What to Do in London in 6 Hours: A Guide for Short Layovers

Bell | 26 August 24

London is one of my all-time favourite cities and I lived there for around 10 years. I have flown in and out of the city countless times as well as explored almost every corner of it, so here are my top things to see on a short layover in London.

London is a megacity with around 9 million residents and over 3x as many tourists each year. You can spend weeks exploring this city and still not have seen everything.

That being said, it is more than possible to see some of London’s highlights on a short layover. Six hours is the absolute minimum layover I suggest in order to leave the airport, but we will go into more detail on that. Ideally, you want six hours in the city minus travel and airport time.

In this guide, we will discuss everything you need to keep in mind regarding your layover, options of what you can see and any additional tips to make your time in London the best possible.

Here is everything you can see on a 6-hour layover in London:

Can I leave the airport in London during my layover?

There are a few things to consider regarding whether you can and should leave the airport during your layover in London.

One is the time it will take to leave the airport but also re-enter in preparation for your next flight. That means you have to consider whether you need to wait for your luggage and recheck it later on, which will easily add at least an hour of time at the airport. Most airlines do automatically transfer your bag to the next flight, so you may not need to worry about that if you booked with one airline.

Second is which airport you are flying into. If you actually just have six hours between landing and departing, the only airport that is feasible to leave is Heathrow Airport and only if you don’t have to wait for luggage. If you have an 8-10 hour layover, you are much more likely to actually get 5-6 hours in the city.

Third, you will need to go through immigration in London. That means: Do you have the correct visa to enter the UK? There is a Visitor in Transit Visa which you could check out. Which passport do you have? Non-EU passport lines are often much longer and can add an extra hour or so to your airport time. Immigration in London is unfortunately relatively unpredictable. I am usually out in under 30 minutes with my EU passport but have waited two hours before.

How to get from London Airports to the City Centre:

There is usually a fast route from each of the four main London Airports and a slower one that is cheaper. Depending on your layover time, it may be worth paying for the express ones. To get a quick overall look at train times, I recommend checking Trainline.

Heathrow Airport

Heathrow is the biggest international airport in London and most layovers will be here. The best way to get from Heathrow into central London is the Heathrow Express. It goes every 15 minutes from Heathrow Airport straight to Paddington station. From there, you can get countless tube and bus connections to every corner of London.

Travel Time: Just 15 minutes.
Cost: £38.50 return (if booked in advance)
Tickets: Book here

You can also get the Picadilly or Elizabeth Tube line into London. The Elizabeth Line takes around 30 minutes to Paddington and costs £12.80 one way. The Picadilly line is the cheapest option, costing around £5.50, but takes around one hour to get to central London.

Gatwick Airport

Gatwick also has a ton of international flights that land there. The Gatwick Express is similar to the Heathrow Express but heads to London Victoria.

Travel Time: 31 minutes
Cost: £35.20 return
Tickets: Book here

You can also get the normal train, which is a little cheaper and not much slower. I’d recommend going to London Bridge Station.

Travel Time: 29-50 minutes depending on which train you get
Cost: £12 (off-peak) – £25.70 return

Tickets: Book here or directly at Gatwick Station

Stanstead Airport

Stansted Airport is home to most budget airlines. There are mostly flights to Europe, but also some international ones. Journey time for this airport is the longest, so you would need a minimum layover of around 9 hours. The fastest way to get into the city is once again the

Travel Time: 48 minutes
Cost: £33 return
Tickets: Book here

The cheaper way would be to get a bus into the city centre. Technically, the journey time is not much more than the Express. However, the queuing system for the buses is a bit chaotic at Stansted. If there are a lot of people, you sometimes have to wait 2-3 buses before you can get on. This can take over 30 minutes. Traffic can also affect the journey time pretty significantly.

Travel Time: Megabus 50 minutes, National Express up to 2 hours

Cost: Megabus £29.50 , National Express £25.70 (some budget airlines allow you to book your bus ticket with the flight at a discount)

Tickets: Megabus Booking and National Express Booking

Luton Airport

Luton Airport once again services mostly budget airlines that go to Europe. It also has some international flights. There is a shuttle train called DART that brings you from the airport to Luton Airport Parkway, the station that connects to central London. If you book the train journey in advance, it can be pretty affordable.

Travel Time: 48 minutes
Cost: around £25 return
Tickets: Book here

How to get around London?

London has a very comprehensive public transport system. Most of this guide will be walkable, but you may need to hop on a bus or tube to see the most sights.

You do not need to buy tickets for this. You can simply tap on and off (on buses you only tap on) using your contactless payment card. It costs the same and is what most Londoners use themselves.

I would highly recommend downloading the app Citymapper for your London trip. It will show you the quickest way to get somewhere as well as exactly how much it will cost.

London Layover Itinerary

I will base this itinerary on the assumption you get 6 hours in the actual city. Hence this is without travel and airport time. Your actual layover would need to be 9-11 hours depending on the airport.

That being said if it is a little less, you can always only pick a few of these itinerary items that interest you most! Use the App Citymapper to find the quickest way to each attraction.

The only time I would not follow this itinerary is during Christmas in London, which is arguably the best time there. During that time, explore Oxford, Bond and Carnaby Street as they have the most incredible Christmas Lights.

Let’s get into it:

Start at Buckingham Palace

One of the things that is special about London in comparison to other capital cities is its still very close ties to the Royal Family. From palaces in the city to little figures of them in every souvenir shop, it is quite a prominent part of London.

