Getting to Kensington and Chelsea

You’ll be pleased to know that getting to Kensington and Chelsea is very easy, given the many transport options present in the area!

The Underground stations situated in the borough of Kensington & Chelsea are High Street Kensington, Notting Hill, Earls Court, Gloucester Road, South Kensington, Sloane Square, Holland Park, Latimer Road, Ladbroke Grove and West Brompton (only just!).

There are also many bus routes through the borough. Take a look at the Kensington & Chelsea bus route maps from the Transport for London’s website for further details. Alternatively, we’ve compiled quite an extensive guide to buses in Kensington and Chelsea that lists assorted bus routes.

Read on below for a guide to reaching the area from some of the main transport hubs (airports, and bus and train stations) in London. If you’re looking for advice on travelling within Kensington and Chelsea, please see Transport in Kensington & Chelsea.

Getting To Kensington and Chelsea from Heathrow Airport

There are several ways of reaching Kensington & Chelsea from Heathrow Airport.

By far the easiest and cheapest way of travelling from Heathrow to Kensington & Chelsea is by Underground. The Underground serves all Heathrow terminals on the Piccadilly Line. This line takes you directly to Earls Court, Gloucester Road, South Kensington and Knightsbridge – all of these stations are in Kensington & Chelsea. Journey time to these stations is approximately 50 minutes – 1 hour. The first three stations also interchange to the Circle and District lines – if you want to go to Notting Hill, for example, or Sloane Square.

Getting to Kensington and Chelsea
Heathrow Airport

There is also a coach service from Heathrow Airport, run by National Express, that will take you to Earls Court. Journey time is 35 – 45 minutes.

Alternatively, you might prefer to take the nonstop Heathrow Express train to Paddington Station which, although much more expensive than the Underground, only has a journey time of 15 minutes. From Paddington, you can change for the Circle Line to Notting Hill Gate, High Street Kensington, Gloucester Road, South Kensington and Sloane Square.

Heathrow Airport is directly connected to Kensington via the M4 motorway (which then becomes the A4) so taking a taxi is also a reasonable option, albeit a pricer one. You will find queues of the normal London black cabs (taxis) waiting outside Heathrow’s terminal buildings – simply follow the signs. You are obviously at the mercy of motorway/A road traffic, but journey time can be anything from a speedy 25 minutes upwards. The fare will be approximately £50.

Getting To Kensington and Chelsea from Gatwick Airport

The quickest way of travelling from Gatwick Airport is by taking the Gatwick Express train to Victoria Station and then taking the Underground to your destination. Victoria Station is on the Circle and District Lines (and the Victoria Line) and only one stop outside Kensington & Chelsea so you can easily reach Sloane Square, South Kensington, Gloucester Road, Earl’s Court, High Street Kensington or Notting Hill Gate.

A cheaper option would be to make use of the Southern Rail service from Gatwick to Victoria Station – this makes a couple of stops along the way, so journey time is longer.

Again, there is also a coach service from Gatwick Airport with National Express that will take you to Earls Court.

Getting To Kensington and Chelsea from Luton Airport

Luton Parkway station is a 5-minute transfer bus ride away from Luton Airport. From here, you can get one of the frequent trains to King’s Cross station. You can then, once again, make your onward journey to Kensington & Chelsea by Underground. We advise either taking the Circle Line round (not a direct route – you will have to change trains at Edgware Road station) or take the Picadilly Line to Earl’s Court and change here for your final destination.

Getting To Kensington and Chelsea from Stansted Airport

Stansted Airport, situated to the northeast of London, is the furthest away of the major London airports to Kensington and Chelsea. If you can, try flying to one of the other airports above to ease your onward journey to this part of the city.

If you are travelling from Stansted, take the Stansted Express to Liverpool Street station, changing here for the Underground – take the Circle Line, which takes you round to stations in K & C (once again requiring a change of trains at Edgware Road station). Alternatively, you can also take the Central Line which goes direct to Notting Hill Gate and Holland Park stations.

Depending on your final destination, and if you’d like to avoid travelling through Liverpool Street station (which is, after all, one of London’s main stations and can get quite busy at times), we recommend taking the Stansted Express to Tottenham Hale station, changing here for the Victoria Line on the Underground. You can take this to Green Park station where you change for the Piccadilly Line to Knightsbridge, South Kensington, Gloucester Road or Earl’s Court. (So this route from Stansted Airport is obviously ideal for these areas.)

Getting To Kensington and Chelsea from City Airport

If you’re landing at City Airport, we’d suggest taking the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) to Bank Station and then change to Monument Station. (They’re essentially the same station although it’s about a 5 minute walk from one part to another.) From Monument, you can get the Circle Line direct to stations in Kensington and Chelsea.

