 hours
Quick city stop
🗽
6–10 hours
Full exploration
🌃
10+ hours
Multi-neighborhood
IMMIGRATION20m
TRANSIT23m
EXPLORE2h 44m
RETURN23m
BUFFER40m
Recommended Itinerary
Your layover plan
Arrive & Immigration
~20 min · LCY
Follow signs to passport control immediately on landing
Have onward boarding pass and hotel/address ready for questions
UK border control required for all arrivals regardless of origin. ePassport gates available for UK, EU/EEA, US, Canada, Australia, Japan, NZ, Singapore, South Korea, and others. UK ETA required for visa-exempt visitors (£20, obtain before travel) effective February 2026.
Transit into the city
23 min
DLR from London City Airport station (3 min walk from arrivals) to Bank in 22-24 min, every 10 min. Oyster or contactless approx £3.30-3.90 (verify current TfL rates). Taxis run £35-50 to central London but the DLR is faster and more predictable.
Explore London
~2h 44m of free time
Under 3 hours at LHR or LGW means stay airside. Non-UK/EU immigration alone averages 30-45 min.
LHR Terminal 5 has a strong food hall past security; Terminal 3 has more variety landside
LGW South Terminal has sit-down options including a Gordon Ramsay outlet airside
Free WiFi at both airports; use the time productively rather than stressing the city dash
Yes, a 6-hour layover at Heathrow is enough time to leave the airport, if your passport clears immigration quickly. Landing to Paddington takes 60-75 minutes door to door (20-45 min immigration plus the 15-minute Heathrow Express), which leaves about 2.5-3 hours in central London once you allow for the return trip.
Non-UK/EU passport holders: check whether you need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA, £16, apply online in advance) or a Visitor in Transit visa before you fly. UK and Irish citizens need neither.
Heathrow Express to Paddington: 15 minutes, £25 return. Bayswater, Hyde Park, and Notting Hill are all within a 5-minute walk of the station.
Return buffer: Heathrow recommends arriving 2 hours before a short-haul departure and 3 hours before long-haul. Add the 15-minute train back, so leave central London 2 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes before boarding.
Gatwick needs more runway at this window: the Gatwick Express to Victoria is 30 minutes each way, and a 6-hour layover there leaves less margin for immigration delays. Heathrow is the stronger choice under 6 hours.
A solid London window. Pick one part of the city and do it properly rather than rushing across zones.
LHR via Heathrow Express to Paddington (15 min, £25 return): Hyde Park, Notting Hill, or Oxford Street
LGW via Thameslink to London Bridge (32 min, £17 return): Borough Market, Tate Modern, South Bank walk
Oyster card or contactless bank card works on all tubes and buses; no need to buy separate city tickets
British Museum and National Gallery are free; ideal anchors without spending money
10+ hours is London gold. Two or three neighbourhoods are realistic, and the tube makes it easy.
Morning: Borough Market or Covent Garden for breakfast and coffee
Afternoon: South Bank (Tate Modern, Thames walk) or Shoreditch for street food and galleries
Evening: Soho or Mayfair, easy tube rides back to Paddington (for LHR) or Victoria (for LGW)
Contactless bank cards work on all London transport; just tap in and out
Return to LCY
23 min back to airport
Leave enough buffer - trains run to a schedule and can be delayed
Buy your return ticket in advance if possible
Set an alarm 63 min before your departure gate closes
Back through security
~40 min buffer before gate
Re-entry security at LCY typically takes 10-20 min
Check your gate - it may have changed while you were out
Liquids bought in the city cannot pass security - finish or bin them
Where to Eat
Best eats for a layover
Short on time? Stay airside.
🍴
London Food Walking Tour
Taste the best of the city with a local guide. Perfect for a layover.
Under 4 hours? Most city sights won't be feasible. Check the Itinerary tab for airside-only recommendations.
Practical Info
What you need to know
Currency
Pound sterling (£). Cards accepted everywhere, contactless is the norm. Skip airport exchange bureaus, ATMs give better rates.
Language
English. No language barrier for travelers.
Visa
Not part of Schengen. US, Canadian, Australian, and most EU passports get 6 months visa-free on arrival. ETA is required in advance for many visa-exempt nationalities. Verify before travel: visa rules change.
Transit
Heathrow Express: LHR to Paddington in 15 min, every 15 min, £25. Piccadilly line Tube is £5.60 but takes 50 min. Gatwick Express: LGW to Victoria in 30 min, £22.
Weather
Temperate maritime, mild and wet year-round. May through September is the best layover window. Pack a light rain jacket any time of year.
Tipping
Not expected but appreciated. 10 to 12.5% at sit-down restaurants if a service charge is not already on the bill. No tipping in pubs or cafés.
Emergency
999 (UK universal). 112 also works and connects to the same police, fire, and ambulance services.
Time Zone
GMT (UTC+0). Clocks move to BST (UTC+1) late March through late October.
Stay connected with an eSIM
Data from arrival, no roaming fees. Instant activation via Airalo.
