This article explores alternative travel options to the Underground. There are numerous alternatives to getting around London which provide a less crowded and more scenic option than heading down to the Tube.
Shopping, Attractions, Museums & Galleries
Some of London’s greatest attractions can be reached straight from mainline railway stations along with shopping & entertainment districts.
Find places within walking distance of the following stations:
London Overground
This revamped and expanded city network now provides frequent connections with much of the outer edges of Central London.
The London Overground will effectively form the outer Circle Line of London from May 2011 when all extensions are complete.
National Rail
There’s an extensive choice of mainline rail services serving the capital including long distance and commuter/metro routes. They provide a faster alternative to tube and bus routes throughout Greater London with TFL tickets and Oyster cards accepted on nearly all routes from Zones 1 to 9.
London Airports – Rail Links
All of London’s major airports are linked into the railway network/London Transport which means a convenient connection from the city and beyond.
Heathrow Airport
The largest airport is Heathrow which has all 5 terminals linked directly to London Paddington terminus with the Heathrow Express & Heathrow Connect trains. Whilst the Heathrow Express provides a non-stop service (for terminals 1,2,3 & 5) the slightly cheaper Heathrow Connect train (for terminals 1,2,3 & 4) stops at a number of main line stations between the airport and London. These include:
- Hayes & Harlington – change here for First Great Western trains to West Drayton (for Stockley Business Park), Slough, Maidenhead, Reading
- Southall
- Ealing Broadway
Gatwick Airport
London’s second largest airport, Gatwick, is located on the Brighton mainline which is served by many train services including the Gatwick Express; a non-stop service to London Victoria. Other services from this station include:
- Southern
Brighton, East Croydon, London Bridge, London Victoria, Clapham Junction. - First Capital Connect
Brighton, East Croydon, London Bridge, London St Pancras International, Bedford. - First Great Western
Guildford, Reading
Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is linked with a frequent free bus link to Luton Airport Parkway rail station. Rail services from this station include:
- East Midlands Trains London St Pancras International, Leicester, Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield
- First Capital Connect London St Pancras International, West Hampstead, London Bridge, City Thameslink, Herne Hill, Bromley South, Sevenoaks, Gatwick Airport, Brighton, Bedford, St Albans
Stansted Airport
National Express East Anglia trains leave London Liverpool Street for Stansted Airport approximately every 10-15 minutes with many calling at stations along the Lea Valley including:
- Stansted Mountfitchet
- Bishops Stortford
- Harlow Town
- Northumberland Park
Other destinations from this station include:
- National Express East Anglia
Stratford (bus link to Stratford International for High Speed 1) - Cross Country
Peterborough (for East Coast mainline) , Leicester, Birmingham (for West Coast mainline)
London City Airport
London City Airport is located near to Canary Wharf and The O2. It’s linked by London Transport’s automated rail network: the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). This operates frequently between Woolwich Arsenal station and Bank station in the City. Change at Poplar station for DLR services to:
- Stratford (bus link to Stratford International for High Speed 1)
- Canary Wharf
- Cutty Sark & Greenwich
- Lewisham
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