Getting To Kensington and Chelsea from London’s train stations

All London’s major train stations – and even the not-so-major ones – have interchanges with the Underground, which means it’s easy to make your way to any of the Tube stops in West London.

Getting To Kensington and Chelsea from Victoria Coach Station

Victoria Coach Station is London’s largest bus/coach station to where many of the buses from the rest of the UK and from Europe arrive. The coach station is only a short walk to Victoria Underground station, where you can get the Circle and District lines to Kensington & Chelsea.

91 Comments on “Getting to Kensington and Chelsea”

  1. I’m thinking about staying in one of the hotels in Kensington & Chelsea area for a weekend in May. Could you help me with the desicion? Since I have the early morning return flight at 5,50 Mondey morning I will have to take
    Gatwick Express train from Victoria Station at 3,30.
    How can I reach Victoria from Kensington at that time. Are there any night buses? Or should I take a taxi? How much it will cost me (family of 4: 2 adults, 2 children)? Thank you for any response!

    1. Hi Magda, thanks for your comment. Yes, there are definitely night buses that you could take. For example, the 52 (or rather, the night time version is called the N52) goes down Kensington Church Street and the eastern end of Kensington High Street to Victoria Station; the 148 goes from Holland Park/Notting Hill also to Victoria Station and the N11 goes down King’s Road. This PDF map shows you the night buses that go to Victoria Station: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/victorianightbuses-2280.pdf.

      However some of these buses only run once an hour at night, and you might be a bit stuck if the bus comes early/arrives late! Personally, I would take a taxi as it won’t be that expensive, and also might be easier for you, especially with two kids! The fare I think would be around £12 maximum (hopefully cheaper!), and I would suggest pre-booking a cab closer to the time to make it cheaper. This firm: http://www.addisonlee.com/ is reputable, and you can book online.

  2. Hello,

    Can you tell me if there are buses from South Kensington station to somewhere near Parkgate Road, Battersea on weekdays please. Is South Kensington the closest station? We will be coming from Heathrow with luggage and a baby and so will not want to change trains, buses etc more often than absolutely necessary.

    1. Hi Marg, yes there is a direct bus from South Kensington station to the Parkgate Road stop in Battersea (both on weekdays and weekends). You need bus number 49 that departs from stop B (there should be a map by the exit of the Underground station showing you the location of local bus stops).

      South Kensington is probably the best station to go to to catch a bus to Battersea. You can get the Piccadilly Line all the way from Heathrow to South Kensington, and then it’s only about a minute walk to the bus stop.

  3. Thank you. I should have also asked about buses from Battersea to Victoria station to catch the Gatwick Express as I believe this is the best option to reach Gatwick from Battersea.

    1. No problem! Yes, again, this is a relatively straightforward journey. Assuming you’re travelling from the same stop in Battersea (Parkgate Road), you can take the 170 bus direct to Victoria. (This bus in fact ends at Victoria station).

  4. Hi

    Would appreciate someone letting me know the best way to get to Chelsea Football ground from Cardiff. We are staying at the chelsea mellenium hotel for one night on 3rd August ( for Olympics) We are thinking of driving up from Cardiff so far and getting the underground somewhere off the M4. Does anyone know the furthest underground station that we could use on the M4 corridor. and what lines we could use to get to the hotel
    many thanks
    Jane

    1. Hi Jane, sorry for taking a few days to reply. Well, it’s the Piccadilly Line (on its Heathrow branch) that runs closest to the M4 (and you’ll see the Underground pass over you as you drive on the M4 close to London).

      Doing research with TFL and Google Maps, the best stations to aim for that have (paid) parking – which I assume you’ll need! – are either Hounslow West, Hounslow East or Osterley which are all close to the A4 (so you’ll need to get off the M4 at Junction 3 to get onto the A4).

      From any of these stations, you would need to take the Piccadilly Line to Earl’s Court station, and then change here for the District Line (Wimbledon branch) for two stops to Fulham Broadway. Stamford Bridge is then about a ten minute walk from here.

      Would it not be better to just drive all the way to the Chelsea Millennium Hotel? It’s not that much further from stations, and the hotel’s website does say it has parking. (I don’t know if they charge extra for it, however.)

    1. Earl’s Court Square stretches around the actual garden square itself, and is also the name for the roads that go from/to the garden square and both Earl’s Court Road and Warwick Road. Do you have the number of the building you’re looking for? Once you’re there, it shouldn’t be hard to find on the actual square.

