King of the Low-Cost Flight Airports, Stansted Airport (STN) has been servicing London and the Southeast’s eager sun-seeking public for almost three decades (although as an airport, it dates back to the 1940s).
If you’ve booked one of those £9.99 flights from London to somewhere you’re not entirely sure you could point out on a map, chances are, it’s leaving from Stansted. So make sure to factor in the cost of the train or bus to the airport too (see below)!
STN is fairly compact as airports go, so no frantic rushing between terminals as there’s just one to contend with. A relatively recent refurb has provided soft lighting and more shops and restaurants than you can shake a stick at, making last-minute airport gifts a viable option.
Read on for your definitive guide on everything you need to know about Stansted Airport.
Location and Transportation
First things first. Stansted Airport gets called “London Stansted” – but it’s not actually in London. It lies midway between Cambridge and London in the county of Essex, roughly 68 km (42 miles) north-east of the capital. (So you might want to think twice about that Uber ride to your hotel).
Public transport
As you come out of Arrivals, the doors to exit the terminal will be immediately in front of you (to the right of the taxi counter).
This main exit will take you to the car park and taxi rank.
The way down to the train and bus stations is to the left of the main exit. Take the escalator or ramp down to the train station, or down again one level to the bus station.
The Bus (Coach)
If you’re heading to the capital, your best bet is to take the National Express; the UK’s leading coach company. Frequent services and the wide range of destinations in the capital make it the most popular choice of transport from the airport. This will be evident by the long queues when you get down to the bus station.
The lines move quite quickly and National Express staff will point you in the right direction so you know which one to join. There are four routes covering a decent part of North, East and Central London.
Top tip: Book your National Express tickets online.
Just like many low-cost flight companies, the further in advance you book, the cheaper the ticket. You can expect to pay something in the region of £10 for a one-way ticket to Central London.
Journey times can take between an hour and 90 minutes, depending heavily on the traffic.
You will very likely encounter a scene somewhat similar to this as you exit the airport after arrivals. Don’t panic!
While the queue looks long, people are actually waiting for four to five different buses and they are usually quite frequent (departing every 30 minutes maximum, often less).
Ask a uniformed member of staff to make sure you join the right line.
Above: Liverpool Street Station bound bus. Stansted is very convenient if you’ve chosen to be based in London’s East End. Journey times can be as little as 30 minutes to Whitechapel if you don’t hit any major traffic.
Train
Alternatively, take the Stansted Express to Tottenham Hale in north London in just under 40 minutes. From here, you can take the Victoria Line (on the Underground) for a short journey into central London.
The Stansted Express terminates at Liverpool Street (gateway to East London and City, London’s financial district). Journey times are just under 50 minutes.
Liverpool Street is on the Central, Hammersmith & City, Circle and District Lines, making it ideal for onward London connections.
Taxi and Bus Services
For taxi service, there is a reservation desk at the Arrivals terminal (you can’t miss it- you’ll see it as soon as you walk into the terminal after clearing customs). Alternatively, you can book a cab online in advance via the airport website.
For local bus services or for destinations other than London (such as Chelmsford, Cambridge or Colchester), numerous buses serve Stansted Airport.
The bus station is next to the coach station, two levels down from Arrivals / Departures. This useful map shows all the routes available.
Terminals
Stansted is a base for several popular airlines including:
- Ryanair
- easyJet
- Jet2
- TUI Airways
- British Airways
While there is only one terminal serving all of STN, there are over 90 gates.
If your flight is departing from gates 1-39, you will need to take a short shuttle ride. There are two stops on the service; stop one is for gates 1-19 and is a three-minute journey. Stop two is for gates 20-39 and is a two-minute journey.
All other gates are approximately a ten-minute walk away in either direction of the shuttle train stop. The exception is Gates 90-93, which are just down the escalators to the right of where you board the shuttle.
Top Tip: Quiet Seating Area
The area surrounding Gates 90-93 has also been designated the Airport’s quiet area. There are no shops or restaurants down there – so if you want a little quiet time away from the crowds, head on down!
Arrivals & Departures
Both Arrivals and Departures are located on the same floor of the terminal.
Arrivals:
Before collecting your luggage, you need to go through passport control.
There are two separate queues: one for the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), British nationals and Swiss nationals, and a second for all other nationalities.
STN has fully embraced epassports (biometric passports) and epassport gates.
You can use the gates if:
- you are a passport holder of a country in the EEA – including the UK –
- you have a passport from Switzerland, and you have the EEA chip logo on your passport.
Remember that you cannot use the gates with a national identity card.
The exit out of the terminal is just after the baggage carousels.
As you come out, you will see the ticket office for the Stansted Express train service and the bright yellow taxi reservations desk directly in front of you .
