Tilbury Cruise Port: How to Get There From London Airports

If you are considering taking a cruise from London Tilbury, you might be wondering how easy it is to get to the port from the London Airports or Central London.

In this post we explore some of the options available to you.

Which Cruise Lines Use Tilbury?

Tilbury is a smaller port on the River Thames, used by cruise companies such as:

• Ambassador
• Seabourn
• Viking Cruises
• Fred Olsen
• Saga

I sailed from Tilbury on a Disney Cruise in 2021 – and tried to sail with Ambassador from there in 2022. Unfortunately that cruise was cancelled once we were onboard!

History of Tilbury Port

Tilbury is a port that has served passenger ships since 1916.

Tilbury operated as London’s passenger liner terminal until the 1960s. For many, Tilbury was their point of emigration to Australia under an assisted passage scheme established and operated by the Australian Government.

The “Ten Pound Poms” as they were known in Australia, sailed on ships such as RMS Mooltan heading for a new life “down under.”

The London Cruise Terminal at Tilbury, is on the River Thames, 25 miles east of London.

Find out what I thought of that Disney Cruise here:

There Are Many Airports That Serve London

London City Airport – Around thirty minutes by car from the port.
Gatwick Airport – Around one hour by car from the port.
Stansted Airport – Around one hour and fifteen minutes from the port.
Heathrow Airport – Around one and a half hours by car from the port.

Catch The Train To The Port

You can use a contactless card or mobile device to pay for Adult rate Standard Class travel on most National Rail services in London (Zones 1-9) as well as bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth Line services.

This is easier, cheaper, and quicker than buying individual tickets. Just swipe and go.

The directions below are meant as a guide only – traffic conditions and availability of trains may vary from day to day. British trains aren’t known for their reliability!

From Gatwick

• Walk two minutes to Gatwick Station
• Catch any train going to London Bridge Station
  • It takes around half an hour from Gatwick to London Bridge Station
• Change platforms and get on the London Underground to West Ham
  • This is six stops
• Change platform and catch the overland train heading for Southend Central Station
• Get off after five stops at Tilbury Town
• Walk for 20 minutes to Tilbury Cruise Port.

From Heathrow

There are various terminals at Heathrow, but you need to head to the Elizabeth Line Station.

Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3 Rail Station is located between the two terminals, a few minutes’ walk away via pedestrian subway. Heathrow Terminal 4 Rail Station is located below Terminal 4 Arrivals. Heathrow Terminal 5 Rail station is in the basement of the terminal building.

• Catch the Elizabeth Line train to Whitechapel
  • This takes around 45 minutes
• Change platforms and catch either the Hammersmith and City or Jubilee line underground train to West Ham
  • This is five stops
• Change platform and catch the overland train heading for Southend Central Station
• Get off after five stops at Tilbury Town
• Walk for 20 minutes to Tilbury Cruise Port.

From London City

• From London City Airport, it is a two minute walk to the Docklands Light Railway station at Stratford.
  • The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is a driverless train network that serves parts of east and south-east London. You can easily pay by swiping your contactless card.
• Travel five stops to West Ham Station.
• Change platform and catch the overland train heading for Southend Central Station
• Get off after five stops at Tilbury Town
• Walk for 20 minutes to Tilbury Cruise Port.

From Stanstead

• Walk four minutes to Stansted Station
• Catch the overland train to Liverpool Street station
  • This takes around 55 minutes
• Change platforms to get on the Hammersmith and City Underground Line
• Travel 7 stops to West Ham
• Change platform and catch the overland train heading for Southend Central Station
• Get off after five stops at Tilbury Town
• Walk for 20 minutes to Tilbury Cruise Port.

British trains and the underground network aren’t designed for passengers with lots of luggage. Unless you are travelling light, you may be better off getting a Taxi

By Road To Tilbury Port

From Gatwick

• By car or Taxi, the drive is around 50 minutes, depending on the traffic.
• It is quite a straightforward motorway journey, up the M23 and around the M25 London Orbital Motorway before turning off on the A13 Eastbound towards Tilbury.
• Allow for time delays at the Dartford Crossing – the bridge and tunnels that cross the River Thames.
• A taxi fare would be in the region of £100.

