London City Airport is the closest airport to central London: a small terminal in the Royal Docks, about 23 minutes from Bank by DLR for £3.90 at peak times or £3.30 off-peak with contactless or Oyster. It handles mainly short-haul flights, and it closes overnight and on Saturday afternoons.
Most of London's airports are well outside the city. City Airport is different. It sits in the Royal Docks in east London, inside the TfL fare zones, a few stops beyond Canary Wharf. You can reach it on the same driverless light railway, the DLR, that serves Docklands, and you pay with the same contactless card you use on the Tube.
The airport is compact, which is its main attraction. There is one terminal, the station is right outside the door, and the walk from the train to the check-in area is short. The trade-off is a smaller choice of flights and restricted opening hours. This guide explains how to get there, how the terminal works, and when City Airport is the right choice for your trip.
London City Airport in brief
- Location
- Royal Docks, east London (DLR station in fare Zone 3)
- Rail link
- DLR to London City Airport station, next to the terminal
- From Bank
- About 23 minutes, direct DLR
- Fare from Bank (September 2026)
- £3.90 peak, £3.30 off-peak (contactless or Oyster); paper single £7.00
- Terminal hours (August 2026)
- 04:45–22:00 Monday to Friday, 04:45–13:00 Saturday, 10:30–22:00 Sunday
- Taxi from the rank
- Metered black cabs, no extra rank charge
Where the airport is and why it feels different
City Airport lies on a strip of land between two of the old Royal Docks, east of Canary Wharf and north of the Thames opposite Woolwich. It was built for business travellers heading to the financial district, and that still shapes it. Flights are mostly short-haul, to cities in the UK and Europe, and the airport is designed so you can get from the train to the gate quickly.
For a visitor, the location matters more than the history. If you are staying in the City of London, at Canary Wharf or anywhere in east London, few big-city airports anywhere are this close. Even from the West End, the journey is shorter than from any of the other London airports, although it involves a change of train.
Because the airport is surrounded by homes, flying hours are limited. There are no flights overnight, and the airport closes from Saturday lunchtime until Sunday lunchtime. That is worth checking before you book a weekend trip, because the last Saturday departure is much earlier than at the bigger airports.
Taking the DLR from central London
The Docklands Light Railway, usually called the DLR, is the simplest way to reach the airport. London City Airport station is on the branch to Woolwich Arsenal, right beside the terminal. Our guide to the DLR and the Overground explains how the network works; the short version is that the trains have no driver's cab, so you can sit at the front and watch the Docklands go by.
Journey times below come from TfL's Journey Planner for a weekday morning in September 2026. They are typical, not guaranteed, so allow extra time with luggage.
| Starting point | Route | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Bank (the City) | DLR direct | About 23 minutes |
| Canning Town | DLR direct | About 7 minutes |
| Stratford | DLR direct | About 16 minutes |
| Waterloo | Jubilee line to Canning Town, then DLR | About 25 minutes |
| Tottenham Court Road (West End) | Central line to Bank, then DLR | About 34 minutes |
| Paddington | Elizabeth line east, then DLR or a short bus ride | About 40 minutes |
Not every DLR train from Bank goes to the airport, because the line splits east of the City. Look for trains to Woolwich Arsenal, or check the destination on the platform screen. If you board the wrong one, get off at the next station and check the route map before going on.
What the journey costs
The DLR uses the same fares as the Tube. London City Airport station is in Zone 3. With contactless or Oyster, a single from Bank costs £3.90 at peak times and £3.30 off-peak. A paper single ticket costs £7.00, so paying by card is much cheaper. Peak hours are 06:30 to 09:30 and 16:00 to 19:00 on weekdays that are not public holidays.
Airport journeys also count towards the daily cap, which is useful if you arrive in the morning and then spend the day sightseeing. Our explainer on contactless, Oyster and daily caps covers the rules, and the page on London's travel zones shows why a Zone 1 to Zone 3 trip costs less than you might expect for an airport run.
The cheapest airport transfer in London is the one from City Airport. A single DLR fare from Bank is £3.90 at the most, and it counts towards the daily cap. Compare that with £5.90 for the slowest route from Heathrow or £24.00 for Gatwick Express, and City Airport can save a couple a meaningful sum on each leg of the trip.
You can buy an Oyster card at the London City Airport DLR station. Most visitors don't need one: a contactless bank card or phone works on the DLR, but check with your bank about foreign transaction fees before you rely on it.
Children aged 5 to 10 travel free on the DLR with a fare-paying adult, up to four children per adult. Children aged 11 to 15 can get half-price fares with the Young Visitor discount added to an Oyster card at a staffed station. Our page on children's fares on London transport explains how to set this up.
Other ways to the airport: Elizabeth line, bus and taxi
The Elizabeth line does not stop at the airport, but it runs close by. From Paddington, Bond Street or Tottenham Court Road you can ride east and change to the DLR, or get off at Custom House and take bus 474 to the airport. TfL's planner also suggests going on to Woolwich and changing to the DLR there. These routes are useful if you are staying in the West End near an Elizabeth line station; our visitor's guide to the Elizabeth line has the full route.
Licensed black cabs wait at the taxi rank outside the terminal. TfL says there is no extra charge for journeys starting from the City Airport rank. Going the other way, a cab driver can add up to £6.00 for dropping you at the terminal forecourt. Fares are metered; as a guide, TfL gives £33 to £42 for a typical 6-mile daytime journey, and evening, night and weekend tariffs cost more. Check the tariffs on TfL's taxi fares page.
Minicabs and app-based cars must be booked in advance; never accept a ride from someone who approaches you inside the terminal. Our guide to black cabs, minicabs and ride apps explains how to check a licence. A taxi makes sense with heavy bags or a group going to one address in east London, but the DLR is usually quicker into the City at rush hour.
