Southend is the smallest and quickest of the London-area airports — plane to kerb in around fifteen minutes on a good day. We handle the part that isn't quick: getting from your actual front door to that kerb, and back again, for one fixed fare, whatever the hour.
Southend has always traded on being small and fast rather than big and busy — one compact terminal, short queues, and a genuine claim to having some of the quickest plane-to-kerb times of any airport near London. It's had a bumpy few years commercially: easyJet pulled out in 2020 during the pandemic downturn, but returned in March 2025 with a new three-aircraft base, now flying to more than 17 destinations across Europe and North Africa. The terminal and runway have both had recent investment, and the airport has built a real reputation for passenger satisfaction off the back of it.
Southend also does something no other London-area airport quite does: its own railway station sits directly opposite the terminal, connected by a short covered walkway — genuinely one of the closest airport-to-rail links anywhere in the country. That's a real advantage if your journey starts or ends near the Greater Anglia line into Liverpool Street or Stratford. It's considerably less useful if you live anywhere else, you're travelling with more than a bag or two, or your flight lands after the last train's gone.
One more thing worth knowing: Southend only introduced a formal charge for dropping off right outside the terminal in March 2026 — before that there wasn't a dedicated option at all. We built it into your fare from day one. Below: exactly what's changed, the honest comparison against the train, and straight answers on price.
Southend's own railway station sits opposite the terminal through a covered walkway — genuinely about 100 steps. Brilliant if you're already headed to or from Liverpool Street or Stratford. For everywhere else, that's where a door-to-door car takes over.
Southend didn't charge for dropping off at all until this year — the Express Pick-up and Drop-off zone opposite the terminal opened in March 2026 at £8 for 10 minutes, paid online, no barrier. It's already inside your fixed fare with us.
The train genuinely wins for the last 100 steps — here's how the whole journey compares.
| What matters | Taxi On The Go | Train (Liverpool St / Stratford) | Drive Yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical time from central London | 60–90 min (traffic-dependent) | 43–52 min, direct to the terminal | 60–90 min plus parking or drop-off |
| Door to door | Yes — your actual address to the terminal | Only if you're already near the line | Yes, but then the £8 charge yourself |
| Works outside London / East Anglia routes | Yes — collects from anywhere | No — Greater Anglia line only | Yes, if you're driving anyway |
| Price for 3–4 people with luggage | One fixed fare, split any way | Priced per person, plus carrying bags | Fuel + drop-off charge, one driver loses the trip |
| Drop-off charge & ULEZ | £8 charge included; no ULEZ anyway | N/A | You pay the £8 yourself |
No terminal to confirm and no line to check you're near — just your pickup address, flight number and time.
Southend's turnaround is fast, so we track your actual landing time closely and adjust the pickup to match.
Driver waits in arrivals with a name board as standard, or meets you kerbside if you'd rather move fast.
The £8 drop-off charge is already factored in, and there's no ULEZ to add on top.
Guide prices for a standard saloon, one-way, drop-off charge already included. Your exact fare depends on the pick-up postcode, vehicle size and passenger count — call or WhatsApp for an instant quote.
Need Southend to somewhere else entirely? See our long-distance routes or call 020 8888 9988.
If your journey genuinely starts and ends at Liverpool Street or Stratford, the train is hard to beat for that last stretch — the station really is about 100 steps from the terminal. A taxi earns its place everywhere else: getting from your actual home to a station, heavy luggage, an early flight before trains run, more than one or two of you, or living somewhere the Greater Anglia line doesn't reach.
Yes. Southend introduced an £8 charge for up to 10 minutes at its Express Pick-up and Drop-off zone in March 2026. That's already built into your fixed fare — nothing extra to pay afterwards.
No. Southend sits around 25 miles outside London's Ultra Low Emission Zone boundary, out in Essex, so there's no ULEZ charge for any vehicle travelling to or from the airport.
Around 40 miles east of central London. By road that's typically 60 to 90 minutes depending on traffic, which we build into your pickup time. The train from Liverpool Street takes about 52 minutes direct to the airport's own station.
EasyJet returned in March 2025 with a new three-aircraft base, now serving more than 17 European and North African destinations. It's a smaller network than the bigger London airports, but the terminal is compact and quick.
For departures, at least 12 hours ahead. For arrivals, book anytime up to landing — we track your flight regardless of notice.
Yes — tell us your passenger and luggage count and we'll send an estate or 8-seat minibus rather than a standard saloon.
No. The fixed fare is the same whatever time you travel — no night-rate multiplier.
Book your Southend Airport transfer now — one fixed fare, door to door, lines open 24 hours a day.
020 8888 9988