Taxi from Southampton Cruise Port to London City Airport
Direct, fixed-fare Southampton cruise port to London City Airport taxi — we collect you from your ship's cruise terminal after your cruise and deliver you to LCY with time to check in. No...
Southampton Cruise Port to London City Airport taxi & cruise transfer — fixed fare from £193, door-to-door, 24/7.
Direct, fixed-fare Southampton cruise port to London City Airport taxi — we collect you from your ship's cruise terminal after your cruise and deliver you to LCY with time to check in. No meter, no surge.
A Southampton cruise port to London City Airport taxi covers around 95 miles and takes about 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes, because the last part crosses London. Whether you're flying home straight after a Cunard, P&O, MSC or Royal Caribbean sailing, we quote a single fixed fare before you book and hold to it regardless of traffic.
Your driver for London City meets you dockside at the correct cruise terminal, helps with your luggage and tracks your ship's berthing time — so if your ship docks late we move the pickup with it at no extra cost. Choose from saloon, estate and executive cars, MPVs and 8-seater minibuses, with the first child seat free on request.
London City Airport is in the Royal Docks in east London, not out on the ring road like the other airports, so the last part of the journey is across the city: the M27 and M3 to the M25, then in on the M4, the A406 North Circular and the A1020 to the airport. Allow for London traffic when you choose your pickup time.
It is a small, single-terminal airport that is popular with business travellers, and it is close to the Docklands business district and the DLR station at the airport.
Fixed fares (from)
- Economy Saloon — up to 4 passengers, 2 large cases + 2 small bags: £193
- Comfort — up to 4 passengers, 3 large cases + 2 small bags: £208
- Estate — up to 4 passengers, 4 large cases + 2 small bags: £224
- Executive — up to 4 passengers, 2 large cases + 2 small bags: £235
- MPV — up to 6 passengers, 5 large cases + 2 small bags: £289
- 8-Seater Minibus — up to 8 passengers, 8 large cases + 8 small bags: £357
From the dock gate to the Royal Docks
London City Airport sits in the Royal Docks in east London, beside Canary Wharf and the ExCeL centre. Unlike Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton, it is not out on the motorway ring, so the final part of the journey is through London streets rather than on the M25.
It is a small airport with one terminal and short walking distances, popular with business travellers and with passengers flying to European cities, Edinburgh and Dublin. That makes it a good choice after a cruise if you want a quick, calm departure — as long as your timings fit its hours.
Check the time of your flight against the airport's hours
London City has shorter operating hours than the larger airports and no flights overnight, and it closes for most of the weekend: there are no flights from about 12:30 on Saturday until 12:30 on Sunday. Many cruises end on a Saturday or Sunday morning, so check this first. If you are choosing a flight for disembarkation day, look for one in the late morning or afternoon so the drive does not become a race.
When you could fly from London City after a cruise
Based on a drive of about 2 hours 10 minutes including London traffic, and being at the terminal 90 minutes before a short-haul flight. The last few miles vary more than on the other routes, so this guide builds in extra time.
| Off the ship by | At London City around | Earliest flight we would book |
|---|---|---|
| 07:30 | 09:40 | From about 11:10 |
| 09:00 | 11:10 | From about 12:40 |
| 10:30 | 12:40 | From about 14:10 |
Cruise port to London City by taxi or train
The rail route is quicker here than to Stansted or Luton, but still involves carrying luggage between three services.
| Option | Journey time | Changes | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hampshire Taxi (fixed fare) | About 2 hours, longer at rush hour | None | £193 for the car, up to 4 passengers; terminal to terminal with your cases loaded for you |
| Train, Underground and DLR | Around 2 hours from Southampton Central | Two | A train to London Waterloo, the Jubilee line to Canning Town, then the DLR to the airport — plus getting from the ship to Southampton Central first |
If your cruise ends at the weekend
The weekend gap matters more for cruise passengers than for anyone else, because so many sailings end on a Saturday or Sunday morning. On a Saturday the last flights leave around midday. Going by the table above, only a passenger who is off the ship by about 07:30 can count on reaching London City in time, and that normally means carrying your own cases off.
A Sunday is the opposite. Flights start again from about 12:30, so there is no reason to hurry: leave the ship with your luggage group between 09:00 and 10:00 and you arrive with time in hand for an early-afternoon departure. If your cruise ends on a Saturday and your group is a late one, Heathrow is usually the better airport that day.
Southampton cruise port to Heathrow Airport
From your cabin to the London City terminal
- Book with the ship and the flight The ship and sailing date tell us which Southampton terminal and dock gate to use; the flight number tells us when you need to be at the airport.
