London Stansted is situated 48km north east of central London. It is the 3rd largest airport in the UK after Heathrow and Gatwick and is home to most European low cost (Budget) airlines.

Stansted only has one passenger terminal, a private terminal and a cargo terminal. There are 3 passenger satellites which house the departure gates, two are connected to the main terminal by air-bridge with the third by the Stansted Airport Transit system.

In 2008, Stansted welcomed over 22 million passengers to the United Kingdom. The airport has excellent transport links into central London which, together with the low cost airlines, makes the airport an attractive alternative to Gatwick and Heathrow.

Terminal Info

The passenger terminal was designed to provide an unobstructed flow for passengers from their arrival, check in, security clearance and departure which is all on the same level.

Terminal facilities include luggage services, shops, restaurants, bars, bureaux de charge and internet access. Below is a selection of shops and food outlets that are available after security clearance, most of them open between 04:30am and 05:00am and stay open late into the evening:

Shopping

• World duty Free
  Find fantastic tax-free prices on duty-free liquor and tobacco, fragrance, skincare and cosmetics, confectionery, sunglasses and watches. 
   
• Boots
  Health and beauty essentials, including sun cream, insect repellent and other travel essentials. Most stores have a pharmacy. Boots also provides a selection of sandwiches, snacks and drinks at reasonable prices.
   
• The Body Shop 
  Body and skincare, cosmetics, fragrances and aromatherapy – inspired by nature, made with passion.
   
• Accessorize
  A modern and inspirational collection of every kind of fashion accessory – from bags to purses, jewellery to flip flops and more.
   
• Hugo Boss
  The latest collections for men from Hugo Boss black label and orange label.
   
• Mulberry
  A British design company renowned worldwide for its craftsmanship and quality. The brand's backbone is an extensive line of luxury bags for men and women combining stylish, stand-out design with the finest leathers and detailing.

Food outlets

Budget:

• Costa 
  Costa has something to suite anyone’s taste. It offers a wide range of authentic Italian coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate as well as assortment of hot and cold sandwiches, cakes and pastries.
   
• The Windmill 
  A relaxing, children-friendly pub offering good value for money. Choose from a wide selection of ales and wines, plus a range of classic pub food.
   
• Giraffe Juice 
  Giraffe Juice's menu includes a selection of juices, smoothies, yoghurts and milkshakes, all served alongside freshly made sandwiches, soups and snacks.

Mid-range

• Frankie and Benny’s
  A New York Italian themed family restaurant and bar. With the open kitchen and booth seating you feel like you are transported back to 1950’s America.

Extravagant

• Caviar House & Prunier Seafood Bar 
  Enjoy a unique dining experience at this seafood bar and discover the finest Prunier caviar and Balik smoked salmon, accompanied by an award-winning wine list in an informal and relaxed atmosphere.

Airlines

The following airlines operate out of Stansted:

London Stansted by Rail

The fastest and easiest way to get to Stansted is by the Stansted Express. This service operates between London Stansted and Liverpool Street rail station.

Trains leave Stansted airport every 15 minutes starting at 6am until 11:59pm. The journey time is approximately 45mins and fares are £15.50 for a single and £25.50 for a return fare. Trains stop at Tottenham Hale station before terminating at Liverpool Street station.

Website: www.stanstedexpress.com/

London Stansted by Coach

National Express – operates a 24hr service to London Victoria. The service stops at various stations along the way including, Finchley Road, Marylebone, Baker street amongst others. The journey time is approximately 1h40mins and the service departs on an hourly basis.

National express also offer a "Hotel Hoppa "service which takes you to and from your Hotel to Stansted for £3. Children travel for just 50p. Tickets can be bought from the bus driver, your hotel or you can book online.

In addition to the "Hotel Hoppa" there is an inter airport service which link all of London’s airports and it is the only direct link between them. So if you have arrived at Stansted and have to transfer to Heathrow, Gatwick or City we suggest you use this service.

Not all the services are accessible to wheelchairs yet, however National Express have indicated that their entire network will fully accessible by 2012.

Website: www.nationalexpress.com

Easybus – Operate a low cost high frequency service between London Victoria and Stansted. The coaches are not hard to miss in their distinctive orange colour and the service runs every 20mins. Services depart central London from 3am to 11pm and from Stansted between 7am and 1am the following day.

Fares vary depending on the demand in a similar manner to how budget airlines price their fares. Fares start from as low as £2 and it is a good idea to book online.

Website : www.easybus.co.uk

London Stansted by Taxi

Like all the other London airports there are plenty of taxis queuing for customers. It is advisable to use a Black cab or reputable mini cab service. Black cabs are licensed and use a regulated metered service. An average cost for a journey into central London will set you back approximately £70 in a black cab but this is dependent on the traffic.

It is advisable to use only reputable taxi’s and if you are using a minicab ensure that you agree the fee beforehand. Stansted’s official taxi concession is "Airport Carz".