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FAQs

Find answers to the questions we’re asked most often.

General

Sorry, we can’t accept a screenshot of your ticket or barcode as a valid ticket for travel. Tickets must be presented in paper eTicket form if purchased via the website.

From the ‘Log in’ screen, tap ‘Forgotten Password’ link and enter your email address. We will then send you a link that you can use to reset your password.

Check-in times can vary depending on your type of flight, so we recommend you arrive with a sufficient amount of spare time to pass through check-in and security. Check-in times are usually confirmed on your ticket or itinerary, or alternatively by contacting your airline directly.

The Stansted Express is a train service running between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport, stopping at Tottenham Hale on the way.

Stansted Airport has a train station, making the train the most convenient way of getting to and from the airport as the station is only 2 minutes walk from the main terminal.

The Stansted Express service runs between London and Stansted Airport. Other services run between Stansted airport and Cambridge, Ely, Leicester, March, Peterborough and Norwich.

There is no direct Tube service between Stansted Airport and London, and the journey takes around 90 minutes - almost double the time it takes on the Stansted Express. Stansted Airport is outside of the TFL Zones, and is therefore not in any zone.

London Stansted Airport is just under 40 miles from London, the Stansted Express train journey takes just 50 minutes, but can take as much as an hour in the car (assuming good road conditions). Taking the train is the most convenient method of transport to get to London Stansted from London, and with the rail station just 2 minutes walk from the terminal you don’t have any of the inconveniences of airport parking or getting a shuttle bus to/from the terminal.

The Stansted Express service connects London Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport and is the fastest and most convenient method of transport to and from Stansted Airport via Central London. The journey takes just 50 minutes, and the train station at Stansted Airport is just 2 minutes walk away from the main terminal.

The Stansted Express train service departs from London Liverpool Street Station, stopping once at Tottenham Hale Station before taking you directly to Stansted Airport. Trains run every 30 minutes during the day, and every 15 minutes during the early morning and evening. The airport train station is just 2 minutes walk away from the main terminal, making the train the most convenient way of getting to and from Stansted Airport.

The journey between London Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street is just 50 minutes, and the Stansted train station is just 2 minutes walk from the terminal, making the journey by train the most convenient way of getting to and from Stansted Airport via London.

The first Stansted Express train departs Liverpool Street at 03:40am Monday to Saturday and 04:10am on Sunday. From Stansted Airport, Stansted Express trains start at 05:30am.

Tickets

No - online tickets are designed to be used on your mobile phone or tablet. If you prefer, you can download and print your ticket yourself.

It should arrive in your inbox within 10 minutes. Check your junk or spam folder if you can’t see it – and if it’s not there, call us on 0345 600 7245 (option 8).

No, your ticket is only valid for the direction you booked online.

You can only use your Oyster Card on the Stansted Express on journeys between London Liverpool Street and Tottenham Hale. If you are travelling to or from Stansted Airport you will need to buy a ticket that covers you for the whole journey that you are making on the Stansted Express.

There is an Oyster Ticket Shop at Stansted Rail Station, but you cannot use your Oyster card between Stansted Airport and Tottenham Hale.

There is a train ticket machine located in Stansted Airport Station, or you can purchase tickets from the Rail Information desk. The cheapest way to buy tickets for the Stansted Express service is online.

Unfortunately, contactless cannot be used on Stansted Express services, including replacement coaches. You must buy a ticket before you travel.

Booking

Book online up to six months in advance, and at least 2 hours before the time you travel. When you book online, we’ll send your ticket by email and you can choose how to use it.

  • Use Apple Wallet - tap the button in the email to add your ticket to Apple Wallet
  • Add to Google Pay
  • Print the PDF - prefer paper? Just print the PDF attached to your confirmation email

No. There’s no VAT charged on train travel in the UK – so we can’t issue a VAT receipt.

If you made your booking through Stansted Express, you can:

  • Speak to the hotel directly — their contact information is in the hotel confirmation email
  • Contact Booking.com — on +44 20 3320 2609 or at the Booking.com contact us page

If you made your booking through Stansted Express, you can contact Encore by phone on +44 (0)20 7492 1500 or email: [email protected].

We accept payment by all major credit and debit cards, except Maestro. You can also pay by PayPal, Google and Apple Pay.

Refunds

Sorry, you can’t cancel a booking you made online.

But you might be eligible for a refund under conditions specifically allowed for in the National Rail Conditions of Travel.

Once you’ve checked you are eligible for a refund, you can cancel your booking by email before the travel date on the ticket.

Email the original booking confirmation document you received when you made the booking to [email protected], stating that you wish to cancel your booking. We can’t consider your application unless you send us the original booking confirmation.

Please don't send us images of passports, credit or debit cards, or any other information that is personal to you. You'll be contacted if we need more information.

It depends on the type of ticket you bought. Our Advance offer fares are non-refundable and non-exchangeable and are subject to limited availability.

You can upgrade your Advance ticket to a refundable booking for a small fee. Your refundable booking includes Covid-19 infections and many more reasons, find out more. Simply select the option to protect your Advance ticket when purchasing online.

For more detailed information on our refunds please go to our Refunds page.

There’s a £10 admin fee for all refunds.

Railcards

Railcards can’t be used for booking Stansted Express tickets online. If you wish to use a railcard, please purchase your tickets at a Stansted Express ticket office.

Child Fares

Children under age 5 travel for free. Children aged 5 to 15 can travel at a reduced rate. Fares for all journeys are shown on the train fares page.

Assisted Travel

If you need help boarding or alighting from trains, assistance with children or heavy luggage, or someone to meet you at a major station and guide you to a connecting service, you can arrange assisted travel.

To make sure that our staff can give you the best service and notify you if there is anything that will affect your journey, we recommend booking assistance in advance, giving us a minimum of two hours notice where possible.

Our Assisted Travel Team operates 24h a day, 7 days a week. For information and booking use any of the following methods.

Onboard

We only allow fully folded bicycles on Stansted Express services.

Lost Property

Get in touch

You can:

What we’ll ask you

You can help us speed up the process by providing this information:

  • Your name and contact number
  • The stations you got on and off at
  • The day and time of your journey
  • Where you were on the train - such as ‘the front carriage’ - or the station
  • A description of your lost item — size, colour, make and any distinguishing features

What you need to know

Unless it’s perishable - such as food items - we keep all items left on our trains and stations for three months.

We charge a small fee for storing lost property items. We’re not liable for lost or stolen luggage.

Complaints

If you have a complaint, please make it in writing to:

[email protected]

Freepost GREATER ANGLIA CUSTOMER RELATIONS

Tel: 0345 600 7245 (Option 8)

Please don't send us images of passports, credit or debit cards, or any other information that is personal to you. We'll get in touch if we need more information and how to send it.

Contact Us

If it’s about your booking, train times or service information, call us on 0345 600 7245 (or +44 345 600 7245 from outside the UK) and select option 8.

We’re open Monday to Saturday 08:00-20:00, Sunday 10:00-20:00 and 09:00–18:00 on Bank holidays.

We can only respond to phone calls and emails received in English. We’re sorry if this causes any inconvenience.

If you're not happy with our final response to your complaint, received what is sometimes referred to as a 'Deadlock Letter', your complaint wasn't resolved within 40 working days of us receiving it or it's within 12 months of any final response from us. Then you may wish to contact The Rail Ombudsman for further information, advice or to ask them to take up your complaint.

Online: https://www.railombudsman.org/

Telephone: 0330 094 0362

Textphone: 0330 094 0363

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @RailOmbudsman

By Post: FREEPOST – RAIL OMBUDSMAN

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