London City Airport Taxi

London City Airport is built on a former dock in the Royal Docks, Newham. It has one runway, one terminal and a passenger base that is heavy on business travellers. Many people fly in for a day of meetings and want to be at their desk or hotel within the hour. That is the job we do most often here.

How close is it?

Canary Wharf is around 3 miles away, the City of London about 7, and the West End roughly 10. Distance is small, but east London traffic is not always quick. The A13, A1020 and the Limehouse Link tunnel are the usual routes, and each of them can be slow at rush hour.

Destination	Typical drive from LCY
Canary Wharf	10–20 min
Bank / Liverpool Street	25–40 min
King’s Cross	35–50 min
Mayfair / Westminster	40–60 min
Stratford	15–25 min
Greenwich	15–25 min

A small terminal, quick pickups

LCY is compact. You can often be through passport control and out in 15 minutes when you have only hand luggage. That means your driver needs to be in position when you land, not when they expect you to come out. Because we track the flight, they will be.

Your driver waits in the arrivals hall with a name board. The pickup area is only a short walk from the terminal door.

Drop-off charge at London City

London City introduced a forecourt drop-off charge from January 2026, currently £8. As with the other airports, our quote includes it.

Business and executive travel

If you are travelling for work or collecting a client, an executive car is a common choice at LCY. We can also put your company name on the name board instead of the passenger’s, if you prefer discretion.

DLR or a car?

London City has its own DLR station, with trains to Canary Wharf, Bank and Stratford. For a solo business traveller going to Bank with a laptop bag, the DLR is quick and cheap.

A car makes more sense with luggage, with a group, or when your destination is in the West End, north London or outside the capital, where the DLR involves one or two changes. It is also the easier choice for early departures when you would otherwise be dragging a case through stations before 6am.

Popular London City routes

Canary Wharf, the City, Shoreditch, the West End and Westminster; Greenwich and south-east London; Stratford and east London; and Essex and Kent commuter towns. We also connect LCY with Heathrow for passengers changing airports.

London City from further afield

From	Approx. distance	Typical drive
Romford	12 miles	30–45 min
Dartford	15 miles	25–40 min
Heathrow Airport	27 miles	60–90 min
Chelmsford	35 miles	50–65 min
Stansted Airport	35 miles	50–70 min
Gatwick Airport	40 miles	70–100 min

London City checklist

• Small airport, short walks. Even so, do not cut timings too fine; the roads around Docklands can be slow.
• Check your airline’s cut-off. Some London City flights close check-in earlier than people expect.
• Collecting a client? Tell us the name for the board and whether you want the invoice sent to your company.
• Going on to another airport? We do LCY to Heathrow and Gatwick runs regularly.

Business travel through London City

Mostly business travellers heading for Canary Wharf, the City and the West End, often on same-day returns. We also drive a growing number of leisure passengers from east London and Essex who like how quick the airport is. For corporate bookings, see executive cars.

What to expect at the terminal

London City is built for speed. The walk from the drop-off point to check-in is short, and security is usually quick, which is why so many business travellers use it. That said, it is still worth arriving with enough time: airlines here can close check-in earlier than people expect, and missing a cut-off at a small airport often means waiting hours for the next flight.

On arrival, your driver waits in the arrivals hall with a name board. Hand-luggage passengers can be through in minutes, so we track the flight and make sure the driver is in position before you land.

Same-day returns and meeting days

A lot of our London City work is the classic day trip: fly in for meetings, fly out the same evening. You can book both legs at once and, if the plans change, call us and we will move the return. If you need a car between meetings, ask about a wait-and-return or hourly booking with an executive car.

• Morning arrival: we track the flight and meet you inside.
• Daytime: drop-offs at offices across Canary Wharf, the City or the West End.
• Evening: collection from your last meeting and back to the terminal in good time.

London City for families and leisure trips

London City is not just for suits. Its short walking distances and quick security make it a calm option for families with young children and for older travellers. If you live in east London, Essex or Kent, it can also be the nearest airport by a distance. Tell us about child seats, pushchairs or extra luggage when you book so the right car turns up.

Checking flight times

London City has more limited operating hours than the bigger airports, including a quieter period at the weekend. Check your schedule before you book, and give us your flight number so the pickup follows the actual landing time rather than the timetable.

Taxi from London City Airport to other airports

Some passengers land at London City and fly on from Heathrow or Gatwick, or the other way round. These connections cross the whole of London, so allow plenty of time: Heathrow is typically 60 to 90 minutes away by road and Gatwick 70 to 100 minutes. See our airport-to-airport transfers page for suggested connection times.

Invoices and company bookings

If your company books London City transfers regularly, ask about an account so trips can be invoiced together rather than paid one by one. Personal assistants can book on behalf of travellers, with the driver details sent straight to the passenger and the confirmation copied to the booker.

Booking your London City taxi

Send us the flight number, the address you are travelling to or from, the number of passengers and any luggage. For departures, tell us your flight time and we will suggest a pickup that allows for Docklands traffic. You will receive a fixed price, a written confirmation and your driver details before the day.

Need a car for a visiting client instead? Give us their name and flight, and tell us what the name board should say. We will send the driver details to you and to your guest.

London City FAQs

Can you collect from LCY and drop at a hotel?

Yes. Give us the hotel name or postcode.

Do you cover the Docklands and Canary Wharf?

Yes, it is one of the most frequent runs we do from London City.

Can I book a car for a same-day return?

Yes. Book both legs in one request and we confirm the times together.

Is London City good for families?

It is quick and easy to get through, which helps. Just make sure you request any child seats when you book.