# What to do on a London City layover

The DLR puts the cable car over the Thames within 15 minutes of London City, and Westminster, Greenwich and the Tower of London within 40. Greenwich's National Maritime Museum and Tate Modern are free.

- Web page: https://londonlayover.com/london-city/itineraries/
- 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

## How much of London can you see on a London City layover?

With 4 hours at London City, ride the London Cable Car across the Thames from the Royal Docks. With 4.5 hours, see Big Ben, Westminster Bridge and the London Eye on the Jubilee line. From 6 hours, Greenwich's free National Maritime Museum and the Cutty Sark; from 6.5 hours, St Paul's, Tate Modern and Borough Market (Tuesday to Sunday); from 7 hours, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. With 10 hours, walk the Thames from the Tower to Westminster. Be back at London City 2 hours before departure.

## At a glance

- **Tower of London**: 9am Tue to Sat, 10am Sun and Mon; £38; no suitcases
- **London Cable Car**: From 8am Mon to Thu, 9am Fri to Sun; £7 one way
- **National Maritime Museum**: Free, daily 10am to 5pm
- **St Paul's Cathedral**: Mon to Sat from 8:30am, £27
- **Borough Market**: Tue to Sun, closed Mondays
- **Royal Observatory**: Closed until 2028 (courtyard summer 2027)

Every plan below starts and ends at London City Airport (LCY). Each allows 30 minutes from landing to the train, the DLR (and the Jubilee line for some) each way, and being back at the airport 2 hours before departure. You'll pass UK border control on arrival whatever you do, so first make sure you're allowed in: [visa and transit rules](https://londonlayover.com/london-city/visa-and-transit/). On Sundays St Paul's and Westminster Abbey aren't open for sightseeing, on Mondays Borough Market is closed, and the Tower opens an hour later on Sundays and Mondays. Walking times are from TfL's Journey Planner.

## 4 to 5 hours: the cable car or Westminster

About 1 to 2 hours in town, close to the airport or on the Jubilee line.

### The London Cable Car from the Royal Docks

The airport's nearest outing, and the shortest plan out of London City: a ride over the Thames between the Royal Docks and Greenwich Peninsula, back on the Jubilee line.

1. Take the DLR to **Royal Victoria**, changing at Canning Town (11 to 13 minutes).
2. Walk 3 minutes to the Royal Docks terminal of the **London Cable Car**, and cross the river: TfL says up to 10 minutes, with cars arriving every 30 seconds.
3. Walk the riverside on **Greenwich Peninsula**, by the O2, for 20 minutes or so.
4. North Greenwich station is 3 minutes from the cable car. The Jubilee line to Canning Town and the DLR get you back to the airport in 13 to 16 minutes.

**Opening hours.** 8am to 9pm Monday to Thursday, 9am to 10pm on Friday, 9am to 11pm on Saturday and 9am to 9pm on Sundays and bank holidays; closed on Christmas Day. TfL closes it in very strong winds, lightning or extreme heat.

**Tickets.** TfL's ticket shop listed a one-way ticket at £7 for adults and £3.50 for children aged 5 to 15, and a round trip at £13.50 and £6.75 (seen November 2026). Contactless and Oyster work too. GetYourGuide sells London Cable Car tickets.

### Big Ben, Westminster and the South Bank

London's classic river view on foot, for two Tube fares: Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Bridge and the London Eye.

1. Take the DLR to Canning Town and the **Jubilee line** to **Westminster** (23 to 26 minutes in all).
2. Come up into **Parliament Square**, 2 minutes from the station, under Big Ben.
3. With 5.5 hours or more, from Monday to Saturday, go into **Westminster Abbey**, 4 minutes away.
4. Cross **Westminster Bridge** to the **London Eye**, 15 minutes on foot from the Abbey.
5. Walk 4 minutes to **Waterloo** for the Jubilee line and the DLR back (25 to 28 minutes).

**Pick your day.** The Abbey is open to visitors from Monday to Saturday; on Saturday 7 November 2026 its general admittance ran from 9am to 3pm. Adults pay £32 and children aged 6 to 17 £14. It's a working church and can close at short notice. GetYourGuide sells Westminster Abbey tickets.

**Cost.** Everything outside is free; the off-peak fare is £3.30 each way.

## 5 to 7 hours: Greenwich or Bankside

About 1.5 to 3.5 hours in town: a free museum by the river, or a cathedral, a gallery and a market.

### Maritime Greenwich

A free national museum, the Cutty Sark and the Old Royal Naval College, all within 10 minutes' walk of one DLR station. Good for families and anyone on a budget.

1. Take the DLR to **Cutty Sark** (31 to 37 minutes, with one change at Poplar, Canary Wharf or Westferry).
2. The **Cutty Sark** is a minute from the station. Admire it from outside, or go aboard: it's open 10am to 5pm (last entry 4:15pm), for £22 (children £11).
3. Walk 4 minutes to the **Old Royal Naval College**. Its grounds are open from 8am to 11pm; the Painted Hall from 10am to 5pm, for £19, with children free.
4. Walk 5 minutes to the **National Maritime Museum**: free, open daily 10am to 5pm, no booking needed.
5. It's 9 minutes back to Cutty Sark DLR, and 32 to 38 minutes to the airport.

