Which London airport to choose: Heathrow or Gatwick? How many airports are there in London?

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

London is the largest air travel hub in the world. For example, last year more than one hundred and eighty million people took off from here and landed here. But not everyone knows how many airports there are in London. It turns out that there are six, although some of them very many have not even heard of, since they do not serve regular passenger flights.

Heathrow

This world-famous air transport hub provides transportation on long-haul, European and domestic flights. This London airport is considered the busiest in Europe. Its average permeability is more than seventy million passengers a year. Two runways, five terminals, the last of which was opened in 2008 at a cost of more than four billion euros, are located on the western border of the English capital - in London's Hillingdon. The area is connected to the city center by the Heathrow Express rail service, as well as by the Heathrow Connect, a local rail line. In addition, the capital can be reached byLondon Underground on the Piccadilly line. Two expressways pass by - M25 and M4.

Heathrow Airport (London) serves long-haul, as well as European and domestic flights. Among all six air transport hubs, it is the largest. However, Heathrow Airport is considered the busiest. London, more precisely its central regions, is located twenty-two kilometers to the east. The site on which this airport was built was supposed to be part of the forested area of the English capital.

This London airport is the third in the world in terms of passenger traffic density. It is on it that the main burden of servicing international flights lies.

Gatwick Airport (London)

It is located some distance from the border of the city, in the county of Sussex. Gatwick has only one runway. Its two terminals serve an average of thirty million passengers annually. From this airport, both domestic and short-haul flights are operated. It is connected to the capital by the Gatwick Express, Thameslink and Southern lines. The M23 motorway passes directly next to it. From Gatwick airport to London, which lies forty kilometers away, can be reached in a maximum of half an hour.

Gatwick is considered the twenty-fifth in the world in terms of the number of passengers passing through it per year, and in terms of the number of foreigners transported, it is in fifth place. This London airport is internationally ranked with the highest occupancy with only one take-offstripes.

This air hub is operated by a large company, BAA, which is part of an international consortium. At the moment, it is she who owns all British airports, including Gatwick Airport.

London receives most of its guests through these transport gates. In addition, Gatwick is also used as a base for charter flights. Many international and local airlines land on its only runway.

Stansted

Stansted is the most distant airport from the British capital. It is located in Essex, fifty kilometers north of the center of London. Just like Gatwick, it has one runway and one terminal. Stansted serves about twenty million people a year. From here, mainly short or domestic flights are operated. This London airport is connected to it by the Stansted Express railway line and the M11 motorway.

Stansted Terminal has three satellites. Two are connected to the main one by a bridge, and the third has a transit system. The building was built by Foster Associates. A feature of its design is a "floating" roof, fixed to the frame with pipes that create a stylized image of a flying swan. Inside each structure there are communications that provide air conditioning, telephone communications and electricity. The layout of the terminal is designed so that arriving passengers can move freely toparking lot. At the same time, the mourners do not have the opportunity to observe the departure. This is due to the security requirements of the airport.

London, Luton

It is located approximately fifty kilometers northwest of the capital, with which it is connected by the M1 highway and rail links. Fest Capital Connect trains depart from the nearby Luton Airpot Parkway station. This London airport has only one terminal. In addition, it has a rather short runway, so, like Stansted, it mainly serves short economy class flights with tourists. Interestingly, Luton has the largest number of taxis per population.

London City and Biggin Hill

London City Airport serves short haul business flights within England only. It is located about ten kilometers east of the City in the business district. The railway line allows you to get from it to the center of the British capital in less than twenty-five minutes.

Biggin Hill, built in the southeast, does not serve regular flights.

Which to choose - Heathrow or Gatwick?

Both of these London airports are international. They make the most pleasant impression in terms of the variety of services offered. A huge number of bars, restaurants, including for the most demanding passengers, and for picky tourists, beauty salons, game rooms,sometimes very impressive stores - all this is in Heathrow and Gatwick. Not far from both airports, hotels with a wide range of price levels have been built.

From Moscow to Heathrow

Many passengers flying from Moscow prefer to land at Heathrow. This is explained by the presence of the London Underground line nearby. In this way, it is possible to save quite a lot, since trains in the UK are somewhat expensive. From here to hotels and main stations - Paddington, Victoria and King's Cross - there are three routes of special buses. In addition, Heathrow's similar popularity is due to a more diverse selection of goods in its stores.

At the same time, for those who arrive or depart from this air port, it is better to look at the airport map in advance and understand the intricacies of moving in it. Heathrow has one drawback: many complain that it is very difficult to understand it. This London airport is huge and information for foreigners is sometimes not enough.

Gatwick Benefits

The main destinations for this air transport hub, and yet the busiest, are destinations in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. In addition, Gatwick is used as a base for charter flights to Europe. More than twenty-three thousand employees create maximum comfort for passengers, using the most modern equipment and technological innovations.

Gatwick terminals

Terminals at Gatwick Airport offer a huge selection of cozy cafes and restaurants, modern bars, business centers, as well as souvenir and newsstands, duty-free shops and currency exchange offices. Light metro trailers run between its terminals. At the same time, the travel time does not exceed only two minutes, and the intervals between trains are from three to six minutes.

The choice of airport of arrival also depends on which direction you are transiting from London.