      I’m not 100% sure about the postcode you’ve given, however – the first part is definitely Earl’s Court, but the full postcode doesn’t actually lead to an address. (You can look up an address from a postcode with Royal Mail’s Postcode/Address Finder: http://www.royalmail.com/postcode-finder/).

      If you don’t mind me asking, what is the “thing” that you’re looking for?

  5. Traveling from heathrow to So. Kensington, and on crutches due to recent surgery. What is the best way to go via public transport?

    1. Hi Missy, Underground would definitely be the easiest way to travel from Heathrow to South Kensington – in fact, the Piccadilly Line goes direct between the two. The only issue is regarding any stairs you will encounter that might be difficult if you’re on crutches. At the Heathrow stations, there are lifts from the station entrance down to the platforms so you should be fine at that side. At South Kensington, however, you will have to navigate both stairs and an escalator. If you get off one stop earlier – at Gloucester Road station – there’s a short set of stairs and then a lift up to street level. If you got off TWO stops earlier – at Earl’s Court – there are lifts from the Piccadilly Line platform to street level.

      If you did get off one or two steps earlier, you could then get a bus to your final destination, or possibly a taxi – which shouldn’t be too expensive as it will be a short journey. HTH

    1. It could be as much as £100 for a minicab from Stansted Airport to Cromwell Road (not Street) in Kensington – it’s a looooong way! (And you’d need a people carrier for five people, rather than a regular car.) Having said that, £100 divided amongst 5 people isn’t all that expensive… You could alternatively take the EasyBus (http://www.easybus.co.uk/) to Baker Street and then the Underground down and around to High Street Kensington/Earls Court or Gloucester Road (depends where you want on Cromwell Road), or (perhaps even better) a coach to Victoria Coach Station (e.g. with http://www.nationalexpress.com/) from where it’s three direct stops to Gloucester Road (or 4 to either Earl’s Court or High Street Kensington).

  6. From luton airport to kensington court hotel notting hill hotel by shuttle bus .where i have to stop? Thanks

    1. Hi Johanna, you can use the Easybus Shuttle (http://www.easybus.co.uk/) – which can be quite cheap if you book in advance – to go to Marble Arch. From Marble Arch, you can then either take the Underground two stops direct to Queensway, or take the 94 or 390 buses (which both go down Bayswater Road) or the 7 bus (which goes down Westbourne Grove). From Queensway Underground station, or from where to get off the bus, it will be a 5-minute walk to the hotel.

  7. hello

    im staying in kensington hotel and my friend wants to go to ministry of sound in london. would you be able to inform me how much a taxi would be and what modes of public transport i could take please? a bus would be prefered and also if we leave at 3am what would be the best safest way to get home
    kind regards thanks for your help

    Donna

    1. Hi Donna, which is The Kensington Hotel, is it the one on Queen’s Gate? I’m afraid there’s no direct (or direct-ish) nightbuses that you could take from Ministry of Sound. You could take two buses but you might not want to do if you’re not 100% familiar with London. (I have travelled home by nightbus many times and it is safe – and there’s two of you, which is good, and I am sure many other clubgoers will be taking nightbuses home at that time of night.) If you did want to try two nightbuses, there’s a few combinations you could try – probably the best is to take the 148 from Elephant & Castle roundabout to Hyde Park Corner, and then the 9, 10 or 52 to Kensington, getting off at the stop just by Queen’s Gate.

      Having said all that…if you’re not 100% confident about using nightbuses (especially as you’d have to use two), I’d recommend getting a taxi. It might cost around £25 but you will get home quickly, without having to worry about whether you’ve got the right bus etc.

      I would try and pre-book a taxi if you can – perhaps you can ask your hotel of a company they recommend – as this will probably work out cheaper. Alternatively, I am sure Ministry of Sound can point you in the direction of a respected and licensed minicab firm in the nearby area…although you will probably have to wait a bit in the queue as I sure many other people will be trying to get a taxi at the same time.

      Black cabs may be difficult to get at that time of night in that part of London, and they will also be expensive.

      Please don’t use an unlicensed minicab! (i.e. an unmarked car offering their services)

      If you have any more questions, please do ask!

  8. Hi Anna,

    Please find my questions as follows:

    1) How to get to Holland Apartments, Holland Road, Kensington & Chelsea from Heathrow Airport?
    2) Is it possible to walk from the nearest train/tube stations i.e. Sherphard’s bush station to Holland Apartments and how far/long it takes?
    3) Could you suggest which airport is the nearest and fastest to reach from Holland Apartments? Fyi, we (4 of us) planning to book a flight to Amsterdam with departure time at 8am?
    4) How and which is the best/cheapest way to get to one of those airports at early in the morning let say at 4 or 5am from Holland Apartments?

