Uber Boat Is the Most Scenic Way to Get to This London Airport

Uber Boat by Thames Clippers sails on the River Thames throughout the city, including into East London where London City Airport City is located. The Uber Boats sail daily from early morning until late.

During the boat ride between London’s city center and the airport, travelers get to see the city’s most famous landmarks from a unique vantage point, including Big Ben, The London Eye, and The Shard, among others.

Photo: British Airways

Britain’s flagship carrier, British Airways, is currently partnering with Uber Boat by Thames Clippers to offer travelers who fly with BA Cityflyer a 25 percent discount on Uber Boat tickets, as well as a complimentary hot drink to be enjoyed during the sailing. To receive the discount, British Airways customers need to book online in advance and fly on the same day as their boat ride. As for the free hot drink, all they need to do is to show their boarding pass in the onboard café.

“Not only is flying from London City a convenient and quick way to travel, but it allows our customers to really embrace our brilliant city. With views of the Canary Wharf skyline and the River Thames, it’s an airport like no other and working with Uber Boat by Thames Clippers helps us to extend the London experience beyond the airport,” said Tom Stoddart, CEO of BA Cityflyer, in a press release.

Uber Boat by Thames Clippers serves a total of 24 piers on the river, allowing travelers to hop in at multiple spots in the city. The boat routes that travelers need to consider for their ride to and from the airport are RB1 (purple) and RB6 (yellow) on the map below.

Uber Boat Thames Clipper route map. Photo: Uber Boats by Thames Clippers

The pier that corresponds to the London City Airport is Royal Warf Pier. From there, travelers who need to get to the airport can jump on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) for just one stop to reach the London City Airport DLR Station. Alternatively, they can also take a 30-minute walk to get there.

The ride from the westernmost pier, Putney, to Royal Warf Pier is just a little over 90 minutes. From Embankment, the most central pier in the city, it takes just 60 minutes. Consult the weekday and the weekend schedules to plan your trip to and from the London City Airport.

For those not benefiting from the British Airways discount, the cost of a one-way ticket to sail with Uber Boat by Thames Clippers between the West Zone and the East zone is $22.20 (£17.30); sailing between the Central Zone and the East Zone is $13.15 (£10.25). Round-trip tickets are also available. You can book your ride with Uber Boat by Thames Clippers in advance online.

While London City Airport does not operate flight beyond Europe, it serves 30 destinations via 10 airlines.