Travel cost guide
Stansted Express is £23 (47 mins to Liverpool St) vs National Express from £10 (70–90 mins). Compare 24/7 night coverage, luggage space, and return savings.
Choose Stansted Express when Liverpool Street or Tottenham Hale suits the journey and a predictable rail timetable matters. Choose a National Express Stansted coach when one of its London stops reduces the onward trip, or when you need a departure outside the useful train timetable. Neither is always cheaper: compare the final fare and airport arrival time for the same date before booking.
Decision guide
Stansted Express publishes a 48-minute journey between the airport and Liverpool Street, with Tottenham Hale reached in about 36 to 37 minutes. Trains normally run every 15 minutes during the day. Liverpool Street suits the City and Elizabeth line connections; Tottenham Hale can remove a central-London backtrack for Victoria line destinations.
National Express runs four direct London routes and serves stops including Stratford, Liverpool Street, Paddington and Victoria, depending on the service. A coach that stops near your hotel can beat a faster train followed by a Tube journey with luggage. The trade-off is road exposure, so use the live National Express timetable rather than treating one advertised coach time as universal.
The Stansted Express timetable changes by day. The first train from Liverpool Street is currently 03:40 on Monday, Friday and Saturday, 04:10 on Sunday, and 04:40 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The last departure from Liverpool Street is 23:25. National Express and other airport coaches operate through the night, so compare their actual airport arrival with your airline's check-in and bag-drop deadline.
Stansted Express tickets start from £9.90 for a limited Liverpool Street advance single when booked at least three months ahead; Tottenham Hale advance fares start from £9.70. Those lead fares are not available on every train. Contactless is accepted on Stansted Express, but Oyster is not valid to or from Stansted Airport. Coach fares change by route, stop, date and availability.
Luggage and accessibility can decide the route. Stansted Express allows up to three pieces of luggage and provides racks, accessible toilets and wheelchair areas. National Express publishes an airport allowance of one large case up to 20kg plus one soft hand-luggage item up to 10kg. For assistance, Stansted Express recommends booking Passenger Assist two hours ahead; National Express asks passengers to contact Assisted Travel 36 hours ahead where possible.
Both public-transport arrivals are close to the terminal. Stansted Airport railway station sits below the terminal and the walk is about two minutes. The coach station is opposite the terminal and is also about a two-minute, step-free walk. The better option is therefore usually decided in London, not at the airport end.
Same-journey comparison
Compare the London stop, useful departure, luggage allowance and final fare for your date. A low lead price is not proof that the same option wins your journey.
| Option | Published fare or timing | London coverage | Main constraint | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stansted Express | From £9.90 advance; 48 min to Liverpool Street | Liverpool Street and Tottenham Hale | Day-specific first train; no overnight service | A predictable rail journey to the City or Victoria line |
| National Express coach | Live fare and route-specific timetable | Four London routes with multiple stops | M11 and central-London traffic | Overnight travel or a stop closer to the final destination |
Checked 31 August 2026 against Stansted Express, National Express and Stansted Airport. Train and coach fares vary by date and availability. Confirm the live price, route and airport arrival time before booking.
Practical checks
These checks keep the guide useful for real journeys rather than just repeating the headline fare or fastest advertised journey time.
The first Stansted Express from Liverpool Street is currently 03:40 on Monday, Friday and Saturday, 04:10 on Sunday, and 04:40 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Match the dated timetable to the airport arrival you need; an early train on one weekday does not prove the same option works on another.
Liverpool Street works well for the City and Elizabeth line. Tottenham Hale can be better for the Victoria line. A National Express stop near the hotel can remove an Underground transfer, so compare the journey beyond the coach or train terminus.
A coach can be delayed on the M11 or while crossing London. Stansted Airport advises passengers travelling from London by coach to allow at least four hours before departure. Treat that as a planning floor and check the airline deadline as well.
Specific guidance
These are the details that change the real-world value of the route after the headline fare or journey time has already caught attention.