    Tqvm in advanced

    1. Hello there, here are the answers to your questions:

      1) This is what I think would be the best way of reaching the Holland Apartments from Heathrow. Take the Underground (Piccadilly Line) from whatever Heathrow terminal you land at all the way to Earl’s Court. (I personally would advise you to purchase an Oyster card at Heathrow Airport to save on public transport in London!) When you get to Earl’s Court MAKE SURE you exit the station at the Warwick Road exit, NOT the Earl’s Court Road exit – you should see signs pointing you in the right direction. Once you’ve exited the station (you’ll see Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre in front of you), cross the road and walk to the nearest bus stop. Wait for bus C1, which will actually take you to Holland Road. You want to get off at the “Russell Gardens” stop (look at the indicator on the bus, or ask the bus driver to help you when you board). You’ll pretty much be at the Holland Apartments, or only metres away! (The bus journey should take no more than 10 minutes.)

      2) Shepherd’s Bush Station is probably the best to head to, as it’s on the Central Line which is great for heading to Central London! It’s about a 15 minute walk away. Technically, Olympia station (on the Overground line) is closer, but this line goes to stations north and south outside of the central core of London, so this may not be so useful to you.

      3) & 4) Did you mean aside from Heathrow, which is definitely the nearest airport? (I guess you’re taking advantage of a low-cost airlines’ flights?) I would pick Luton Airport. To get there, it’s probably cheapest and easiest to use EasyBus (http://www.easybus.co.uk) which can be really cheap if you book in advance. EasyBus operate a service from Earl’s Court to Luton Airport that does indeed run through the night. The only thing is that the above-mentioned bus (which would take you back to Earl’s Court) doesn’t operate that early…personally, I would get a taxi (you could pre-book one that would possibly make it cheaper) to Earl’s Court – shared between 4 of you, it won’t cost very much.

      HTH

  9. Could you tell me the easiest way to get from heathrow airport to the wyndham grand at chelsea harbour. Many thanks

    1. Hi Liz, well, the easiest way? Undoubtedly taxi, as that will take you door to door! However, you’re probably looking at a fare of around £50 plus…

      If you meant easiest and something a bit more cost-friendly, I would take the Underground (Piccadilly Line) from Heathrow to Earl’s Court. From here, change for the District Line to West Brompton (one stop). Then from here, change for the Overground to Imperial Wharf (one more stop), and this station is practically opposite the Wyndham Grand. The interchanges at these stations aren’t too troublesome, don’t worry – at Earl’s Court there are lifts, whilst at West Brompton, it’s up and over a small footbridge.

      You’ll be travelling in tube zones 2 to 6 (well, technically from zone 6 to 2) so it will cost you £5.50 as a cash fare, or £2.70 if you purchase and use an Oyster card (recommended!). (If you travel at off-peak times – 9.30am to 4pm or after 7pm – then the Oyster fare will be even cheaper, £1.50.)

  10. Hello
    Is there an information service based in Kensington where I can ask regarding residential courses for my 16 and 12 year old? Also I need to know about short term accommodation. I am also looking for an au pair agency and info regarding the nearest universities.

    Thank you

    Myfanwy

    I love this area

  11. Hello
    Me and my friend are going to stay in Think apartments Earl court. How do we get there from Stansted?
    Many thanks
    Susanne

    1. Hi Susanne, I would suggest taking the Stansted Express as far as Tottenham Hale train station (i.e. not to its main end point, Liverpool Street station). At Tottenham Hale, you can then transfer to the Underground, namely the Victoria Line. Take the Victoria Line all the way to Victoria, and then change for the District Line, to travel four stops to Earls Court station. At Earls Court Underground station, make sure you take the *Warwick Road* exit (at the back of the station) – the same road the Think Apartments are on – not the main Earls Court Road exit. Once you get out the station, turn right and walk up the road – it will be about a ten minute walk up the road to the Think Apartments.

  12. Could you tell me the best and most inexpensive way to get from Gatwick A/P to Royal Garden Hotel? We would like to pre-purchase our tickets if possible.

    1. Hi Janice, the most inexpensive way would be to get an EasyBus (http://www.easybus.co.uk) from Gatwick to West Brompton/Earls Court – a one-way journey can be as cheap as £2 depending on how far in advance you book and what time of day you’re travelling. You can buy tickets for this online.

      The bus drops you off near West Brompton Underground station. You can then take the Underground two stops to High Street Kensington station. It’d be best to buy Oyster card for this journey (and others when you’re in London!) – the fare would be £2.10 if you’re travelling at an off-peak time (between 9.30am – 4pm, or after 7pm) and using the Oyster pay-as-you-go card. You can technically buy these online (see http://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk) but I think it would be easier to just buy an Oyster card at West Brompton Underground station.

