10 Fastest Airport Express Trains for Getting Into the City

The fastest airport-to-city trains in the world take 8 to 36 minutes and cost roughly $8–$40 one way, led by Shanghai's 8-minute Maglev and Hong Kong's 24-minute Airport Express (HK$120). Most run every 6–15 minutes with no reservation needed, usually beating a taxi on both speed and price once traffic is factored in. Here's what each actually costs, verified against the operators' own fare pages.

1. Heathrow Express (London)

Price: £26 one-way at the gate, from £10 booked 30+ days ahead | Journey time: 15 minutes to Paddington | Frequency: every 15 minutes

Heathrow Express runs nonstop from Terminals 2/3 and 5 to Paddington, connecting straight onto the Elizabeth Line and Bakerloo Underground. Book on the official fares page weeks ahead — walk-up fares run more than double the advance price.

2. Leonardo Express (Rome)

Price: €14 standard fare | Journey time: 32 minutes to Termini | Frequency: every 15 minutes

The only direct nonstop train between Fiumicino and Rome Termini, running roughly 5am–midnight. Buy through Trenitalia or the airport kiosk — third-party resellers often mark the €14 fare up to €17–18.

3. RER B to Paris (Charles de Gaulle)

Price: €14 Paris Region ↔ Airports ticket (€7 reduced) | Journey time: roughly 40–50 minutes to central Paris | Frequency: every 10–15 minutes

CDG's old airport-only fare was replaced in 2025 by a flat-rate ticket covering the RER B on any RATP/SNCF combination, no zone math needed. Details on the RATP airport ticket page — it also covers Orly.

4. City Airport Train / CAT (Vienna)

Price: €14.90 one-way | Journey time: 16 minutes to Wien Mitte | Frequency: every 30 minutes

A dedicated nonstop run to Wien Mitte, with a same-station transfer onto the U-Bahn and S-Bahn. It's pricier than the regional S7 line, so budget travelers with time to spare can compare both on the official CAT ticket page.

5. Arlanda Express (Stockholm)

Price: 340 SEK one-way (discounts for under-26 and groups) | Journey time: 18 minutes nonstop | Frequency: every 10–15 minutes

Privately operated and among the priciest per minute here, but genuinely nonstop and far faster than the regional SL commuter train. Fares and youth/senior discounts are on the Arlanda Express fares page.

6. Keisei Skyliner (Tokyo Narita)

Price: ¥2,580 one-way, ¥2,310 booked 30+ days ahead | Journey time: as fast as 36 minutes to Ueno | Frequency: 3 departures per hour

The quickest way from Narita into Tokyo, beating the JR Narita Express on price and time for anyone headed to the Ueno/Nippori side. Reserve and check the early-bird fare on the Keisei Skyliner e-ticket site.

7. AREX (Seoul Incheon)

Price: ₩13,000 at the counter, around ₩11,500 booked online | Journey time: 43 minutes from Terminal 1, 51 minutes from Terminal 2 | Frequency: every 10–20 minutes

The nonstop "Direct Train" skips the all-stops commuter service and lands at Seoul Station, with connections to four subway lines. Book through AREX's official site for the online discount, and confirm which terminal you're leaving from.

8. KLIA Ekspres (Kuala Lumpur)

Price: RM55 one-way | Journey time: about 28 minutes to KL Sentral (add roughly 3 minutes from Terminal 2) | Frequency: every 15–20 minutes

The only nonstop rail option from KLIA, connecting at KL Sentral to the LRT, MRT, and monorail. It's noticeably faster than the cheaper, multi-stop KLIA Transit on the same line; fares and schedules are on the KLIA Ekspres official site.

9. Airport Express (Hong Kong)

Price: HK$120 with Octopus/contactless, HK$130 for a paper ticket | Journey time: 24 minutes to Hong Kong Station | Frequency: every 10 minutes

Buying with Octopus or a contactless card is cheaper than a paper Single Journey ticket, and select downtown stations offer in-town check-in so you can drop bags before you even reach the airport. Fare tables are on the MTR Airport Express fares page.

10. Shanghai Maglev (Pudong)

Price: ¥50 one-way | Journey time: about 8 minutes for 30km | Frequency: every 15–20 minutes

Nothing else here comes close: it hits 431 km/h over the 30km run to Longyang Road, though that station still requires a metro transfer downtown, making it more bucket-list ride than practical necessity. Fares and timetable via Travel China Guide.

People also ask

Is the airport express train always cheaper than a taxi?

Almost always for a solo traveler, and often for pairs too. A Heathrow taxi into central London commonly runs £60–£90 versus a £26 Heathrow Express fare, with Seoul and KL showing similar gaps. Taxis mainly win when a group splits the fare and traffic is unusually light.

Do I need to book airport express train tickets in advance?

For most, no — buy at a kiosk or tap a contactless card. The exceptions are Heathrow Express and Keisei Skyliner, where booking roughly 30 days ahead cuts 40–60% off the walk-up fare, per the Heathrow Express fares page.

What's the fastest airport express train in the world?

The Shanghai Maglev, which covers roughly 30km between Pudong Airport and Longyang Road station in about 8 minutes, reaching speeds up to 431 km/h. It's the only commercial maglev airport link currently operating anywhere in the world.

Which airport express trains connect directly to a subway or metro network?

Hong Kong's Airport Express (Hong Kong Station), Vienna's CAT (Wien Mitte), Seoul's AREX (Seoul Station), and KLIA Ekspres (KL Sentral) all end at major interchange stations with same-station or short-walk transfers to the local metro, so you rarely need a taxi for the last mile.

Fares and journey times above were checked against each operator's official site as of September 26, 2026; airport rail pricing changes periodically, so confirm the current fare before you travel.