Home / London /Luton / Luton Airport Express, via the Luton DART vs Pre-booked private transfer

LTN → London · head to head

Luton Airport Express, via the Luton DARTorPre-booked private transfer?

The short answer

For one traveler the Luton Airport Express, via the Luton DART is cheaper by £71.80. That does not change up to 8 travelers.

The Luton Airport Express, via the Luton DART is quicker: 32 min against 1 h 15.

Luton Airport Express, via the Luton DART: hours not recorded. Pre-booked private transfer: Runs all night.

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.
TravelersLuton Airport Express, via the Luton DARTPre-booked private transferDifference
1£17.20£89£71.80
2£34.40£89£54.60
3£51.60£115.70£64.10
4£68.80£115.70£46.90
5£86£115.70£29.70
6£103.20£231.40£128.20
7£120.40£231.40£111
8£137.60£231.40£93.80

Side by side

Where each one leaves you
train · East Midlands Railway and Luton DARTLuton Airport Express, via the Luton DART
From
Luton DART from the terminal to Luton Airport Parkway, four minutes, then a platform change
To
St Pancras International, non-stop, and nowhere else
Luggage
Up to three items each — two large and one small — in the vestibules and overhead racks, on the operator's rule.
Journey
32–40 min

The first departure is not stated here: the operator says the first train from Luton Airport Parkway leaves "just after 05:30" on weekdays without printing the minute. The last trains it does print: 23:25 Monday to Friday, 22:28 Saturday, 21:58 Sunday.

On Sundays there is no Express before 12:28 from the airport (12:14 from St Pancras). A Sunday-morning landing is a Thameslink or a coach.

It saves a few minutes over Thameslink, not the fare: 22 minutes non-stop against 24 to 45, for the same £12.30 on a contactless card. It only goes to St Pancras; for Farringdon, the City or London Bridge the stopping train is direct and the Express is not.

The operator's Advance ticket "from £10" must be used on the train booked; miss it and you buy again. Railcards apply; GroupSave does not — East Midlands Railway is not in the scheme.

The 32 minutes is the operator's own figure and includes the DART and the change at Parkway; the train alone is 21 to 22 minutes.

Luton Airport Express, via the Luton DART: price for every party size

Check times and fares with the Luton Airport Express
transfer · Welcome PickupsPre-booked private transfer
From
Driver meets you in arrivals with a name board
To
Any address
Luggage
Stated when booking; choose the vehicle by luggage as well as seats.
Runs
All night
Journey
75 min

This price is indicative: the operator sets it, and it moves with vehicle size, luggage and the exact address. Confirm the total at the time you book.

Pre-booked private transfer: price for every party size

Book transfer through Welcome Pickups

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This compares two of 9 options. See all of them ranked for your party size

The other comparisons at Luton