      The Royal Garden Hotel is then a five minute walk from High Street Kensington Underground station. HTH

  13. Hi Susanne!
    Please give me your opinion on the Harrington? Is this a good place to stay in? Is it easily accessible from Heathrow? What is the best way to get there?

    Thank you very nuch!

    Maricar

    1. Hi Maricar, not sure if you’ll get a response from the other poster, but it’d be easy to get to The Harrington (I assume you mean this? http://www.theharrington.com/) from Heathrow. You can take the Underground direct from Heathrow to Gloucester Road Underground station (Piccadilly Line), and then the properties are a short walk from this station. Very easy, and far cheaper than taking a taxi!

  14. Hello
    Me and my friend are staying at the jurys inn in chelsea on the 28th feb and 1st of march, we will be arriving at kings cross at around 12 lunch time, I see there is a direct tube line Victoria line i think, that would take me to Vauxhall which looks closer to where we need to be, there is also a tube that takes us to earls court but this takes longer and its a 30min walk to chelsea from there, any help on which would be the best route would be fab
    Thanks Deanne

    1. Hi Deanne, I’m sorry for taking a while to respond! However, you *definitely* don’t want to go to Vauxhall – that’s south of the river, and the Jury’s Inn is (just) north of it, so it will be quite a hassle getting from Vauxhall to your hotel!

      The easiest way involves two changes of train, but don’t worry – it’s nothing too taxing at all. Also, it will get to practically on the doorstep of the Jury’s Inn, so it’s a good way to go. 🙂

      Take the Victoria Line from King’s Cross to Victoria station, then change for the District Line and get off at West Brompton. Here, take the Overground line (still part of the Transport for London network) one stop to Imperial Wharf – and the Jury’s Inn is practically opposite this station!

      HTH

      1. thanks so much this route sounds great 🙂 do you know if the over ground stops at a certain time ? we are going to see wicked on the friday night at the apollo, would we be able to use the route back to west brompton and take the over ground to our hotel it might be about 11.30 by the time we get there from the theatre ? x

        1. You’re welcome! The last Overground from West Brompton south (to get you to Imperial Wharf) departs at 00:02, so it looks like you’d be fine using this route. (I assume when you said get “there” you meant West Brompton station?) The Overground trains before this one depart West Brompton at 23:42 and 23:27, if you wanted to know what times these go.

          Should this not quite work out, I’d take the Piccadilly Line from Piccadilly Circus (close to the Apollo Theatre) to Earl’s Court, get out here and then get the C3 bus which also stops outside Imperial Wharf station. The last C3 bus departs the stop by Earl’s Court at around half past midnight.

  15. We are going to be in London in May and are staying at the Royal Garden Hotel. Could you please give directions for taking the underground from Heathrow to the hotel? Thanks for your help.

    1. Hi Marty, sure – it’s very simple! Take the Piccadilly Line all the way to Earl’s Court (journey time is approximately 45 minutes). Then change for the District Line to go one stop to High Street Kensington station. From here, turn right as you exit the station and walk along Kensington High Street to the Royal Garden Hotel – it’s about a five minute walk.

      BTW, I’d really recommend that you buy an Oyster card at Heathrow Underground station both for this journey and for subsequent travel in London (assuming you’re going to be doing a fair bit) – it will make your travel in London considerably cheaper. HTH

  16. Another question: We would like to find a place where wi-fi is available (other than our hotel) in the Kensington Palace neighborhood. Can you help? Thanks!

    1. There’s a Starbucks very close to your hotel, but their wifi isn’t free. Some establishments (restaurants, pubs, cafes) offer “The Cloud” wifi which *is* free (although you will need to enter in some quick registration details for it) – you can see places where it’s offered at http://www.hotspotfinder.thecloud.net/ (type in “Kensington”).

      Here’s something the local council are promoting – http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/newsroom/allcouncilstatements/freewifi.aspx – if you click on the final link (“covered by O2 wifi”) you can also do another search to see where O2 wifi is being offered in local establishments. HTH

  17. Hello, im portuguese and i nedd some help!! im thinking about staying in one of the hotels in Kensington & Chelsea ( Acacia Hostel) area for a weekend in April.but the airoport is in stansted, can u tell me what is the transport that i can use? we r 2 girls, and how much is it? i arrived at 23.35 at night. tks. Ana

    1. Hi Ana, here’s what I would suggest if you’re arriving at Stansted at that time of night: take an EasyBus (http://www.easybus.co.uk/) transfer to Baker Street first – I would definitely recommend pre-booking on the site so you two are guaranteed a seat on the bus you want to take. The price depends a bit on which bus you take, but can be as little as £2 (one-way) up to £9.99 – so it is not too expensive.

