# London City layover guide

The DLR leaves from the terminal door and reaches Bank, in the City of London, in about 23 minutes. Every connection here passes the UK border, so most visitors need an ETA or a visa even to change planes. The terminal closes at night.

- Web page: https://londonlayover.com/london-city/
- Guide: [London City Layover](https://londonlayover.com/london-city/), an independent layover guide to London City Airport (LCY), part of City Layover
- Updated 7 November 2026; facts checked 7 November 2026

## Can you leave London City on a layover?

Yes, if you can enter the UK and have about 4 hours or more. London City has no transfer area, so every connection passes UK border control: US, Canadian, Australian and EU travellers need an approved ETA (£20), and visa nationals such as Indian passport holders a Visitor in Transit visa unless a concession applies. The DLR reaches Bank in about 23 minutes. Be back 2 hours before departure, and note that the terminal closes at night.

## Every layover length

- **Under 4 hours** (Stay at the airport): Stay at the airport. Once you allow for the border, the train and being back 2 hours before departure, under 4 hours leaves less than an hour in town. You'll clear the border and security either way; the departure lounge has seats with sockets and free Wi-Fi, but London City has no lounge or showers yet.
- **4 to 5 hours** (Possible but tight): About 1 to 2 hours in town: the London Cable Car across the Thames from the Royal Docks, 11 to 13 minutes from the airport, or from 4.5 hours Big Ben, Westminster Bridge and the London Eye on the Jubilee line.
- **5 to 7 hours** (Go into London): About 1.5 to 3.5 hours in town: Westminster with the Abbey (Monday to Saturday), from 6 hours the free National Maritime Museum and the Cutty Sark in Greenwich, or from 6.5 hours St Paul's, Tate Modern and Borough Market (Tuesday to Sunday).
- **7 to 10 hours** (Go into London): About 3.5 to 6.5 hours in town: the Tower of London and Tower Bridge (from 9am Tuesday to Saturday, 10am on Sundays and Mondays), or any of the shorter plans.
- **10 hours or more** (Go into London): A long walk by the Thames from the Tower of London to Westminster, landing in the morning. The terminal closes at 10pm (1pm on Saturdays), so on a night layover sleep at the Courtyard by Marriott, a short walk away, and see the Tower when it opens.

**Landing late at night:** The first DLR and Jubilee line train from the airport leaves about 5:25am (6:55am on Sunday). The last one back from North Greenwich leaves about 12:43am (12:41am on Saturday; 11:41pm on Sunday). The first DLR train from the airport leaves about 5:25am (6:55am on Sunday). The last one back from Tower Gateway leaves about 12:30am (11:19pm on Sunday). Last trains from other stations leave at other times; each plan’s route gives its own. If no plan into London fits around those hours, the verdict is to sleep near the airport.

## Time in town

Worked out with this guide’s allowances: about 30 min from landing to a train, the ride each way, and back at London City 2 hours before departure.

| Layover | In town, about | On the plan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 4 hours | 1 hour | The London Cable Car from the Royal Docks |
| 6 hours | 2.5 hours | Big Ben, Westminster and the South Bank |
| 8 hours | 4.5 hours | Big Ben, Westminster and the South Bank |
| 10 hours | 6.5 hours | Big Ben, Westminster and the South Bank |
| 12 hours | 8.5 hours | Big Ben, Westminster and the South Bank |

## Layover plans

Every plan on the overview, in the order it lists them. On the web page each plan's route is timed from your layover length and landing time.

### The London Cable Car from the Royal Docks

- **Hint**: Quickest
- **Layover**: 4 hours or more
- **Cost**: £
- **Ride**: DLR and Jubilee line, about 20 minutes there; leave town 2 hours 20 minutes before your flight

1. **Royal Victoria**: DLR from the airport, changing at Canning Town: 11 to 13 minutes.
2. **The London Cable Car**: A 3-minute walk from Royal Victoria to the Royal Docks terminal, then up to 10 minutes across the Thames. Open from 8am Monday to Thursday and 9am Friday to Sunday. It can close in very strong winds.
3. **Greenwich Peninsula**: The riverside by the O2, then 3 minutes to North Greenwich station.
4. **North Greenwich station**: Jubilee line to Canning Town, then the DLR to the airport: 13 to 16 minutes.