**The Royal Observatory is closed.** Royal Museums Greenwich shut it after 2 November 2026 for a refurbishment. The Meridian Courtyard, with the Prime Meridian line, is due to reopen in summer 2027, and the whole project to be finished by spring 2028.

**Cost.** The DLR to Cutty Sark is £2.30 each way off-peak.

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

A cathedral, a free gallery of modern art and lunch at Borough Market, joined by a walk over the Millennium Bridge. Tuesday to Sunday only.

1. Take the DLR direct to **Bank** (about 23 minutes) and walk 10 minutes to **St Paul's Cathedral**.
2. Walk 12 minutes down to the **Millennium Bridge** and cross the Thames to **Tate Modern**.
3. Walk 11 minutes east to **Borough Market** for lunch.
4. **London Bridge** station is 4 minutes from the market: the Jubilee line and the DLR take 22 to 25 minutes back to the airport.

**Opening hours.** St Paul's is open for sightseeing from 8:30am Monday to Saturday, with last entry usually at 4pm, for £27 (children £10.50). Tate Modern is free, 10am to 6pm from Sunday to Thursday and to 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Borough Market opens Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm, and is closed on Mondays.

**Bags.** St Paul's refuses anything over 45 x 30 x 25 cm and has no cloakroom. Tate Modern refuses bags bigger than a cabin bag, and its cloakroom has closed; lockers cost £4 to £8.

## 7 to 10 hours: the Tower of London

About 3.5 to 6.5 hours in town: enough for the Tower and the bridge without rushing.

### The Tower of London and Tower Bridge

The Tower of London and the Crown Jewels, on one DLR ride with a change, then a walk over Tower Bridge.

1. Take the DLR to **Tower Gateway**, changing at Canning Town or Westferry (26 to 27 minutes).
2. Walk to the **Tower of London**: Tower Gateway is 2 minutes from Tower Hill station, and Historic Royal Palaces puts the Tower 5 minutes from there. Historic Royal Palaces suggests at least two hours inside, and up to three with queues.
3. Walk 5 minutes to **Tower Bridge** and 5 more across it.
4. Walk back to Tower Gateway, 11 minutes from the bridge's north end, for the DLR to the airport (26 to 27 minutes).

**Opening hours.** 9am to 4:30pm Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4:30pm on Sundays and Mondays; last entry 3pm. Adults pay £38 and children aged 5 to 15 £19. GetYourGuide sells Tower of London tickets.

**Bags.** The Tower has no left luggage and doesn't allow suitcases or large or rolling bags, and London City has no left luggage either.

## 10 hours or more: the Thames on foot

About 6.5 hours or more in town: the river from the Tower to Big Ben, for a morning landing.

### From the Tower to Westminster along the Thames

The Tower, Tower Bridge, a market lunch, Tate Modern, the South Bank and Big Ben, walking west along the river.

1. Take the DLR to **Tower Gateway** (26 to 27 minutes) and spend about 2.5 hours at the **Tower of London**.
2. Cross **Tower Bridge** and walk 20 minutes along the south bank towards London Bridge.
3. From Tuesday to Sunday, stop for lunch at **Borough Market**, then walk 11 minutes to **Tate Modern**.
4. After the gallery, walk 24 minutes along the **South Bank** to the London Eye.
5. Cross **Westminster Bridge** to Big Ben and walk 7 minutes to **Westminster** station, for the Jubilee line and the DLR back (26 to 29 minutes).

**Pick your time.** The Tower's last entry is at 3pm, so this plan suits a landing in the morning; later in the day, the shorter plans fit better.

## Overnight: a hotel by the airport, then the Tower

London City closes at night, so an evening arrival sleeps nearby and sees London in the morning.

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

The terminal closes at 10pm from Sunday to Friday and at 1pm on Saturdays, and nobody may stay inside overnight. Walk 7 to 11 minutes to the **Courtyard by Marriott London City Airport**, or take a taxi to a hotel by the ExCeL.

- The first trains leave the airport at 5:25am from Monday to Saturday and 6:55am on Sundays, long before anything opens.
- Take the DLR to Tower Gateway for the **Tower of London** at 9am (10am on Sundays and Mondays), and leave your bags at the hotel.
- After about 2.5 hours there, the DLR has you back in time for a departure from about 2:20pm (3:20pm on Sundays and Mondays). London City has no flights on Saturday afternoons.

What opens earliest: the Old Royal Naval College's grounds at 8am; the London Cable Car at 8am Monday to Thursday (9am Friday to Sunday); St Paul's at 8:30am from Monday to Saturday; the Tower at 9am from Tuesday to Saturday; Borough Market at 9am on Saturdays; Tate Modern, the National Maritime Museum and the Cutty Sark at 10am.

