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LHR → London · head to head

RailAir RA1orPiccadilly, Jubilee and DLR to London City Airport?

The short answer

For one traveler the Piccadilly, Jubilee and DLR to London City Airport is cheaper by £18.10. That does not change up to 8 travelers.

The RailAir RA1 is quicker: 40 min against 1 h 12. The Piccadilly, Jubilee and DLR to London City Airport varies between 72 and 76 minutes.

RailAir RA1: 04:10–00:15. Piccadilly, Jubilee and DLR to London City Airport: 05:10–23:33.

Priced against each other

Whole-party totals · adult fares
What each costs for the whole party, in GBP. The cheaper of the two is marked on every row.
TravelersRailAir RA1Piccadilly, Jubilee and DLR to London City AirportDifference
1£24£5.90£18.10
2£48£11.80£36.20
3£72£17.70£54.30
4£96£23.60£72.40
5£120£29.50£90.50
6£144£35.40£108.60
7£168£41.30£126.70
8£192£47.20£144.80

Side by side

Where each one leaves you
RA1 · RailAirRailAir RA1
From
Terminal 3 (Stands 7/8), Terminal 2 (Stands 11/12) and Terminal 5
To
Reading railway station, calling at Winnersh Triangle
Luggage
2 bags up to 30 kg each plus hand luggage per person, included; extra bags £5.00 each.
Runs
04:10–00:15
Journey
24–45 min

Reading to Heathrow is billed "in 40 minutes" on RailAir's own site and "under 45 minutes" to Terminal 5 specifically — book the extra few minutes for T5.

It does not run around the clock: the last coach from Terminal 3 is 00:15 and the first is 04:10, a gap of almost four hours.

RailAir RA1: price for every party size

Check times and fares with RailAir
PiccadillyJubileeDLR · Transport for LondonPiccadilly, Jubilee and DLR to London City Airport
From
Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 Underground station, or Terminal 4 or 5; changing at Green Park and Canning Town
To
London City Airport DLR station, beside the terminal
Luggage
No stated limit, but these are Tube trains and the Piccadilly line has no racks.
Runs
05:10–23:33
Journey
72–76 min

Three trains and two changes, at Green Park and at Canning Town, on a ride of about an hour and a quarter. With luggage the Elizabeth line is easier but dearer: £15.50.

From Terminal 5 the Piccadilly line starts a stop earlier; Terminal 4 has its own branch, and not every train serves it.

Tap in at the Underground station and tap out at London City, or you may be charged a maximum fare.

Piccadilly, Jubilee and DLR to London City Airport: price for every party size

Check the fare with TfL

This compares two of 19 options. See all of them ranked for your party size

The other comparisons at Heathrow