To the right is the exit for the outdoor car park and the ticket office for the National Express for direct buses into central London.
If you haven’t booked your ticket online, this is the place to get your ticket. There’s another ticket office downstairs by the bus station but it’s usually far busier. They’ll also be able to advise you as to the bus route to take, depending on where you are based. London is big!
Signs to the right of the taxi office show you the way to the train and bus stations.
There is an escalator and a ramp that will take you down one flight to the train station, and then again down to street level and outside to the bus station.
Departures
If you’ve arrived by public transport, you will need to go up the escalators to enter the terminal.
Arrivals and a selection of shops and restaurants are on your right as you enter. Departures and check-in desks are on your left.
Ryanair is a popular airline at Stansted. Unless you have hand luggage only, you’ll check your bags in at one of these desks before going through security. Allow plenty of time!
Going through security
Security fast track is available to book online on the STN website and will currently set you back from £8 per person.
We are still adhering to the 100ml liquid container rule for cabin bags in the UK. All liquids must be placed in a see-through plastic bag (you can pick one up at STN), and placed in a tray separate from your jacket and electronic devices.
It’s recommended to allow two and a half hours for all flights.
Amenities
Top tip: discover London.
Didn’t have time to go to the Victoria and Albert Museum?
Too tired to visit Fortnum & Mason’s
Got extra Sterling to burn and fancy that country gentleman look?
Look no further! discover London has it all! From posh tea, to Harry Potter wizard wands, Barbour Wax jackets, fancy postcards from many of London’s loveliest museums and galleries, and all in one compact little shop.
Perfect for souvenirs for loved ones – including yourself! (I’m from London, and even I was tempted..).
Who doesn’t love a tin of posh biscuits from Fortnum & Mason’s?
Or some arty stationary sets from the V&A or the Tate.
Or a Barbour wax jacket (by appointment to His Majesty the King, no less. And the late Queen for that matter).
Lounges
Stansted Airport has partnered with Escape Lounge, located between Pret a Manger and the restaurant Coast to Coast.
It’s open from 4am to 7.30pm and is available to all travellers, regardless of airline or travelling class.
Prices can vary but will cost you in the region of £30 when you book online in advance. If you decide you’d like to pay on the day, be advised they only accept card payments.
Food is served throughout the day, with unlimited hot and cold drinks.
Bars and Restaurants
Once you pass the shopping concourse, you arrive at the open-plan waiting lounge/food court. There are options to suit most tastes and budgets, from Burger King to Bottega – Prosecco Bar.
Leon is a high street staple in the UK, offering a wide variety of healthy fast food, including many vegan options.
Alternatively, popular Lebanese food chain Comptoir Libanais has a very attractive restaurant to while away the hours, while Itsu, an equally successful Japanese food chain, is conveniently located by the shuttle train and other departure gates.
Popular chain pub Wetherspoons boasts a large family-friendly drinking and eating area, complete with runway views on the upper level.
You’ll find free drinkable water bottle refill stations like these at Stansted. They are located close to the bathrooms both at Arrivals and Departures (after security).
Accommodation
You have several options if you are looking to stay as close to the airport as humanly possible. Firstly, within a five-minute walk from the terminal is Hampton by Hilton Hotel and the Radisson Blu.
You can expect to pay in the region of £70 to £90 a night for these.
Novotel, a five-minute shuttle ride away promises to offer the most budget solution with prices starting from £55 a night while at the top end of the price range is Days Inn, a five to ten-minute taxi drive away, with prices starting from £130 a night.
While there is no hotel on site, it is also worth knowing that the airport is open 24/7, so if you do have a painfully early flight booked, you do have the option of getting there the night before.
Nearby Attractions
Mountfitchet Castle and Norman Village
For history enthusiasts, head to Mountfitchet Castle and immerse yourself in the life of a 1066 English village- freshly conquered by William the Conqueror himself!
Closed for the winter, this medieval village (open-air museum) and castle is open from March to November and is a mere 15 minute drive away.
With lots of open-air spaces and roaming deer to meet and feed along the way, it’s a wholesome day out for all the family.
Thaxted
Continuing the historical theme is the charming town of Thaxted. Famed for its leaning Tudor buildings and charming 16th-century streets, Thaxted is well worth a visit.
Definitely a perfect antidote to the cosmopolitan hustle and bustle of London, and perhaps a relaxing place to have a traditional pub lunch (or a slow pint at the very least).
Just a short bus ride away from the airport; take the 316 bus bound for Saffron Walden and get off at Thaxted.
Cambridge
Cambridge is the quintessential English university town. Take the train from the airport and get lost in its pretty, winding streets.
Go for a boat ride on the river Cam, or make like a student and hire a bike. It’s small enough that you’ll be able to see everything in a couple of hours, but big enough to make a lasting impression.