Top 5 Must-See Activities in London

These are the most famous London tourist attractions & sight tours which sees thousands and millions of visitors each year:


Best Car Hire London CITY Airport

Quick Jump links to London CITY Airport

Things to be Consider Hiring a Car at London City Airport?

Booking before you travel guarantees availability and saves you money. We have negotiated rates with suppliers and aim to help you save more. As a family run business we look to share commissions with you, and by booking online with us you will earn an extra 3% cashback.

Below is a list of the car rental companies with offices at London city airport. The car hire desks are located just outside the main terminal (easy walking distance). This allows them to open longer than the terminal, which has quite restricted hours. If you do want to contact the company by telephone, then the UK dialing code from overseas is +44.

Car Hire Companies London City Airport see below

Company Telephone Number
Avis 0844 544 6030
Budget 0844 544 6030
Europcar 0207 4760309
Hertz 0870 5996699

Driving costs and Potential Destinations

The average fuel cost in the UK is currently at a low of £1.07 per litre for petrol and £1.10 per litre for diesel. The price is much lower now than it has been for the last few years, but bear in mind that it is constantly adjusted. Aside from London's Congestion Charge, there are not really toll rolls in the UK. When you're planning your journey, consider the amount of traffic you might encounter and leave plenty of time to arrive at your destination.

Here are some ideas for must-see tourist sites close to London City airport, as well as average driving times and maps with directions to get you there. For more information on other attractions in London, visit our London Attractions page. You can obtain discounts on attraction entry, restaurants and more at London Attraction Entry Discount Cards.

Destination Distance Journey time Journey time Directions Video

Buckingham Palace

10.2 miles

48 mins

Maps

https://youtu.be/JqafuhQWI-U

Tower of London

6.6 miles

25 mins

Maps

https://youtu.be/zfybjbFc4MQ

London Eye

9 miles

40 mins

Maps

https://youtu.be/A_GoxuXZ4XQ

Big Ben

9.3 miles

42 mins

Maps

https://youtu.be/7cygCJ3q0cU

Greenwich

6.5 miles

28 mins

Maps

video

Millennium Done / O2 center

4.2 miles

14 mins

Maps

video

How can I get to the city?

London City airport is located within the London metropolitan airport and there are many options for onward travel. By public transport, the Docklands Light Rail (known as the DLR) is the most convenient option.

With only a short distance to the center though, car hire can be a good option, especially for multiple people. Here are some other reasons to hire a car at London City airport:

  • A taxi fare from the airport to central London is likely to cost more than £30 each way.
  • Public transport is available, but if several people need to purchase tickets car hire may be an equivalent price, Connections as well can be cumbersome with baggage.
  • Car hire from City airport is quick and efficient, with dedicated desks in the arrival hall and fewer passengers than at other airports.

If driving is not your thing

:

London has a fantastic underground train system, locally known as the ‘Tube' which can save you a lot of stress maneuvering the busy city roads. For over-ground train travel further afield, the National Rail service is also quick and reliable.

The most convenient connection from London City airport is the Docklands Light Rail, with a station directly at the airport. This connects easily with the rest of the London Underground system.

Here are directions to the over-ground train hub stations in London:

Here are directions from Heathrow to the main over-ground train hub stations in London:

To use London's public transport, you will need to purchase a paper ticket or prepaid ‘Oyster Card' online or at any station in the city. If your debit or credit card has ‘Contactless' capability, it can be used to travel like an Oyster card, however not many overseas cards will be compatible. London buses do not accept cash and fares are significantly cheaper on the Oyster Card. A ‘1 Day Travel Card' is also available, and you can specify whether you want to use it only on the trains or on a combination of trains and buses. Visit TFL to find out more. Oyster and travel cards will cover all transport to and from London City airport.

To obtain discounts on travel and more, visit our London Discount Cards for more information.

General Information & Tips on Car Hire

London city airport is the closest airport to central London. Whilst it serves a much smaller range of airlines and destinations than the other main London airports, arriving here will get you straight into the heart of business or tourist London.

London City airport is a small facility, with just one runway and one terminal, but this makes it very efficient. The major airlines here, including British Airways, even allow later check in that at other airports. With just over 4 million passengers per year, it is the least busy of the UK airports, but this only adds to its ease of use. Whether your onward journey is by car or public transport, it won't take long.

As a small airport, terminal facilities are much more limited that at Heathrow or Gatwick for example. There are still sufficient options though for shopping and dining.

Usefull Information

General Inquiries and flight information can be contacted at +44 (0)207 6460088

Car parking information can be obtained on +44 (0)344 3321237

Lost property can be contacted at +44 (0)207 6460000

Visit http://www.londoncityairport.com/ for further information.

Before You Go

Before finalizing your trip make you take a look at our comprehensive guide to things to consider before flying to London and practical tips for car rental in the United Kingdom.

Alternative Airports

Remember, Gatwick is not the only London airport! There are 5 main airports serving the capital area, and one of the others may be a better choice for a number of reasons. We give the main lowdown on each of the airports and their locations here.

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