Blog

From trendy markets to coffee shops and restaurants, Camden is one of the coolest boroughs in London. If you’re lucky enough to live or work in this part of the capital, you know how vibrant it is. It’s also exceptionally well connected to the capital’s transport links. If you’re planning to head off to the sunny beaches of the Canary Islands or fly to Berlin to seal that business deal, one of the best departure points is Stansted Airport, London’s third airport.

But how do you get from Camden to Stansted Airport? This guide will take you through the various travel options, showing you how to get to your destination comfortably, quickly, and for the best price.

Where is Camden?

Camden is one of London's largest boroughs and sits to the north of the city. It is approximately 57km (35.5 miles) from Stansted Airport and is well-connected to transport hubs, including Tottenham Hale, Stratford and Liverpool Street. Camden is on the London Underground Northern Line and the London Overground service, which links it to the centre of the capital and the East End.

If you want to travel from Camden to Stansted Airport, you need to plan your journey carefully to minimise the number of changes and stops you have to make along the way. Here are two public transport options that can get you to Stansted Airport with the least amount of hassle.

Route 1 – The direct route from Camden to Stansted Airport

Camden is directly linked to the state-of-the-art Stratford transport terminal via the London Overground line. The journey takes around 25 minutes and has just eight stops, with no changes or transfers along the way. This is especially useful if you have lots of luggage or the kids with you!

Once you arrive at Stratford, it's just a two-minute walk to Bus Stop 20, where your luxury Airport Bus Express coach awaits you. The coaches run every half-hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The journey up the M11 motorway takes around 35 minutes, and the arrival point is right outside the Terminal doors.

Stratford has many advantages as a travel hub. The newly developed station means that all the train lines are on the surface rather than underground, so there are no escalators to negotiate while dragging an uncooperative suitcase behind you. There are plenty of cafés where you can grab a quick coffee and a snack for the journey (great if you've missed breakfast), and the accessibility for those with reduced mobility is much easier.

Your Stratford to Stansted ticket will cost around £16 if you buy on the day, but if you book up to 30 days in advance, you can cut the cost down to as little as £9*. Even adding the cost of getting to Stratford on the Overground Line still makes this the cheapest way to travel from Camden to Stansted Airport.

Route 2 – Catching the Stansted Express Train

The alternative to the bus is the train, but this is a little more involved with more changes between Underground lines and a lot more stops along the way, which can add extra time to your journey. Rather than travelling to Liverpool Street to pick up the Stansted Express, it’s easier to connect with the train at Tottenham Hale.

Take the Underground Northern Line to Warren Street and change to the Victoria Line. Then, travel up to Tottenham Hale station and pick up the Stansted Express train to the airport. The journey time to Stansted from Tottenham Hale is around 30 minutes, but it can be longer if the service is delayed.

While this sounds relatively simple, it involves many more stops, will take longer, and costs more—around £23 for a single ticket to Stansted. You are also not guaranteed a seat on the train, especially during busy periods when it fills up at London Liverpool Street before reaching Tottenham Hale.

*Price for a standard single ticket booked online 30 days in advance. Prices are subject to change.