### Big Ben, Westminster and the South Bank

- **Hint**: Cheapest
- **Layover**: 4.5 hours or more
- **Cost**: £
- **Ride**: DLR and Jubilee line, about 30 minutes there; leave town 2 hours 30 minutes before your flight

1. **Parliament Square and Big Ben**: Two minutes from Westminster station, seen from outside.
2. **Westminster Abbey**: Four minutes from Parliament Square. Open to visitors Monday to Saturday; a working church that can close at short notice.
3. **Westminster Bridge and the London Eye**: Across the bridge to the London Eye, 15 minutes on foot from the Abbey, then 4 minutes to Waterloo.
4. **Waterloo station**: Jubilee line to Canning Town, then the DLR: 25 to 28 minutes.

### Maritime Greenwich

- **Hint**: Free museum
- **Layover**: 6 hours or more
- **Cost**: £
- **Ride**: DLR, about 40 minutes there; leave town 2 hours 40 minutes before your flight

1. **The Cutty Sark**: A minute from Cutty Sark DLR. Seen from outside; to go aboard, it's open 10am to 5pm (last entry 4:15pm), adults £22.
2. **The Old Royal Naval College**: Four minutes on. The grounds are open 8am to 11pm; the Painted Hall 10am to 5pm, £19, children free.
3. **The National Maritime Museum**: Five minutes on, free, open daily 10am to 5pm. Allow an hour, then 9 minutes back to the station.
4. **Cutty Sark station**: DLR back to the airport with one change: 32 to 38 minutes.

### St Paul's, Tate Modern and Borough Market

- **Hint**: Market lunch
- **Layover**: 6.5 hours or more · Tue to Sun
- **Cost**: £
- **Ride**: DLR and Jubilee line, about 30 minutes there; leave town 2 hours 30 minutes before your flight

1. **St Paul's Cathedral**: Ten minutes on foot from Bank. Sightseeing inside Monday to Saturday from 8:30am, last entry usually 4pm, £27; no bags over 45 x 30 x 25 cm.
2. **The Millennium Bridge and Tate Modern**: Twelve minutes to the bridge's south end, then the free gallery: 10am to 6pm, to 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays. No bags bigger than 55 x 40 x 20 cm.
3. **Borough Market**: Eleven minutes on foot from Tate Modern. Open Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm; closed on Mondays.
4. **London Bridge station**: Four minutes from the market. Jubilee line to Canning Town, then the DLR: 22 to 25 minutes.

### The Tower of London and Tower Bridge

- **Hint**: The Crown Jewels
- **Layover**: 7 hours or more
- **Cost**: ££
- **Ride**: DLR, about 35 minutes there; leave town 2 hours 35 minutes before your flight

1. **The Tower of London**: A few minutes from Tower Gateway. Opens 9am Tuesday to Saturday, 10am Sunday and Monday; last entry 3pm. No suitcases and no left luggage.
2. **Tower Bridge**: Five minutes to the bridge and five across; back to Tower Gateway in 11 minutes.
3. **Tower Gateway station**: DLR to the airport with one change: 26 to 27 minutes.

