A London City Airport chauffeur from Birmingham suits a very particular kind of trip. London City is a different journey to Heathrow or Gatwick. It's smaller, and it's closer to Canary Wharf and the City than any other London airport. Also, the people flying from it are usually on a schedule that doesn't leave much room for error. So a chauffeur suits that kind of journey better than most.
Why business travellers fly from London City rather than Heathrow
Say your meeting is in Canary Wharf, the City or central London. In that case, London City Airport can save you the best part of an hour compared with landing at Heathrow. You avoid fighting through the M25 or the Piccadilly line.
The airport serves short-haul business routes, security tends to move faster than at the bigger airports, and gate-to-kerb times are short. The trade-off is that it's a longer drive from Birmingham than Heathrow or Birmingham Airport itself. That's exactly where a London City Airport chauffeur earns its keep. For the roughly two and a half hours it takes, you can work, take calls or sleep. Otherwise you'd be driving it yourself and arriving at your meeting already tired.
What the London City Airport chauffeur journey looks like
Your chauffeur collects you from home or the office at whatever time gets you to the terminal comfortably ahead of your flight. The route runs along the M40 and into London via the A406 or the M25, depending on traffic at the time. London City has a much shorter recommended check-in window than the bigger airports. For hand luggage only, it's often as little as 30 to 45 minutes before departure. Because of that, we plan your pickup time around it. We don't use a generic "two hours before" rule, because that rule doesn't apply here. You can check current check-in advice on the London City Airport website.
Getting back into central London or the City after you land
The same applies in reverse. If your flight into London City lands ahead of a meeting in Canary Wharf, book the onward leg as a chauffeur transfer rather than a taxi from the rank. Your London City Airport chauffeur will have your flight number and will already be tracking it. As a result, there's no gap between stepping off the plane and getting into the car. There's also no negotiating with a taxi queue that's unpredictable at the best of times.
Is it worth the extra drive time compared with Birmingham Airport or Heathrow?
That depends entirely on where you're going once you land. If your destination is genuinely in the City, Canary Wharf or east London, the shorter airport-to-door time usually cancels out the longer drive from Birmingham. However, if you're heading further west or south, Heathrow is very often still the better call. Apex chauffeurs know both routes well. So they can talk you through which makes more sense for a specific meeting, instead of defaulting to whichever airport is closer to Birmingham.
Booking your London City Airport chauffeur
London City serves a lot of same-day business travel. For that reason, same-day bookings are possible with at least 6 hours' notice online, or sooner by phone on 0333 533 3530. We fix the price before you travel, so there's no surprise if the M25 is having one of its days. Every London City Airport chauffeur wears a suit and is briefed on the destination. Each car also carries chilled water, WiFi and newspapers as standard. Book online or call 0333 533 3530, and quote MYAPEX for a discount on your first booking with Apex.
Frequently asked questions
How early should I book a Birmingham to London City Airport transfer?
Same-day is usually possible. However, for an early flight or a same-day return, booking the day before gives you a firmer pickup window.
Can I book Birmingham to London City as a same-day return, meeting included?
Yes. Many corporate clients use Apex for a full day-return trip, all under one booking. That means London City in the morning, a wait during the meeting, and the return flight home in the evening.
Does the chauffeur wait if my meeting overruns before the flight home?
The booking includes waiting time, and we confirm it with you when you book the return leg. So a meeting that runs long doesn't put your flight at risk.
