Checked bagBudget airlines typically charge extraOften included on City routesOften included on Aer Lingus
Airport transfer — DublinAircoach or Dublin Bus — ~30–40 min from city centre, ~€8Aircoach or Dublin Bus — ~30–40 min from city centre, ~€8
Airport transfer — LondonOff-peak single fares~£12 (Elizabeth Line)~£3 (DLR)
Schedule waitingRisk: 20–40 min gapMinimal: frequent service
Estimated total~€125~€105
Door-to-door journey timeline
Dublin city → Airport
Aircoach or Dublin Bus — ~30–40 min from city centre, ~€8vsAircoach or Dublin Bus — ~30–40 min from city centre, ~€8
Check-in + security
2h before departurevs2h before departure
Flight Dublin → London
~1h 20mvs~1h 20m
Baggage + terminal
~25 minvs~20 min
Airport → Central London
~35 min (Elizabeth Line)vs~25 min (DLR)
Total door-to-door
~3h 30mvs~2h 55m
Which option fits your trip?
Business traveller (City/Canary Wharf)→ London City
DLR to the office in ~25 min. No passport control. The fastest option.
Business traveller (West End)→ Heathrow
Elizabeth Line to Tottenham Court Road. Better for West End meetings.
Family with children→ Heathrow
More facilities, more space, wider choice of airlines and flight times.
Budget traveller→ Stansted
Ryanair DUB–STN fares can be €20–40. The saving is worth the longer transfer.
Weekend trip→ London City
Fastest door-to-door — more time enjoying London.
Connecting to long-haul→ Heathrow
Heathrow is the UK hub — seamless connections to worldwide destinations.
Common mistakes on this route
Choosing by ticket price only
Add baggage fees, airport transfer cost and schedule waiting time. A €50 saving on the ticket can disappear after one checked bag and a coach transfer.
Ignoring the airport transfer
Heathrow is 24km from central London. The transfer costs time and money — factor it in.
Forgetting baggage costs
Budget airlines into Heathrow often charge €35–60 for a checked bag. Full-service airlines into London City frequently include it.
Not comparing Dublin airport access
Aircoach or Dublin Bus — factor this into the total journey before comparing London airports.
Quick answers
Heathrow and other budget-airline airports often have cheaper advertised ticket prices from Dublin. However, once you add baggage fees (€35–60 on budget airlines) and the longer, more expensive airport transfer, London City is frequently cheaper overall. Always compare the complete door-to-door cost.
Elizabeth Line — ~35 min, ~£12 off-peak.
Elizabeth Line — ~35 min, ~£12 off-peak.
Yes. Late-night arrivals at Heathrow mean fewer transport options. Late-night arrivals at London City still have the Piccadilly Line (24-hour on Fri/Sat) and night buses. Early morning departures may require arriving at the airport the night before.
The Piccadilly Line costs £5–6 and takes 50–60 minutes. The Elizabeth Line costs ~£12 and takes ~35 minutes. Both run frequently throughout the day. The Piccadilly Line is the budget option; the Elizabeth Line is faster and more comfortable.
How we sourced this page
Public sources
London City and Heathrow distances and terminal information — Heathrow Airport Ltd, Stansted Airport Ltd, Gatwick Airport Ltd
London transfer times and off-peak fares — Transport for London (TfL), National Rail
Dublin airport access and fares — Dublin Airport Authority, Aircoach
Flight durations — Typical scheduled times for direct flights
Illustrative assumptions
Ticket prices are illustrative — actual fares vary by airline, season and booking date.
Baggage costs are typical for European budget vs full-service airlines.
Total journey cost and time are estimates based on typical conditions.
The Verdict is illustrative — use the Comparison Engine with your real flight data.
Transfer times assume off-peak, no major disruption.
Last reviewed: July 2026 · Next factual review: January 2027
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