### From the Tower to Westminster along the Thames

- **Hint**: Most sights
- **Layover**: 10 hours or more
- **Cost**: ££
- **Ride**: DLR and Jubilee line, about 35 minutes there; leave town 2 hours 30 minutes before your flight

1. **The Tower of London**: From Tower Gateway: opens 9am Tuesday to Saturday, 10am Sunday and Monday; last entry 3pm. About 2.5 hours, then 10 minutes to Tower Bridge.
2. **Tower Bridge**: Across the bridge, then 20 minutes along the south bank towards London Bridge.
3. **Borough Market**: Lunch, Tuesday to Sunday (to 4pm on Sundays); 11 minutes on to Tate Modern.
4. **Tate Modern**: Free, 10am to 6pm (9pm on Fridays and Saturdays). About an hour, then 24 minutes along the South Bank to the London Eye.
5. **The London Eye and Westminster Bridge**: Over the bridge to Big Ben, then 7 minutes to Westminster station.
6. **Westminster station**: Jubilee line to Canning Town, then the DLR: 26 to 29 minutes.

### A night by the airport, then the Tower at opening

- **Hint**: For night arrivals
- **Layover**: 12 hours or more · overnight
- **Night**: rest near the airport, then head in for the morning
- **Ride**: DLR, about 35 minutes there; leave town 2 hours 35 minutes before your flight

1. **The Tower of London**: Opens 9am Tuesday to Saturday and 10am on Sundays and Mondays. Leave your bags at the hotel: the Tower takes no suitcases.
2. **Tower Gateway station**: DLR back to the airport with one change: 26 to 27 minutes.

### The departure lounge, after security

- **Hint**: Seats with sockets
- **Where**: Landside · needs UK entry · 4:45am to 10pm

- **London City's departure lounge**: Seating with sockets and USB chargers, cafés, the AeroSpa and free Wi-Fi. No lounge to pay for, no showers. Closed at night.

### Courtyard by Marriott, a walk from the terminal

- **Hint**: The nearest hotel
- **Where**: Landside · needs UK entry

- **Courtyard by Marriott London City Airport**: 10 Connaught Road, a 7 to 11-minute walk from the terminal. 24-hour front desk; check-in 3pm, check-out noon.

### Hotels by the ExCeL, a short taxi ride

- **Hint**: More choice nearby
- **Where**: Landside · needs UK entry

- **Novotel London ExCeL**: London City lists it as 5 minutes by car.
- **Holiday Inn Express London - ExCeL**: London City lists it as 5 minutes by taxi.
- **Sunborn London Yacht Hotel**: About a mile from the airport, near Royal Victoria DLR and Canning Town, as London City lists it.

## At a glance

- **Airport**: London City (LCY), 5 miles from the City of London
- **DLR to Bank**: About 23 min, £3.30 off-peak
- **Minimum to leave**: About 4 hours
- **Be back**: 2 hours before departure, boarding pass in hand
- **Changing planes**: No transfer area: everyone passes the border
- **Sleep airside**: Not possible: the terminal closes at night
- **Currency**: Pound sterling (£); contactless everywhere
- **Don't forget**: An ETA or visa if your passport needs one

## Arrivals

A London City layover is worth leaving the airport for from about 4 hours, if you can enter the UK.

London City Airport (LCY) sits in the Royal Docks in east London, 5 miles from the City of London, and its DLR station is joined to the terminal by a lift. It's a small airport with few facilities: no lounge until early 2027, no showers and no left luggage. So on a layover of more than a few hours, there's little reason to stay inside.

- **Tickets.** The airport has no transfer area. Its own FAQ tells connecting passengers to clear customs on arrival and go through security again, so plan on the border whether your tickets are joined or separate.
- **Bags.** With no left luggage at the airport, travel light. The Tower of London refuses suitcases, and St Paul's and Tate Modern turn away large bags.
- **Phone.** Wi-Fi is free throughout the terminal, but not on the DLR or in town.

Data and bags before you head out: [getting into the city](https://londonlayover.com/london-city/getting-to-the-city/).

## Border

Every connection at London City passes UK border control, so most visitors need an ETA or a visa even to change planes.