      Then, from outside Baker Street station (you will need to walk around the corner from where the EasyBus drops you) – from bus stop D – get bus number 74. This will take you to South Kensington station – get off here, and it will be only a few minutes walk to the hostel you mentioned. Unfortunately, I don’t think the Underground station will be open at that time of night for you to get an Oyster card (get one the next day!) so the bus (cash) fare will be £2.40.

      Don’t worry about taking the bus at that time of night – it’s a popular route.

      HTH!

  18. Hello im going to kengsington high street from stanstead AirPort, what is the best way for me to Get there. Bus (terravision) to Victoria and Then underground to high street kengsington?:)

    1. Yes, that would be a good way! An alternative would be to take the Stansted Express train to Liverpool Street station, and then also the Underground from there to High Street Kensington. However, although the train from the airport is faster than the bus, it is also more expensive…so it depends on what you prefer/is more important to you in terms of journey time and price.

  19. Hi there, myself and a friend are flying into Heathrow at lunchtime on Monday and we’re staying in the Kensington Close Hotel. From what I can gather taking the tube seems to be the best idea so I know we’ll be takin the Piccadilly line but where would we be getting off then?
    Many thanks

    1. Hi Katie, I’d definitely recommend taking the Tube! Journey time is perfectly acceptable to West London, and it’s super-cheap compared to other options! So yes, take the Piccadilly Line to Earls Court station. From here you have two options: 1) you could potentially walk from here; it takes about 10 minutes but that’s through the “shortcut” way which of course you’re not expected to know about immediately on arriving! (maybe for the way back?) or 2) change at Earls Court station for the District Line to go one stop to High Street Kensington station, and then your hotel is only about 3 minutes walk from here.

  20. Hi Anna, I will be staying at Kensington Suite
    Hotel; 128 Holland Rd.I was wondering what my best mode of transport would be to see the sights of London and how would I get to Heathrow airport, Terminal 4 on my return. Many thanks, Elaine

    1. Hi Elaine, the nearest most useful Underground station to you is Shepherd’s Bush, which is about a 10 minute walk away from where you are staying. This is on the Central Line which – as it sounds – takes you right to the centre of London, including to stops like Notting Hill Gate, Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, St Paul’s and Bank, from where many of London’s sights are easy walking distance. (Or you can also change onto other Underground lines at many of these stations.) I would highly recommend that you purchase an Oyster Card before you make any journeys – you can buy one from the ticket office, or there should also be a machine to buy one from as well. You can then use this as a pay-as-you-go travelcard, topping it up with money as you need to. (Oyster cards are also accepted on buses and the Overground.) You will need to pay a deposit for the card, but this will be refunded to you when you hand it in after your final journey (maybe at Heathrow?), or you could hang onto it for future use, or give it to a friend or family member.

      You can also walk up to Shepherd’s Bush station or Holland Park Avenue to get buses from there to the central bits of London if you’d like “see” a bit of London en route! (Quite a nice journey and a way of sightseeing!)

      As for getting to Heathrow…again, walk to Shepherd’s Bush station, but this time get the 94 bus from outside the station. Take this to Turnham Green station (about a 10-15 minute journey) and then get off, then take the Piccadilly Line all the way to Heathrow Terminal 4 (about 1/2 an hour). Hope this helps.

  21. We are staying at the Royal Garden Hotel but are leaving by train on July 9 to go to Edinbugh, Scotland. Which train station do we need to go to and how to get there. Thanks

    1. Hi Pat, I’ve unfortunately never taken the train to Edinburgh myself (as much as I would like to!) but I believe trains depart from either Euston or King’s Cross stations. You can reach these easily from High Street Kensington Underground station – take any train to Edgware Road (where you will need to change, but it can just be a cross platform change) and then the Hammersmith & City Line onwards. For Euston station, take the train to Euston Square station and it’s then a five-minute walk; King’s Cross train station has an interchange with King’s Cross Underground station.

  22. Hi,
    I would be arriving Heathrow in a few weeks with my family.
    We intend to use the Underground from Heathrow airport to our hotel- Sara Hotel in Kensington and Chelsea.
    Which trains do we catch? And where do we stop to alight?
    Thanks.
    Emmanuel.

    1. Hi Emmanuel, take the Piccadilly Line direct to Earl’s Court station (it takes about 45 minutes). Once at Earl’s Court, make sure you get out of the station at the *Warwick Road* exit, NOT the Earls Court Road exit. (Look for the signs.) If you get out at the Warwick Road exit, it’s then only about a 5 minute walk to your hotel. If you accidentally get out of the Earls Court Road exit (no big deal), the walk would probably take another 5-10 minutes.

