9 European airports closest to their city centres

After spending hours on a flight, the last thing you want is to waste precious holiday hours on a shuttle bus — especially if you’ve nipped over to the continent for a quick weekend break. In recent years, ‘extreme day trips’ have taken off in the UK. This involves catching an early morning flight to short-haul destinations and returning on the same day. But with travellers spending so little time exploring destinations, getting there as fast as possible is more important than ever.

Image Credit: Metro [Rock of Gibraltar in southern part of Iberian Peninsula.]

Travel website Extreme Day Trips recently revealed airports that are closest to the cities they serve. Metro has crunched the numbers to see exactly how long each transfer takes, and what other public transport is available, so you don’t waste any time on your next short-haul break. Distance from city centre: 1.4km. Cost for transfer: £1.60. Gibraltar Airport takes the crown as the closest airport to the city it serves, just 1.4km away from the city centre.

Image Credit: Metro [The Leaning Tower in a sunny day in Pisa, Italy.]

Citibus transfers travellers to and from the airport in just five minutes, at a cost of £1.60 for a single journey. Alternatively, if you’re light on luggage you can walk from the airport into the centre of Gibraltar — it should only take 15 minutes, and includes crossing the airport’s runway. Gibraltar is popular with British tourists (92.8% of all departures by air from Gibraltar were UK nationals in 2022), and is best known for the Rock of Gibraltar, a massive limestone formation that rises almost 1,400 feet above sea level.

Image Credit: Metro [Beautiful beach and boat in Paleokastritsa, Corfu island, Greece]

The region is easy to get around, thanks to the Citibus network. Close to stops along its routes tourists can find Gibraltar Museum, Alameda Botanical Gardens, Ocean Village and the Gibraltar Cable Car, which takes passengers up the Rock of Gibraltar. A Hopper Ticket, which allows unlimited travel on the day of purchase, costs £6, while multi-journey tickets cost £10 for 10 trips. Distance from city centre: 1.5km.

Image Credit: Metro [aerial view of Alexander Nevsky cathedral and St Mary's Cathedral at sunset in Tallinn, Estonia]

Cost for transfer: €6.50. Pisa Centrale, the city’s main railway station, is just 1.5km away from the airport, but the historic centre where most people want to visit is closer to 3km distance. The Pisamover is the easiest way to get into the city, shuttling people between the airport and the central railway station in just five minutes. Tickets cost €6.50 one way and the service is available every day from 6am to midnight.

Image Credit: Metro [A panorama of the wild beaches of Tavolara island in Sardinia, Italy.]

Journalist Alexandra Meyer spent 11 hours in Pisa in December 2024. In total, including a £215.24 return flight, Alexandra and her friends spent £273.33 on travel and food. Despite getting caught in a storm and missing out on some tours due to not booking tickets in advance, she says she had a blast. ‘It’s not something I could do regularly, the exhaustion lasted for days, but we loved it,’ she said. Read about her Italian adventure here.

Image Credit: Metro [Aerial view of Geneva downtown city in Switzerland]

Once in the city, tourists can visit the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, a 24-minute walk or 14-minute bus journey from Pisa Centrale, and explore historic buildings such as Duomo di Pisa and Battistero di San Giovanni. Pisa is a relatively small city, making it easy to get around. The train station connects it to other major hubs in Italy, thanks to Italy’s extensive and efficient rail network. Distance from city centre: 3.5km.

Image Credit: Metro [From the Island of Procida, Bay of Naples, Italy]

Cost for transfer: €10. Corfu Town, the capital of the Greek Island of Corfu, is just a 10-minute drive from its international airport. The Line 15 bus takes 20 minutes to travel between the airport and the town, but only runs once an hour. If you’re not renting a car, you’re best off taking a taxi or booking a private transfer in advance. According to the Corfu Airport’s website, the cost of a taxi to the centre is around €10.

Image Credit: Metro [Facade of the Baroque Revival 'Belfast City Hall' the civic building of Belfast City Council illuminated at dusk in Belfast City Centre]

Once settled in, visitors can wander the cobbled streets of the Venetian-style Old Town or hike to the Old Fortress for panoramic views. There are no trains on the island, but tourists can get around Corfu on the bus network. However, to access the best beaches in the region, visitors are best off hiring a car to navigate the remote roads. Distance from city centre: 4km. Cost for transfer: €2. Less than 5km from the centre, the Number 2 bus connects Tallinn Airport with the Estonian capital.

Image Credit: Metro [Santander city beach aerial panoramic view. Santander is the capital of the Cantabria region in Spain]

The journey takes just 15 minutes. Services start around 5am and finish at 20 past midnight, with a single trip costing just €2. Once in the city, the bus and tram network make it easy to get around. There are various ticket options, but a Tallinn Card includes free entry to museums and other tourist spots. Tickets can be purchased for a 24, 48 or 72-hour period, with prices ranging from €27 to €78.

Top attractions included in the ticket are St. Olav’s Church and viewing platform, the Estonian History Museum, Kadriorg Palace, Tallinn TV Tower, the old KGB Prison Cells and, the most popular attraction among Tallinn Card holders, Seaplane Harbour — the city’s fascinating maritime museum. Cost for transfer: €1. Buses from Olbia airport, on the Italian island of Sardinia, take just 10 minutes to reach the city centre.