Heathrow and London City are the two furthest-apart airports serving London, and there’s no fast public transport link between them — so a private-hire taxi is usually the most direct way to make this connection, especially if you’re changing planes with luggage in tow. Onward Travel Solutions offers a fixed price for this transfer in either direction, agreed before you travel, so you know exactly what the journey costs regardless of which airport you’re starting from.
We take your flight number at booking so our dispatch team can track your arrival and adjust your pickup time if your inbound flight runs early or late, which matters more on this route than most, since a missed connection between two different airports is far harder to recover from than one at the same terminal. This page covers how long the journey usually takes, how our fixed pricing works, where pickup happens at each airport, and what to expect if you’re comparing this against public transport.
How Long Does the Journey Take?
The direct road distance between Heathrow and London City Airport is roughly 30 miles, and the drive typically takes between 60 and 90 minutes depending on the time of day and traffic on the M4, A4, and the routes through east London into the Royal Docks. Rather than quote a single fixed time, we’d always recommend building in extra allowance for a connection between these two airports specifically, since there’s no fast direct road and traffic through central and east London can vary significantly at peak times.
If you’re travelling outside rush hour, the journey tends to run close to the lower end of that range; early morning and Friday evening trips should assume the higher end.
How the Fixed Price Works
Getting a price for your Heathrow to London City, or London City to Heathrow, journey takes a couple of minutes online: tell us your terminals, direction, flight numbers, and passenger and luggage details, and we’ll show a fixed quote across all six vehicle classes. That price is confirmed before you travel and doesn’t change if traffic is heavier than expected or your flight is delayed — the only thing that affects your fare is the details you gave us at booking, such as vehicle class or a change of pickup address.
Where We’ll Pick You Up
Heathrow has five terminals, and we cover all of them — Terminal 2, 3, 4, and 5, as well as any connecting flight arriving into Terminal 5 from a different terminal. Tell us your terminal and flight number at booking, and your driver will be told exactly where to meet you: at the relevant terminal’s arrivals area, holding a name board for meet and greet bookings, or waiting in the designated pickup zone for a standard collection. We track your flight number so timing adjusts automatically if you land early or late, which matters more at Heathrow than most airports given how much its terminals can vary in walk time from gate to exit.
If you’re arriving on a connecting flight and aren’t sure which terminal you’ll land at, let us know both possible options when you book — we’d rather confirm the detail in advance than have your driver waiting at the wrong terminal.
At London City Airport, pickup and drop-off both happen via Hartmann Road, the airport’s main access road — see our dedicated London City Airport, Hartmann Road page for exactly what to expect there. Because London City is a smaller, single-terminal airport, the walk from gate to pickup point is usually quick, which we factor into your pickup timing.
Car or Public Transport Between the Airports?
There’s no direct rail or Underground link between Heathrow and London City Airport. The public transport route typically means the Heathrow Express or Piccadilly line into central London, then a change onto the DLR out to the Royal Docks — a journey that, including changes and walking between platforms with luggage, often takes longer overall than a direct drive, and involves at least one change with your bags. A direct taxi avoids that by taking you from one terminal to the other in a single journey, with your luggage loaded once.
For a tight connection between two flights, avoiding a mid-journey interchange is often the deciding factor, since a missed handover on public transport has no easy fallback if you’re short on time.
Choosing the Right Vehicle
All six of our vehicle classes cover this route: Saloon and Estate for one to three passengers with standard luggage, MPV for up to six passengers or extra bags, Executive for a higher-specification car for business travel, and our 7 and 8-seater options for larger groups or teams travelling together. Each class is quoted as a fixed price at booking, so you can compare options before deciding rather than being quoted on the day.
Business Travel Between Heathrow and London City
This route is used heavily by business travellers connecting a long-haul arrival at Heathrow with a short-haul departure from London City to a European city, or the reverse. Because the connection involves crossing London rather than staying airside, we’d recommend treating it more like a city-to-city transfer than a same-airport connection — build in time for the drive itself, not just standard airport processing time at each end.
For recurring business travel on this route, our corporate accounts option lets you book with monthly invoicing rather than paying per trip — useful if your company regularly sends staff between these two airports for European meetings.
Booking in Advance
Because this is a longer transfer than most airport-to-airport routes in London, we’d generally recommend booking as soon as you have both flight times confirmed, particularly if your connection window is tight. This gives our dispatch team the most flexibility to plan around traffic conditions and, if needed, discuss timing with you directly before the day of travel. That said, we can also accommodate shorter-notice bookings where availability allows.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Heathrow to London City Airport taxi cost?
The price depends on your direction of travel, terminal, and chosen vehicle, and it’s confirmed as a fixed quote before you book. Use our booking form to get the exact price for your journey rather than relying on a generic figure.
Is there a direct train or tube between Heathrow and London City Airport?
No — there’s no direct rail link. The public transport option involves the Heathrow Express or Piccadilly line into central London, then changing onto the DLR, which usually means more time and at least one change with your luggage compared with a direct taxi.
How much time should I leave for my connection?
We’d always recommend a generous margin between your inbound flight landing and your onward departure from the other airport, since this is the longest cross-airport connection in London and traffic can vary. Build in more time than you think you’ll need, especially during peak hours.
Can I book this transfer in either direction?
Yes — we run this route from Heathrow to London City Airport and from London City to Heathrow, both at a fixed price agreed before you travel.
What if my flight is delayed and I need to change my pickup time?
We monitor your flight using the number you provide at booking, so your pickup time adjusts automatically at no extra charge if your flight is early or delayed. If your plans change more significantly, contact our team as soon as possible.
Which Heathrow terminal should I book from?
Tell us your terminal and flight number when you book, and we’ll confirm the exact pickup point for that terminal. If you’re on a connecting flight and unsure which terminal you’ll land at, mention both possibilities and we’ll clarify with you closer to the time.
Is this route suitable for a same-day connection between two flights?
Yes, it’s a common use for this route, but because it’s the longest cross-airport connection in London, we’d recommend a generous gap between your inbound and outbound flights rather than the minimum connection time you might use for airports closer together.
Book Your Fixed-Price Heathrow to London City Transfer
Getting a price for your Heathrow to London City, or London City to Heathrow, journey takes a couple of minutes: tell us your terminals, direction, flight numbers, and passenger and luggage details, and we’ll show a fixed quote across all six vehicle classes. Book directly through our online booking form, or call our team on +44 7575 470883 to talk through timing for a tight connection. Find more detail on each airport on our Heathrow Airport and London City Airport pages.
More Heathrow to London City Options
You may also find these pages useful:
Flying from or to London City? See all fares, the 2026 drop-off rules and where your driver meets you on our London City Airport taxi page.