Taxi from London City Airport to Southampton
Direct, fixed-fare taxi from London City Airport (LCY) to Southampton. We meet you at LCY arrivals, monitor your flight and deliver you door-to-door anywhere in Southampton — city, cruise...
London City Airport to Southampton taxi with meet & greet — fixed fare from £200, door-to-door, 24/7. About 90 miles, around 130 minutes' drive.
Direct, fixed-fare taxi from London City Airport (LCY) to Southampton. We meet you at LCY arrivals, monitor your flight and deliver you door-to-door anywhere in Southampton — city, cruise terminal, hotel or home. No meter, no surge.
A London City Airport to Southampton taxi covers around 90 miles and takes about 2 hours in normal traffic, because the first part crosses London. Popular with business travellers, we keep the fare fixed and the service smooth — one price, one driver, one vehicle for the whole journey.
Your driver meets you at the LCY arrivals area with a name board and luggage assistance, and tracks your flight so early landings or delays are handled automatically with no waiting charge. Choose from saloon, estate and executive cars, MPVs and 8-seater minibuses for groups, with the first child seat free on request.
London City Airport is in the Royal Docks in east London, so the first part of the journey is across the city, out on the A1020 and the North Circular towards the M4 and M25, before the M3 takes you south to Southampton. It is a compact, single-terminal airport, and passengers are usually out of arrivals quickly.
Fixed fares (from)
- Economy Saloon — up to 4 passengers, 2 large cases + 2 small bags: £200
- Comfort — up to 4 passengers, 3 large cases + 2 small bags: £215
- Estate — up to 4 passengers, 4 large cases + 2 small bags: £231
- Executive — up to 4 passengers, 2 large cases + 2 small bags: £242
- MPV — up to 6 passengers, 5 large cases + 2 small bags: £296
- 8-Seater Minibus — up to 8 passengers, 8 large cases + 8 small bags: £364
London City to Southampton: a fast airport, a longer road
London City Airport is small, so passengers are usually out of the terminal soon after landing — one of the reasons business travellers like it. The catch for Southampton is the position: it is in the Royal Docks in east London, and the first part of the drive is through the city before the M4, M25 and M3 take you south-west.
In normal traffic the whole journey is about 2 hours and 90 miles. At the evening rush hour the London section takes longer, which we allow for when you book.
Three kinds of London City passenger
- Meetings in Hampshire Flying in from a European city for meetings in Southampton, Eastleigh or Winchester, with a driver timed to the landing and the fare confirmed in writing for your expenses.
- Flying in to sail Landing in London on embarkation morning: a direct car to the terminal avoids the DLR, the Underground and a train with cruise luggage.
- Back from a short trip Returning to Hampshire from Edinburgh, Dublin or a European city, and wanting to be home without two changes across London.
Car or train from London City to Southampton
| Option | Journey time | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Hampshire Taxi (fixed fare) | About 2 hours; the London stretch slows at the evening peak | From £200 for the car; met in the small arrivals hall and driven straight to your address or ship |
| DLR, Jubilee line and train | Around 2 hours to Southampton Central | The DLR to Canning Town, the Jubilee line to Waterloo, then a South Western Railway train — plus the last leg from Central to your door |
Can you land at London City and board your ship in Southampton?
A guide for passengers flying in on embarkation day. London City is quick to leave, so it assumes about 30 minutes from landing to the car, then about two hours on the road.
| Flight lands | Leaving London City around | At the cruise terminal around | Our advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | 08:30 | 10:30 | Comfortable for any afternoon sailing |
| 10:00 | 10:30 | 12:30 | Works for a check-in slot in the early afternoon |
| 12:00 | 12:30 | 14:30 | Tight: only for a late check-in window and an evening sailing |
The first miles are through east London, where a weekday morning adds time. If your flight is later than these, arrive the day before.
London City or Heathrow for a trip to Southampton?
Heathrow is the cheaper and the closer of the two: Heathrow to Southampton is £135 for the car plus Heathrow's £15 pickup parking (£150 in all) and London City Airport to Southampton from £200. Heathrow is about 70 miles from Southampton and the drive is normally 75 to 90 minutes, almost all of it on the M3. London City is about 90 miles away and the drive is about two hours, because it starts on the far side of London.
London City gives some of that back inside the airport. It is small, the walk from the aircraft to the exit is short, and with hand luggage you can be in the car within half an hour of landing. So for a short-haul flight from a European city or from Scotland or Ireland it is often the easier airport, and for a long-haul flight Heathrow is the only choice of the two.
Heathrow Airport to Southampton
London City Airport to the Southampton cruise terminals
The fare to a cruise terminal is the same as to a Southampton address, whichever of the five terminals your ship uses. We check the terminal against the port's schedule for your sailing date and go to the right dock gate: Dock Gate 4 for Ocean and QEII in the Eastern Docks; in the Western Docks, Dock Gate 8 for City, Dock Gate 10 for Horizon and Dock Gate 20 for Mayflower.