Dartford Crossing

You will have to cross the Queen Elizabeth II bridge over the Thames or use the Dartford Tunnels next to the bridge. These Toll crossings can be quite a bottleneck for traffic at busy times.

The toll is around £2.50 for a car. You can pay online or by phone.

From Heathrow

• From Heathrow, the journey is quite a straightforward one. You travel around the M25 London Orbital Motorway in a clockwise direction until you reach the turn off of the A13 Eastbound to Tilbury.
• There is no need to cross the Dartford Crossing and pay a toll if you travel in a clockwise direction around the M25.
• *If traffic conditions are bad and it would be quicker to travel in an anticlockwise direction around the M25, you will need to use the Dartford crossing and pay a Toll*
• The Taxi fare would be upwards from £100.

From London City

• London City is the closest airport to Tilbury, but not many airlines fly there, it is a small airport.
• The journey by car is along the A13 Eastbound to Tilbury, and it takes around 30 minutes.
• A Taxi fare would be in the region of £50-£60.

From Stansted

Stansted Airport is North of London, attracting many budget airlines, such as Easyjet, Ryanair, Eurowings and Jet2.

• By car, the journey takes around 50 minutes to an hour.
• The route will take you down the M11 and then around the M25 London Orbital Motorway, before turning off on the A13 to Tilbury.
• There is no need to cross the Dartford Crossing or pay a Toll.
• A Taxi fare will probably be in the region of £80 – £100.

Tilbury From Central London

You can get a train from Fenchurch Street Station, directly to Tilbury Town Station. You will then have a twenty minute walk to the cruise port. This walk is through some quite industrial areas.

It is about a mile in distance, so a Taxi would probably cost in the region of £10.

How Much Does a Taxi from Central London to London Tilbury Cruise Port Cost?

• The price of a taxi from Central London (London Victoria) to London Tilbury Cruise Port will cost around £70 to £100.
  • This price may increase on certain days or certain times and taxis should always be pre-booked to secure the best price.

While the prices may be higher than taking a train or underground, the journey is much more convenient. If you are travelling as a group it often doesn’t work out much more expensive to get a Taxi.

Taking an Uber from Central London to London Tilbury Cruise Port

• An Uber from London Victoria to Tilbury Cruise Port will cost a minimum of £50 and take around 45 minutes if the roads are clear. There are other more expensive options available too.
• The price of taking an Uber is similar to the price of pre-booking a taxi, so I would usually recommend you pre-book a taxi if this is your preferred option.

If you haven’t pre-booked, getting a taxi can be expensive so getting an Uber can be a cheaper option.

Pick Up/Drop Off A Tilbury

Guests can be picked up or dropped off directly outside the main terminal building.

This is a small area. To avoid congestion, you are encouraged to arrive at your designated embarkation time & only arrange pick-up for your specific disembarkation time.

Instead of turning left into the car park, continue on to the next mini roundabout turn right and immediately left. This is the Cruise Terminal building and you will see the drop-off point outside.

Parking at Tilbury Cruise Terminal

Parking at Tilbury Cruise Terminal is easy because you can often park your car right by the ship.

There are large car parks to accommodate most cruise passengers, but pre-booking is recommended

There are five possible car parks at Tilbury Port. Car parks 3 and 2 are the closest and 1 the furthest to the cruise terminal – but there are transport vehicles to collect your bags and shuttle buses to take you to the terminal.

Cost of Parking at Tilbury Cruise Terminal

Parking at Tilbury Port costs around £11 per night when booked at least three days in advance. After this, the price will increase.

Ambassador are the main cruise lines sailing regularly from Tilbury. You can arrange car parking through the cruise line once you have booked.

If you are travelling here by car, you can get your car parking permit arranged through us.

Ambassador

You can imagine how disappointed I was to travel all the way to Tilbury for my Christmas Markets cruise – only to have it cancelled before we even set sail. Find out what happened here:

Before You Go

Find out how to get to the biggest cruise terminal in the South of England from the London Airports below:

Which Airport Is Best for a Southampton Cruise? – Options Compared

Find out more about parking options i have used in Southampton in the article below:

I Tested 6 Car Parks Used for Southampton Cruises (Comparison, Prices, REAL REVIEW)