Train From Liverpool to Stansted Airport?

Are you traveling from Liverpool the city or Liverpool Street rail station in London?

You need to clarify. Are you talking about the city of Liverpool or Liverpool Street Station in London? I am going to assume you mean Liverpool street station. Traveling from London Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport the journey time is 47 minutes. Stansted can be a very busy airport and as a US passport holder, you will have to get extra checks at the counter with the airline. Also, if you are checking in luggage that will also take up time. If it was me, and I have used Stansted several times (my brother lives 5 minutes away from the airport), I would want to get to Stansted with a 2.5 - 3 hour window. You do not say what part of London you are coming from. That could also make a big difference in travel time.

The Stansted Express is fine. If you are traveling on a weekend, there may be disruptions due to rail work. You won't know that until close to your departure date.

The train departs from Liverpool Street Station. (Not to be confused with station in the city of Liverpool) Numerous tube lines arrive at the Liverpool Street tube station which is connected to Liverpool Street Station.

And yes, there are numerous stations for tube and train. But only one Liverpool Street Station. But don't get the tube confused with the trains. They are different.

National Express also runs coaches from London to Stansted Airport. There are pickup stops all over London.

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/airports/stansted

Yes, it is Liverpool Street Station that we would be leaving from.

I'm just finding bad reviews on using the Stansted Express.

So if my flight leaves at 12:30PM, I should be on the train by 8AM to allow for delays?

Our flight to Santorini is on a Sunday.

BTW, thanks so much for the advice! Much appreciated.

If you want a train (any train, not just Stansted Express) on a Sunday you'd better check that there are no planned engineering works that would throw a spanner in your plans. That applies, too, to any tube or train service in the UK - lots of work is being done to improve the network.

What sort of negative things did you see about Stansted Express? And where? Current or old?

Thanks! I did already check and there is work being done with detours.

I'm going to hop on the train before 8AM.

which day? - I'd like to look at what they are doing.. If they are Rail Replacement buses your luggage may well be an issue. You may want to consider a coach service instead...

I'm not nosey -- I have decades of experience working on UK railways

The National Express buses are a very good option to get to Stansted. https://www.nationalexpress.com/. They are very comfortable and nothing like a greyhound bus. I use them all the time to get from LHR to Stansted. You can pick up the bus at Victoria if staying in London. My brother, who lives near Stansted, was just telling me that some rail routes are using buses for the journey, so this may cause delays and luggage issues. Nigel is a good source and can tell you the exact rail links that are impacted by the engineering work.

Margaret

Nigel, we are traveling on a Sunday (Sunday May 29th). Since our flight to Santorini isn't until 12:30PM, I'm hoping we are safe with a 7:40 train even with issues.

We are staying near the Waterloo Station on Waterloo Road. I'm going to take a cab to the Liverpool Street Station.

My plan B if the train service is an issue is to order a car service.

My plan C is a 4PM flight from Heathrow to Santorini.

I'm a little bit of a control freak.

ah - danger, Will Robinson, danger!

A Sunday the week before the Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday sounds alarm bells for me. First will be the huge herds of people moving on holiday to include the double bank holiday in their own holiday, and engineering works in the build up to the bank holiday. The railway does their biggest works on bank holidays because of fewer commuters, even though there will be flocks of people moving to take advantage.

That said, we won't get the detail until 6 weeks out so you are a little early for actual knowledge.

In your shoes I'd plan on the National Express coach from Victoria Coach station which isn't a million miles from Waterloo, and if the train works out - great.

Check again in the middle of April.

You are actually traveling the same day I will be traveling to Stansted from LHR and I will be taking the National Express coach (bus). Now, from LONDON VICTORIA Coach Station, journey time 1h 45m. The following times will work for you. 0600 - 07:45, 06:20 - 8:10. 07:20 - 9:15. 8:20 - 10:15. Depending on your level of anxiety, I would take the 06:20 or the 7:20 - 9:15. for a 12:15 flight.

The price for a one-way standard ticket is £8.00 for each adult. That is a bargain. All routes are direct.

I just checked the Stansted Express website for construction updates and now it is showing zero interruptions on May 29th. I'll keep checking as we get closer.

Thanks for all the great advice!

Just wanted to update everyone and share my experience. We took the Stansted Express and it worked out beautifully with no problems and no trip or service interruptions.

We were staying in Waterloo and took the train Sunday May 29th. Evidently there was some sort of city wide bike race or other and there were zero cabs or Ubers because all the streets were closed down. Left our hotel at 7AM and went through three different tube stations and were at Liverpool Street Station by 8:20AM for the 8:30 train and made it to Stansted Airport very early for our 13:30 flight.

The train was absolutely packed full of people.

Check in for a Ryan Air flight to Mykonos on US Passports was very quick and easy. Stansted Airport was packed. Mobs of people.

Thanks for the update.. I think we signalled that the airport and transport to it would be very busy that day... I am glad it worked out for you...