London City introduced a charge for dropping passengers at the terminal in January 2026, and collecting passengers there means paying for the car park. Both are already in the price you are shown, so there is nothing to pay at the airport.
Southampton cruise port to London City Airport (the journey home)
Sources we checked for this page
Timetables and airport rules change. These are the pages behind the public facts above, last checked in October 2026.
- London City Airport — getting to and from the airport, drop-off and pick-up
- Transport for London: journey planner — DLR and Jubilee line times to Waterloo
- National Rail — trains from London Waterloo to Southampton Central
- ABP Southampton: cruise ship schedule — which terminal each ship is using
Frequently asked questions
- Which roads does the taxi take from London City Airport to Southampton?
- Out of the Royal Docks on the A1020 and the A406 North Circular, then the M4 and M25 to the M3, and down the M3 to Southampton. The driver chooses the way across London using live traffic.
- How much is a taxi from London City Airport to Southampton?
- A fixed-fare London City Airport to Southampton taxi starts at £200 for an economy saloon. MPVs and 8-seater minibuses are available for groups. The price is agreed before booking, with no meter and no surge.
- How long is the journey?
- London City Airport to Southampton is around 90 miles and takes about 2 hours in normal traffic, more at rush hour. Your driver plans the route to avoid congestion where possible.
- Do you meet passengers at London City Airport?
- Yes. Your driver meets you at the LCY arrivals area with a name board and helps with your luggage. We monitor your flight, so early landings or delays are handled automatically with no waiting charge.
- Is this suitable for business travellers?
- Yes. We provide executive saloons, professional drivers and reliable on-time pickups — ideal for meetings, roadshows or corporate travel to and from Southampton.
- Can I book an 8 seater taxi for a group travelling from London City?
- Yes. Our MPVs and 8-seater minibuses carry families and groups from London City with luggage in a single vehicle, with the first child seat free on request.
- Is there a direct train from London City Airport to Southampton?
- No — there is no direct train from London City Airport to Southampton. You need the DLR to Canning Town, the Jubilee line to Waterloo and a train to Southampton — around 2 to 2½ hours with luggage. A private taxi covers the 90 miles in about 2 hours, door to door.
- Can I set up a corporate account for London City to Southampton trips?
- Yes. We offer corporate taxi accounts with monthly invoicing, priority booking and dedicated account management — ideal for businesses with regular London City Airport to Southampton transfers.
- Can I book London City Airport to a Southampton cruise terminal?
- Yes. We pick up from London City Airport arrivals and take you to City (Berth 101, Dock Gate 8), Horizon (Berth 102, Dock Gate 10), Ocean (Berth 46, Dock Gate 4), QEII (Berths 38 & 39, Dock Gate 4) or Mayflower (Berth 106, Dock Gate 20). The fare is identical for every terminal.
- Will my driver know which dock gate to use for my ship?
- Yes. Terminals use different gates — Ocean and QEII use Dock Gate 4, City uses Dock Gate 8, Horizon Dock Gate 10 and Mayflower Dock Gate 20 — and your driver is briefed on the right one for your terminal before pickup.
- Is a taxi from London City Airport to Southampton quicker than the train?
- Usually by 20 to 30 minutes, and without the three changes — DLR, Jubilee line and main-line train. At the evening rush hour the London part of the drive slows, and the gap narrows.
- Can my company pay for London City transfers?
- Yes. Every booking is confirmed by email with the fixed fare, which works for expense claims, and companies that book regularly can open a corporate account and pay for trips from its prepaid credit.
- Is London City or Heathrow cheaper for a taxi to Southampton?
- Heathrow, by £50: Heathrow to Southampton is £135 for the car plus Heathrow's £15 pickup parking (£150 in all) and London City Airport to Southampton from £200. Heathrow is also closer, about 70 miles and 75 to 90 minutes, while London City is about 90 miles and two hours. London City is quicker to walk out of, so it suits short-haul flights with hand luggage.
- How long will the driver wait at London City Airport?
- We follow your flight and time the pickup to the real landing. After the aircraft lands you have 60 minutes of free waiting, which at London City is usually far more than you need. After that, waiting is £25 an hour, charged by the minute.
- Do I pay the London City Airport drop-off or parking charge?
- Not separately. London City has charged for terminal drop-offs since January 2026, and collecting passengers means paying for the car park. Both are already included in the fixed price you are shown when you book, so there is nothing to pay at the airport.
- Is the London City price per person?
- No, it is for the whole car: from £200 in an Economy saloon for up to 4 passengers and from £364 in the 8-seater minibus for up to 8. Tell us the number of cases as well as passengers, so the car fits both.