  23. Hi
    1. We are a family of 3 with a 4 year old getting a train to kings cross from the north and need to get to our hotel jury’s inn, imperial wharf.
    We are not sure whether to just get a taxi – do you have an idea of the cost of this? -is there a way we can reduce the cost without much changing of trains as we have quite a few bags?
    2. Also we will need to get from imperial wharf to heathrow. Again I’m trying to minimise using escalators and changing with all our bags so don’t mind doing part taxi and maybe part train??
    Many thanks in advance for your advice, very helpful.

    1. Hi John, you can take the tube direct from Heathrow to Earls Court station (Picadilly Line). Change at Earls Court station to get on the District Line to go one stop to High Street Kensington station. The whole journey should be about 45 – 50 minutes.

  24. Can someone pls tell me how to get to Kensington park from South Kensington station??? Is it far or what stop to get off on the 49 bus

    1. Yes, you can use the 49 bus from South Kensington station – get off at either the Palace Gate stop or the next one, Kensington Palace. The 70 bus near South Kensington station can also be used – get off at Kensington Road/Royal Albert Hall stop. OR also the 360 bus near South Kensington station – also get off at the Royal Albert Hall stop. Finally, you could also walk – it would be around 20 – 25 minutes.

  25. Hi there, We are staying at the Copthorne hotel in Kennsington, flying into Stansted early on a Friday morning and I really have no idea how to get there on the Underground. Can you please HElP!!!

    1. You will first need to get transportation from Stansted Airport to somewhere where there’s Underground services. I would suggest taking the Stansted Express train to Tottenham Hale station. (NOTE: If you pre-book your train tickets online, you can save – https://www.stanstedexpress.com/offers – depends how many you are, whether you’re getting returns etc.)

      At Tottenham Hale, you can then get the Underground. It’s the Victoria Line from here (the light blue line; it’s a fast line with not that many stops!) – take this to Victoria station. Then change here for the Circle Line (yellow line!) to go four stops to High Street Kensington. The Copthorne Hotel is about three minutes walk from there.

  26. Hi! I could really do with your precious advice!here’s the thing: travelling with my 6year old son, arriving in London STN and staying at the Cromwell Crown. Which is the easiest way to get there without having to use the underground (with luggage and all i’d just prefer hopping on a bus…) thank you so much in advance!

    1. Hi Ilaria, I hope my reply is not too late as I’ve just noticed your comment! :-s

      You can get buses (technically coachoes) from London Stansted, absolutely, but the closest they would get to your hotel is to Victoria station. You can get details of these coaches (two companies operate the route to Victoria station) here: http://www.stanstedairport.com/transport-and-directions/buses-and-coaches#CoachestoLondon

      From Victoria, I would then recommend jumping in a taxi to your hotel. It shouldn’t be too expensive, perhaps £10. (I can’t say for certain, obviously, given traffic etc!)

      The alternative would be to get on the Underground (but I know you said you preferred to avoid that) from Victoria – it’s only three stops to Gloucester Road station but then a ten minute walk from there to your hotel. So, really, easier to get a taxi from Victoria station!

  27. Hello,
    I will be arriving to Stansted airport, and will take Easybus to Baket st.
    What is the easiest way to get to Tara Copthorne hotel at around 15:00? How much would a taxi cost? How long does it take? Alternatively, can get to Victoria station, how long and how much for a taxi ride?
    Because of luggage, I wouldn’t use the tube this time.. Thanks in advance!
    Jane.

    1. Hi there, it’s a little bit hard to estimate but I would guess to say that Baker Street to the Copthorne Tara would take 30 minutes and cost around £20-£25. Victoria Station is closer to the hotel, so perhaps £15-£20 and 20 minutes.

  28. Hello is there a lift on the Piccadilly line. From train to street at Gloucester road tube station. I am arriving by train at euston n need to go to holiday inn kensington. With luggage

    1. Not quite, no – there are *some* steps (perhaps 15-20?) from the platforms up to the level where the lifts are. Perhaps a kindly soul will help you up this flight of stairs? Once on that level, however, the lifts do take you to street level.

  29. hello we are arriving at Stansted airport and our hotel is just round the corner of Earls court station, which should be my best way to it taking into account we carry two big bags? we dont mind paying a taxi it its cost is more or les 20 pounds. thanks a lot for your time
    nahir

    1. A pre-booked taxi from Stansted Airport to Earls Court would be, I’m estimating, about £60-£70. (The journey would take about 1 hour 30 minutes!)