The 48-minute Liverpool Street headline is useful only when Liverpool Street is a sensible London endpoint. Tottenham Hale is reached in about 36 to 37 minutes and connects with the Victoria line. For north or west London, leaving the train there can save a central-London backtrack.
National Express serves several London stops across four direct routes. A coach can be the more practical choice when it stops near the final hotel, university or rail connection, even if the airport-to-London leg takes longer. Check the exact route number because not every coach serves every stop.
Stansted Express does not run through the night, and its first departure varies by day. Coaches operate around the clock, but an overnight service is useful only when it reaches the terminal before the airline deadline. Compare the live airport arrival, not just the London departure time.
Stansted Express publishes space for up to three luggage items. National Express publishes an airport allowance of one large case up to 20kg plus one soft hand-luggage item up to 10kg. Extra or oversized bags need checking before booking, especially for families or long-haul travel.
Stansted Express recommends booking Passenger Assist two hours before travel. National Express asks passengers to contact Assisted Travel 36 hours ahead where possible so wheelchair compatibility and lift-accessible stops can be checked. The coach toilet is not wheelchair accessible.
Related airports
Cost signals
| Airport | One public transport option | Drop-off fee | Main caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stansted Airport | Stansted Express | £10 for up to 15 minutes | An early flight can start before the railway does |
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Small changes that cut the real cost of this journey.
Traveller questions
These answers focus on the decision points that change the real cost, not just the advertised journey time.
There is no permanent winner. Stansted Express publishes limited advance singles from £9.90 to Liverpool Street when booked at least three months ahead, while National Express prices vary by route, stop, date and availability. Compare both final prices for the same journey and include any onward London fare.
Stansted Express is the airport train to Tottenham Hale and Liverpool Street, normally running every 15 minutes during the day. National Express operates several coach routes with more London stops and overnight coverage. Rail avoids road traffic; the coach can remove an awkward London interchange.
Stansted Express publishes 48 minutes between Stansted Airport and Liverpool Street. Tottenham Hale is about 36 to 37 minutes and connects with the Victoria line. Check the live timetable because engineering work and service changes can alter the useful departure.
It depends on the London stop, route and traffic. National Express operates four direct London routes, so one fixed coach time would be misleading. Use its live journey planner for the exact stop and allow for road disruption on an outbound airport journey.
The first departure is currently 03:40 on Monday, Friday and Saturday, 04:10 on Sunday, and 04:40 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Recheck the official timetable for the travel date because the day-specific pattern and engineering work can change.
No. Stansted Airport currently lists the last train from Liverpool Street at 23:25 and the last train from the airport at 00:30. National Express and other airport coaches run overnight, but check the exact stop and terminal arrival for your date.
The network includes stops such as Stratford, Liverpool Street, Paddington and Victoria, depending on the route. Use the route map and journey planner rather than assuming every departure serves the same stop. A closer stop can save a Tube fare and luggage-heavy interchange.
Contactless is accepted to and from Stansted Airport, but Oyster is not valid. Use the same contactless card or device at both ends. Before tapping, compare the contactless fare with any advance Stansted Express ticket available for the date.
Stansted Express publishes an allowance of up to three luggage items. National Express publishes an airport allowance of one large case up to 20kg plus one soft hand-luggage item up to 10kg. Check oversized or extra baggage with the operator before paying.
Both can work, but the assistance process differs. Stansted Express recommends Passenger Assist two hours ahead and lists step-free access at Liverpool Street, Tottenham Hale and Stansted Airport. National Express asks passengers to contact Assisted Travel 36 hours ahead where possible so the vehicle and stop can be checked.
The railway station is beneath the terminal and is about a two-minute walk. The coach station is opposite the terminal and is also about a two-minute, step-free walk. The bigger practical difference is normally the London endpoint and timetable.
Book a limited Advance ticket online at least three months before travel. Stansted Express sells advance tickets from three days to six months ahead, but the lowest £9.90 Liverpool Street fare needs the longer booking window and is not available on every departure.
How we keep this accurate: fares and fees are checked against official operator and airport sources, last reviewed 2026-09-21. We update the figures when operators change them, but prices can change without notice, so confirm the live fare before you book.
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