- **ETA travellers.** Americans, Canadians, Australians and EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need an approved ETA (£20) before they fly. GOV.UK says most decisions come within a day; the Home Office advises applying at least 3 working days ahead.
- **Visa nationals.** Indian passport holders and other visa nationals need a Visitor in Transit visa (£74.50, leave within 48 hours) or a Standard Visitor visa, unless the Home Office's transit-without-visa concession applies.
- **Staying airside.** Not possible here. The airside exemption from the ETA covers transit "without passing through border control", which London City doesn't offer.
- **Time.** London City says 15 minutes from plane to train. This guide allows 30 minutes from landing, for taxiing in and any queue at the border.

Who needs which document: [visa and transit rules](https://londonlayover.com/london-city/visa-and-transit/).

## Into London

The DLR leaves from the terminal and reaches Bank, in the City of London, in about 23 minutes for £3.30 off-peak.

| Ride | Into town | Fare |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DLR to Bank, direct | About 23 minutes, every 10 minutes | £3.30 off-peak, £3.90 at the weekday morning peak |
| DLR and the Jubilee line, changing at Canning Town | 23 to 26 minutes to Westminster | £3.30 off-peak |
| Black cab from the rank | About 16 to 40 minutes into the City | About £21 to £42 by day on weekdays (TfL's fare card, 4 to 6 miles) |

The first trains leave the airport at 5:25am from Monday to Saturday and 6:55am on Sundays. Pay with a contactless card or phone; London City's DLR desk doesn't sell Oyster cards.

Every way in, with the last trains: [getting into the city](https://londonlayover.com/london-city/getting-to-the-city/).

## What to do

The shortest plan is the cable car over the Thames, 11 to 13 minutes from the airport.

### The fastest plan for a short layover

1. Clear the border and take the lift down to the DLR.
2. Ride to **Royal Victoria**, changing at Canning Town (11 to 13 minutes in all), and walk 3 minutes to the **London Cable Car**.
3. Cross to **Greenwich Peninsula**, a ride of up to 10 minutes, and walk by the river near the O2.
4. Take the **Jubilee line** from North Greenwich to Canning Town and the DLR back to the airport, 13 to 16 minutes.

No tour picks up at London City Airport, but GetYourGuide sells London tickets and tours for the plans in town.

### Watch the calendar

- **Saturdays**: London City has no flights from 1pm on Saturday until 12:30pm on Sunday, and the terminal closes at 1pm.
- **Sundays**: St Paul's and Westminster Abbey aren't open for sightseeing. The Tower of London opens at 10am on Sundays and Mondays, an hour later than the rest of the week.
- **Mondays**: Borough Market is closed.
- **Greenwich**: the Royal Observatory has closed for refurbishment; its Meridian Courtyard is due to reopen in summer 2027 and the rest by spring 2028.
- **Christmas**: no flights on 25 December, and no Tube or DLR trains that day.
- **Wind**: the cable car can close in very strong winds, lightning or extreme heat.

Our [itineraries from 4 hours up](https://londonlayover.com/london-city/itineraries/) cover Westminster, Greenwich, Bankside, the Tower of London and a walk along the Thames, with a night by the airport for evening arrivals.

## Head back

Be back at London City 2 hours before departure, with your onward boarding pass.

- **Time.** Allow 30 minutes from landing to the train, the ride each way (about 20 minutes to the cable car, 25 to 35 to central London), and 2 hours back at the airport. That makes **4 hours** the realistic minimum.
- **Why 2 hours.** This guide allows the same 2 hours at every London airport. At London City it's generous: the airport puts entry to gate at about 20 minutes and asks passengers to arrive no more than 2 hours before their flight, so the margin covers a slow train or a queue at check-in.
- **Check-in.** London City's desks open 2 hours before departure. British Airways closes check-in 30 minutes before its London City flights.
- **Late at night.** The last trains back run after midnight from Monday to Saturday and until around 11:30pm on Sundays: the last DLR reaches the airport at about 12:56am (11:57pm on Sundays). But the terminal closes at 10pm (1pm on Saturdays), so the airport's hours, not the trains, set the limit.