Buckingham Palace is hence a great start for your tour of London. The Palace itself is impressive and the area surrounding it is pompous itself.

The highlight, if you can time it right, is the Changing the Guard. The traditional ceremony takes place each day starting around 10.45 am, where the Old Guard is relieved by the New Guard together with a marching band. You can find the exact times and locations here. If you can, arrive early to get a good view.

Buckingham Palace is also only a short bus/tube ride from any of the stations you would be arriving at in London, making it a great starting point.

Marvel at Westminster Palace and Big Ben

This is a little cliche, but Big Ben is one of the trademarks of London for me. You simply need to see it in person at one point in your life. Big Ben is only a short walk from Buckingham Palace, through St James’s Park.

It is part of Westminster Palace, also called the Houses of Parliament, which is gorgeous and right by Westminster Bridge. The view from there will mean you tick off some of London’s highlights right away, including the London Eye and Southbank opposite Big Ben.

Don’t miss

Right around the corner, you will find Westminster Abbey, one of the most famous churches in London. The Gothic architecture is breathtaking and well worth the detour, should you have some extra time.

Head to Borough Market to fuel up

For your next stop, head up the Thames to Borough Market. If you have an extra 45 minutes, I would highly recommend walking along Southbank from Big Ben to Borough Market. Along the way, you will see the London Eye, Tate Modern, Millenium Bridge and Shakespeare Globe up close. If you don’t, it’s only a 15-minute tube ride.

To me, Borough Market is quintessentially London. The historic food market boasts lots of stalls with dishes from all corners of the world, from British fudge to Indian street food. It’s a foodie heaven and a great pit stop to fuel up.

On top of that, you get a pretty good view of The Shard. It’s such a unique building, I always have to stop and take a photo.

Stroll over the iconic Tower Bridge to the Tower of London

From Borough Market, it is only a quick walk to possibly THE most iconic sight in London – Tower Bridge. From that side of South Bank, you get some stunning photo opportunities while walking up to the bridge.

To me, Tower Bridge never gets any less impressive. If you are extra lucky, you may even see it open up to let a ship through.

Right on the other side of the bridge, you will find the Tower of London. While I would only recommend seeing the inside if you are a big royal history fan or have some time to kill, it is one of those buildings you need to see in London.

The historic castle plays a key role in English history and is one of the oldest buildings in London. If you do want to learn more about it, I would recommend this tour:

Visit the spectacular St. Paul’s Cathedral

A short bus or tube ride from the Tower of London, you will find another of London’s most recognisable buildings – St. Paul’s Cathedral. The famous church is stunning both inside and outside.

Tickets cost £25 and can be bought here. Keep in mind to see most of the inside, you would need at least 90 minutes. In my opinion, it is worth the price but only if you have the time to really take it in.

Even if you choose not to go inside, St. Paul’s is simply worth seeing close-up. Easily one of the most beautiful parts of London.

Don’t miss

If you want to get an incredible rooftop view of St. Paul’s Cathedral, head to Roof Terrace at One New Change. It is temporarily closed after some safety incidents, but will hopefully open up again soon.

End at Picadilly Circus and Oxford Street

This area is only a short tube ride from St. Paul’s Cathedral and possibly the most touristy in all of London. Picadilly Circus has huge screens that some compare to Times Square, however, I don’t think the comparison holds up. That being said, it is very cool to see it in person.

If you head up from Picadilly Circus through the ever-vibrant Carnaby Street, you will go by the iconic Liberty store. Head in for some special souvenirs, especially teas.

Once you reach Oxford Street, you will have reached the end of your tour. Oxford Street is the ultimate shopping heaven, but also one of the most famous streets in London. It often has flags everywhere, or insane Christmas lights from November onward.

There are countless other things to see in London, but you have now ticked off some of the most iconic sights. Some of my personal favourites I would recommend adding on if you have the time are below.

If you have extra time:

Covent Garden, Chinatown and Soho

Some of my favourite areas in London as well as a foodie paradise, this is the perfect addition to your itinerary. If you have the extra time, I would highly recommend combining this with your time at Picadilly Circus.

These areas are very lively with a fascinating mix of small restaurants, shops and bars. There is also always something going on, showcasing just how vibrant London is on the day-to-day. I’d recommend to just walk around the areas, taking the atmosphere in and grabbing some souvenirs and food.

Beware

There will be countless colourful Rickshaws driving around, playing loud music and trying to convince you to take a “tour”. They are usually a scam and in my opinion, not a great way to see London.

The National Gallery

If you are into art, the National Gallery is a dream come true. Home to artists such as Van Gogh, Titian, Rembrandt and Turner, this gallery is one of the best in the world.

To top it off, entry is free but recommended to book your spot in advance to avoid queues.

Camden

Camden is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. It is eclectic, creative and full of history. On top of that, Camden Market has some delicious food as well as super unique shops. Anything you can think of, you can probably buy here.

Hyde Park

Hyde Park is the largest park in central London, spanning 350 acres. It is a beautiful area to relax and have a picnic. It is a beautiful Oasis right in the middle of London and worth a visit if you have spare time.

Can I leave London airport during a layover?

Yes, as we have explored in this guide, it is certainly possible to leave London Airport during your layover. You ideally want at least 6 hours in the actual city to make the most of it. The absolute minimum layover should be 6 hours and is only feasible if you are flying into London Heathrow.

Make sure to check immigration requirements for your country as well as travel times.