- At the cruise terminal Your driver is there from your disembarkation time, with 30 minutes of free waiting. If the ship berths late, the pickup moves with it and nothing is added.
- M3, then across London The first hour is motorway. The last part crosses London to the Royal Docks, which is where the time varies, so the driver checks the route before leaving the port.
- A small terminal You are set down at the one terminal building, a short walk from security. The airport has charged for drop-offs since January 2026; that charge is already in your fare.
London City or Heathrow after your cruise?
Southampton cruise port to London City Airport is from £193 for an Economy saloon with up to 4 passengers, and from £357 for the 8-seater minibus with up to 8. The same journey to Heathrow is £135 plus Heathrow's £7 drop-off charge (£142 in all), so Heathrow is £51 cheaper and about half an hour closer.
London City is worth the longer drive when it has the flight you want. It suits short-haul trips to European cities, Edinburgh or Dublin, and it is a small airport that is quick to get through. For a long-haul flight home, or a Saturday when your luggage group is late, choose Heathrow.
London City Airport to Southampton (the journey out) · Southampton cruise port transfers: every airport and price
Sources we checked for this page
Opening hours, timetables and airport rules change. These are the pages behind the public facts above, last checked in October 2026.
- London City Airport — opening hours, drop-off and getting to the airport
- Transport for London: journey planner — Jubilee line and DLR times from Waterloo
- ABP Southampton: cruise ship schedule — when each ship is due and which terminal it uses
Frequently asked questions
- Which roads does the taxi take from Southampton cruise port to London City Airport?
- The M27 and M3 to the M25, then the M4 and A406 North Circular across London, finishing on the A1020 into the Royal Docks. The driver checks live traffic and chooses the best way on the day.
- Where is London City Airport?
- In the Royal Docks in east London, beside the Docklands business district. It is a single-terminal airport, so the driver takes you to the one departures entrance.
- How much is a taxi from Southampton cruise port to London City Airport?
- A fixed-fare Southampton cruise port to London City Airport taxi starts at £193 for an economy saloon. MPVs and 8-seater minibuses are available for cruise groups. The price is agreed before booking, with no meter and no surge.
- How long is the transfer?
- Southampton cruise port to London City Airport is around 95 miles and takes about 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes, because the last part crosses London. Your driver plans the route to avoid congestion and arrives with time to check in.
- Do you meet passengers at the cruise terminal for the trip to London City?
- Yes. Your driver meets you at your terminal, whether City, Ocean, Mayflower, QEII or Horizon, with a name board and helps with your luggage.
- What if my ship docks late?
- We track cruise arrivals and adjust your pickup automatically for late dockings — there's no extra waiting charge for cruise-linked delays.
- Can I book an 8 seater taxi from the cruise port to London City for a cruise family?
- Yes. Our MPVs and 8-seater minibuses carry cruise families and groups with heavy luggage in a single vehicle, with the first child seat free on request.
- How do you get from Southampton cruise port to London City Airport?
- By car it is about 95 miles: the M3 towards London, then across to east London and the Royal Docks — around 2 hours outside rush hour. By public transport you would take a train to London Waterloo, the Jubilee line to Canning Town and the DLR to the airport, about 2 hours from Southampton Central.
- Is London City Airport open early in the morning and late at night?
- It has shorter hours than the big London airports and no overnight flights, and there are no flights from about 12:30 on Saturday until 12:30 on Sunday. Check your flight time before booking a same-day connection from the ship.
- My cruise ends on a Saturday. Can I fly from London City that day?
- Only if you leave the ship early. London City has no flights from about 12:30 on Saturday until 12:30 on Sunday, so you need a late-morning departure and to be in the car by about 07:30, which usually means carrying your own cases off. Otherwise Heathrow is the safer choice.
- Is it cheaper to go from the cruise port to London City or to Heathrow?
- Heathrow, by £51. Southampton cruise port to Heathrow is £135 plus Heathrow's £7 drop-off charge (£142 in all) and to London City Airport from £193, both for the car with up to 4 passengers. Heathrow is also about half an hour closer; London City is the better choice when it has the flight you need.
- Do I pay London City Airport's drop-off charge?
- Not separately. London City has charged for terminal drop-offs since January 2026, and that charge is already included in the fixed price shown when you book, along with 30 minutes of waiting at the ship. There is nothing to pay at the airport.
From the cruise port to every London airport
- Heathrow Airport — from £135 + £7 Heathrow drop-off charge
- Gatwick Airport — from £169
- Stansted Airport — from £247
- Luton Airport — from £214
Too many cases to carry? We can collect your suitcases from your Hampshire home or hotel and bring them to your cruise terminal — from £44.99 a bag, every bag tracked. Cruise luggage delivery