Time in town at each layover length: [timing your return](https://londonlayover.com/london-city/getting-to-the-city/#timing-your-return).

## Departures

Staying at the airport instead: the departure lounge, and a hotel for the night.

Once through security, the departure lounge has seating with sockets and USB chargers, cafés and the AeroSpa for treatments. There's no lounge to pay for until the new one opens, which London City expects by early 2027, and no showers.

You can't stay overnight: London City closes at 10pm on weekdays and Sundays and at 1pm on Saturdays. The **Courtyard by Marriott London City Airport** is a 7 to 11-minute walk, with a 24-hour front desk; other hotels are a short taxi ride away by the ExCeL.

Seating, hotels and what isn't there: [at the airport](https://londonlayover.com/london-city/airport/).

## Questions people ask

### Can I leave London City Airport on a layover?

Yes, if you're allowed into the UK: with a British or Irish passport, an approved ETA or the right visa. You need that permission even to change planes, because London City has no transfer area and every connection passes UK border control. If you go into town, take your onward boarding pass and be back at London City 2 hours before departure.

### How long a layover do I need to leave London City?

About 4 hours. After 30 minutes from landing to the train, about 20 minutes each way and 2 hours back at the airport, that leaves about an hour: enough for the London Cable Car from the Royal Docks. With 4.5 hours there's time for Big Ben and the London Eye, and with 7 hours the Tower of London.

### What time is the last train back to London City?

After midnight from Monday to Saturday and around 11:30pm on Sundays: the last DLR reaches the airport at about 12:56am (11:57pm on Sundays). The airport closes long before that, at 10pm (1pm on Saturdays), so plan around your flight, not the trains.

### Can I sleep at London City Airport?

No. The terminal closes at 10pm on weekdays and Sundays and at 1pm on Saturdays, and London City says passengers can't stay outside its opening hours. The Courtyard by Marriott London City Airport is a 7 to 11-minute walk away.

### Is there left luggage at London City?

No. London City has no left-luggage facility, and the Tower of London, St Paul's and Tate Modern all refuse large bags, so travel light if you plan to leave the airport.

## Sources (checked 7 November 2026)

- [London City Airport: opening hours (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.londoncityairport.com/at-the-airport/need-to-know/opening-hours)
- [London City Airport: airport operating hours (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.londoncityairport.com/corporate/environment/noise-management-and-monitoring/airport-operating-hours)
- [London City Airport: FAQs (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.londoncityairport.com/faqs)
- [London City Airport: getting to and from (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.londoncityairport.com/getting-to-and-from)
- [London City Airport: hotels near the airport (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.londoncityairport.com/flight-info/book-hotels)
- [GOV.UK: Electronic Travel Authorisation (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/eta)
- [Home Office: ETA factsheet, April 2026 (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/electronic-travel-authorisation-eta-factsheet-april-2026/)
- [GOV.UK: transit visas (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa)
- [GOV.UK: faster travel through the UK border (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/getting-through-the-uk-border-faster/faster-travel-through-the-uk-border)
- [TfL: Journey Planner (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/)
- [TfL: single fare finder (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/find-fares/single-fare-finder)
- [TfL: London Cable Car opening hours (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/london-cable-car/opening-hours-frequency)
- [TfL: Christmas and New Year travel (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/major-works-and-events/christmas-and-new-year-travel)
- [Historic Royal Palaces: visiting the Tower of London (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/visit/)
- [St Paul's Cathedral: visit us (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.stpauls.co.uk/visit-us)
- [Westminster Abbey: opening times and prices (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.westminster-abbey.org/visit-us/opening-times)
- [Borough Market: plan your visit (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://boroughmarket.org.uk/visit-us/)
- [Tate Modern: visit (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern)
- [Royal Museums Greenwich: the Royal Observatory's transformation (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory/transformation)
- [Marriott: Courtyard by Marriott London City Airport (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/lcyap-courtyard-london-city-airport/overview/)