## 24 hours: stay over

- Book a night at a hotel near the airport and leave your bags there; London City has no left luggage. [At the airport](https://londonlayover.com/london-city/airport/) lists the nearest.
- Start at the **Tower of London** when it opens, then walk the Thames to Westminster as in the 10-hour plan.
- Or spend the morning in **Greenwich** and take the DLR to Bank for **St Paul's**, Tate Modern and, from Tuesday to Sunday, Borough Market.
- On a Friday or Saturday, Tate Modern stays open until 9pm.

## Rest at the airport

London City has no airside rooms, no lounge to pay for until early 2027 and no showers, and its terminal closes at night. So a short wait is in the departure lounge, and a night means a hotel. [At the airport](https://londonlayover.com/london-city/airport/) has the details.

### The departure lounge, after security

Once you've cleared the border and security, the departure lounge has large seating areas, a desked area with sockets and USB chargers, and seats with USB chargers by the gates on the East and West Piers. The AeroSpa offers treatments after security, and Wi-Fi is free throughout. The terminal opens at 4:45am (10:30am on Sundays) and closes at 10pm (1pm on Saturdays).

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

The **Courtyard by Marriott London City Airport**, at 10 Connaught Road, is the nearest hotel. London City calls it a 7-minute walk; TfL's planner makes it 11 minutes from the terminal. Its front desk is open 24 hours; check-in is from 3pm and check-out by noon.

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

London City's own list puts the **Novotel London ExCeL** 5 minutes away by car and the **Holiday Inn Express London - ExCeL** 5 minutes by taxi. The **Sunborn London Yacht Hotel** is about a mile away, near Royal Victoria DLR and Canning Town.

## Tips that make a London City layover easier

- **Get your ETA or visa first.** You'll pass the UK border to change planes here, so you need it whether or not you go into town.
- **Travel light.** There's no left luggage at the airport, and the Tower, St Paul's and Tate Modern all refuse big bags.
- **Tap in and out** with the same contactless card or phone; London City's DLR desk doesn't sell Oyster cards.
- **Watch the clock on Saturdays.** London City's last flights leave by 1pm, and the terminal closes then.
- **Check TfL on the day.** Planned works change DLR and Jubilee line times, mostly at weekends.

## Questions people ask

### What can I see in London on a 6-hour layover from London City?

Greenwich: the free National Maritime Museum, the Cutty Sark and the Old Royal Naval College are within 10 minutes' walk of Cutty Sark DLR, 31 to 37 minutes from the airport. Or Westminster, with time for the Abbey from Monday to Saturday. You'll have about 2.5 hours in town.

### What's the shortest layover for leaving London City?

About 4 hours, for the London Cable Car from the Royal Docks, 11 to 13 minutes from the airport by DLR. You'd have about an hour in town before heading back to be at the airport 2 hours before departure.

### Is the Royal Observatory in Greenwich open?

No. Royal Museums Greenwich closed it after 2 November 2026 for refurbishment; the Meridian Courtyard is due to reopen in summer 2027 and the project to finish by spring 2028. The National Maritime Museum nearby stays open, free, 10am to 5pm.

### Is Borough Market open on Mondays?

No. Borough Market is closed on Mondays. It opens Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm.

### Can I take children into London on a London City layover?

Yes. The cable car is the shortest plan and children aged 5 to 15 ride for £3.50 one way (seen November 2026). In Greenwich the National Maritime Museum is free, and Tower of London tickets for children aged 5 to 15 cost £19.

### What can I do with my luggage while I see London?

London City has no left luggage, so travel light. The Tower of London takes no suitcases, St Paul's refuses bags bigger than 45 x 30 x 25 cm, and Tate Modern anything bigger than a cabin bag. The Tower and St Paul's point visitors to Stasher's app-booked storage nearby.

### Is there a tour from London City Airport?

No tour picks up at London City. Tours in central London start at meeting points in town, so take the DLR and allow for the ride back and 2 hours at the airport.

## Sources (checked 7 November 2026)

- [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: London Cable Car tickets (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://cablecartickets.tfl.gov.uk/en/products)
- [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)
- [Tate Modern: visit (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern)
- [Borough Market: plan your visit (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://boroughmarket.org.uk/visit-us/)
- [Westminster Abbey: opening times and prices (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.westminster-abbey.org/visit-us/opening-times)
- [Royal Museums Greenwich: National Maritime Museum (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum)
- [Royal Museums Greenwich: Cutty Sark (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.rmg.co.uk/cutty-sark)
- [Royal Museums Greenwich: the Royal Observatory's transformation (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory/transformation)
- [Old Royal Naval College: opening times and tickets (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://ornc.org/)
- [London City Airport: opening hours (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.londoncityairport.com/at-the-airport/need-to-know/opening-hours)
- [London City Airport: FAQs (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.londoncityairport.com/faqs)
- [London City Airport: seating and power (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.londoncityairport.com/at-the-airport/services/seating-and-power)
- [London City Airport: hotels near the airport (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.londoncityairport.com/flight-info/book-hotels)
- [Marriott: Courtyard by Marriott London City Airport (checked 7 Nov 2026)](https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/lcyap-courtyard-london-city-airport/overview/)