Inside the terminal: check-in, security and facilities
The terminal is small, and that is the point. Check-in desks, security and the departure lounge are close together, and signs are easy to follow. Your airline sets the check-in and bag-drop deadlines, so read your booking confirmation rather than relying on general advice.
The airport tells passengers to leave their liquids in their bag at security, and to make sure each item is 100 ml or less. Rules at other UK airports can differ, so check each airport separately if you are flying out from one and back into another.
After security you will find the usual airport basics rather than a shopping mall. The airport's website lists a duty-free shop, Boots, WH Smith, a currency exchange desk, cafés including Pret a Manger and Caffè Nero, a bar and restaurant, and a spa. Seating is limited at busy times, so arriving very early gains you little.
City Airport is not a good place to wait for an early flight. The terminal opens at 04:45 on weekdays and Saturdays and only at 10:30 on Sundays, and it does not stay open overnight. If you land late or fly at dawn, plan somewhere to sleep and check the first trains before you book.
Flying hours and the weekend gap
This is the single most important thing to know before choosing City Airport. The airport's published terminal hours are 04:45 to 22:00 Monday to Friday, 04:45 to 13:00 on Saturday and 10:30 to 22:00 on Sunday (as shown in August 2026). Flying hours are shorter still: on the airport's operating-hours page, the last half-hour of each day is reserved for flights that were scheduled earlier but delayed.
In practice this means a Saturday afternoon or evening departure is impossible, and the first Sunday flights leave around lunchtime. For a weekend break that starts on Friday evening and ends on Sunday night, City Airport can work well. For a trip that needs a Saturday evening flight, look at Heathrow or Gatwick instead. Our comparison of which London airport suits your trip sets the options side by side.
Bank holidays have different hours, and the airport is closed on Christmas Day. Check the London City Airport website for any special hours before you travel.
Who flies from City Airport
City Airport serves short-haul routes, mainly to other UK cities and to business and leisure destinations in Europe. Routes and airlines change with the seasons, so check the destinations list on the airport's website rather than an old list online.
If you are arriving from outside the UK, you still need the right travel permission. Most visitors who don't need a visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) costing £20, applied for before travel. Our guide to UK entry rules and the ETA explains who needs one.
Step-free access and help with mobility
Every DLR station is step-free from street to train, including London City Airport station, which makes the airport one of the easiest in London to reach with a wheelchair, a pushchair or heavy luggage. Most DLR stations are unstaffed, but staff ride on the trains. You can pre-book help on the DLR on 0808 281 6655.
If you change trains on the way, check the other station too. Bank is a large, complicated station with long passages. Canning Town, where the Jubilee line meets the DLR, is often simpler. Our guide to step-free transport in London explains TfL's turn-up-and-go assistance.
Making the most of east London on arrival or departure
An early landing at City Airport leaves time to explore the east before checking in to a hotel. The DLR connects to Canary Wharf in a few stops, and from the Royal Docks you can cross the Thames on the IFS Cloud Cable Car from Royal Victoria to the Greenwich Peninsula. From there, Greenwich is a short trip away by bus, boat or DLR.
With a suitcase, sightseeing is less fun. Our guide to left luggage in London lists places to leave bags at the main stations. If you land late in the evening, the DLR keeps running until after midnight on most nights; our guide to late-night and early-morning airport transport covers the details.
City Airport works well if
- You are staying in the City, Canary Wharf or east London
- You are flying short-haul with hand luggage
- You want a cheap transfer that counts towards the daily cap
- You travel on a weekday or Sunday afternoon
Look elsewhere if
- You need a Saturday afternoon or evening flight
- Your airline or destination is not on the airport's route list
- You want the cheapest fares, which are often at other airports
- You need to wait in the terminal overnight
For a full picture of the city's airports, start at our London airports hub.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from London City Airport to central London?
Take the DLR from London City Airport station, right outside the terminal. Direct trains reach Bank, in the City, in about 23 minutes. For the West End, change at Bank to the Central line, or at Canning Town to the Jubilee line. A contactless card or Oyster card works for the whole journey.
How much is the DLR from City Airport to Bank?
With contactless or Oyster, the fare between Bank and London City Airport is £3.90 at peak times and £3.30 off-peak (September 2026). A paper single ticket costs £7.00. The fare counts towards TfL's daily cap, so it can reduce what you pay for other journeys that day.
Is London City Airport open 24 hours?
No. The terminal's published hours are 04:45 to 22:00 Monday to Friday, 04:45 to 13:00 on Saturday and 10:30 to 22:00 on Sunday, and there are no overnight flights. There are also no flights on Saturday afternoons. Check the airport's website for bank holiday and special hours.
Can I use Oyster or contactless to get to London City Airport?
Yes. The airport's DLR station is in Zone 3 of the TfL network, so Oyster and contactless both work, with normal Tube fares and daily caps. You can also buy an Oyster card at the London City Airport DLR station if you want one.
Is there a taxi rank at London City Airport?
Yes, licensed black cabs wait at the rank outside the terminal, and TfL says there is no extra rank charge for journeys starting there. Fares are metered and all cabs accept contactless card payment. Minicabs must be booked in advance.
Sources
- Transport for London - DLR (checked September 2026)
- Transport for London - Single fare finder (Bank to London City Airport) (checked September 2026)
- Transport for London - Journey Planner (sample journeys to London City Airport) (checked September 2026)
- Transport for London - Taxi fares (checked September 2026)
- London City Airport - FAQs and opening hours (checked September 2026)
- London City Airport - Airport operating hours (checked September 2026)
- GOV.UK - Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) (checked September 2026)