      I would suggest two options:

      1) Take a coach to London Victoria (see http://www.stanstedairport.com/transport-and-directions/buses-and-coaches#CoachestoLondon for details of companies/prices) and then the Underground for four stops to Earls Court. Although the coach station is ‘next door’ to the Underground/train station, you’re probably looking at a 10 minute walk to the Underground station (the station is big!)

      2) Take a train from Stansted to Tottenham Hale station (book tickets online to get them cheaper – https://www.stanstedexpress.com), then change here for the Underground station. (Get an Oyster card at this point for cheaper travel!) Take the Victoria Line to Green Park, then the Piccadilly Line to Earls Court. Yes, this does involve two changes, but this probably would be the quicker journey because you’re not at the mercy of traffic in London.

      Sorry, I’m afraid you will have to navigate through changes at stations! Just take it slow with your bags…hopefully it shouldn’t be too bad. (If you’re travelling at a quiet time of day…)

  30. My husband and I, seniors, are travelling from Gatwick Airport – South Terminal to City Continental London Kensington at 11-13 Penywern Road, London. What is the best way to get to this hotel from Gatwick?

    1. You have a couple of suitable options open to you. Firstly, you can take the Gatwick Express (http://www.gatwickexpress.com/ – pre-buy your tickets online and you’ll save 10%) to Victoria Station; this is a direct, non-stop train which takes 30 minutes. Then at Victoria Station, head to the Underground for the District Line to go four stops to Earls Court. Your hotel is then right around the corner – a 2 minute walk.

      OR, what might be easier as it doesn’t involve a change of transport, is to take the Easybus (http://www.easybus.co.uk/en/) which are small minibuses rather than big coaches. Again, probably best to pre-buy your tickets to get a good price (although it’s quite cheap anyway); these buses run very regularly. The bus will drop you off at West Brompton station just south of Earls Court – they say it takes 1 hour 5 minutes, which is probably about the same time as the above option for train + changing transport + underground. Your hotel is then a 7 minute walk from West Brompton.

    1. Bus number 14 – which stops about a 5-minute walk south of Euston station on Gower Street (by University College Hospital/UCL) will take you all the way direct to Stamford Bridge. It will take upwards of an hour, though! I would estimate a taxi would be £20 – £25.

  31. We will be arriving at Heathrow at 23:00. Trying to figure out how to get to our hotel in Kensington at that time of night…looks like most trains and busses stop at that time. Can you suggest another method? Trying to figure out the cheapest and fastest. But also want to be safe as we are two women traveling. Thank you!

    1. The last Piccadilly Line train from Heathrow (Terminals 1-2-3 stop) goes at 23.45…you *might* just be able to catch that. If you take it to Earl’s Court from there I would suggest getting a taxi to your hotel.

      Otherwise, I think taxi/minicab is the only option, really. The coaches look like they stop too early (around about 11pm). There is a night-bus (the N9) which does actually go right through Kensington (down Kensington High Street); it’s fine in terms of safety (I’m sure you’ll have other people on it too from Heathrow) and super-cheap, but it might just be a bit of a hassle to take it. (Especially because of so many stops! See https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/timetable/n9?fromId=4900801620&intervalId=0&selectedDate=sundaynightmondaymorning).

      You can see taxi options that Heathrow recommend here: http://www.heathrowairport.com/transport-and-directions/taxis-and-minicabs.

  32. Wil you Please advice me what is the best way to travel from Luton AirPort to 5-7 Princes square in Kensington and Chelsea. The hotel is called London Premier Notting Hill.
    Thank you and greatings from Leny from Holland

  33. I will be coming from France arriving in Portsmouth by ferry on Friday Sept23 around noon.We live in the us.so I have no way of knowing what is the best way of getting to Kensington. We arrive a week before at Heathrow and are taking National Express to the ferry terminal in Portsmouth to go to France. We are staying at the Copthorne hotel in Kensington. I do not know if this letter makes any sense to you but I hope so. Thangs for any help you may be able to goive me.
    Gene

  34. I will be travelling to London in June. Our hotel is near Kensington Olympia. We are planning to visit Cambridge University London. May I know which is the cheapest mode of transport to the university. Thanks

  35. I will be arriving from Stansted airport and my hotel is near Kensington Olympia. Please advise the mode of transport.

    Thanks

  36. Hi, we are a family of 4 that will be flying in to Gatwick Airport and are thinking of staying at Holiday Inn Express in Earl’s Court in Kensington. What is the easiest way to get from the airport to the hotel, and about how much is the cost? How easy is it to get to the city of London from the hotel?

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