London: How to get to London from Gatwick Airport

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London: How to get to London from Gatwick Airport

gatwick airport air traffic control
Gatwick Airport Control Tower
Gatwick is London’s second largest airport and is located 29.5miles (47.5km) from central London, about twice as far out at Heathrow. It has two terminals - North and South - and one runway. It is the world’s busiest “single-use runway” airport. Many charter airlines operate from Gatwick, as well as scheduled airlines. The two terminals are connected by an automated people-mover.

Public transport options from Gatwick Airport to central London

Rail - Gatwick to London by London Underground and Gatwick Express

gatwick express logo
How can I get to Gatwick Airport via London Underground? There are no London Underground services to this airport. National Rail services operate to and from London Victoria and London Bridge stations and the “Gatwick Airport” rail station.

The Gatwick Express service is a non-stop train journey taking about 30 minutes between central London and the airport; there are trains every 15 minutes on this route. Standard Class tickets are £19.90 each way for adults, £34.90 return, or £9.95 each way for children, £17.45 return. First Class tickets are £29.00 for adults and £14.50 for children each way, or £56.00 and £28.00 respectively for a return ticket. 

A discount of 10% is available for tickets that are pre-booked online. You can also use contactless payment cards and Oyster cards on this route to avoid having to purchase a physical ticket in advance. These fares are the same price as the on-the-day fare. 

Rail - Gatwick to London by Southern Railways or Thameslink

Southern Railways and Thameslink also provide services between Gatwick and central London. These trains make more stops than the Gatwick Express but are also substantially cheaper. There also a wider variety of starting/ending points for your journey: London Victoria, London Bridge, London Charing Cross, London Waterloo East, City Thameslink, London Blackfriars, London Kings Cross and London Liverpool Street. Journey times vary between 30 and 53 minutes.

Single adult fares vary depending on which station you are travelling from, and at what time. These range between £9.40 and £15.40 for a one-way single ticket in standard class for adults. Single child fares vary between £4.70 and £9.95. 

We recommend this option over the Gatwick Express as the time difference for a lot of the trains is negligible and the savings can be substantial – especially for a group. Purchase the “Anytime” tickets online or at the station – “advance” tickets only allow you to travel on a certain train which could easily be missed due to the flight, immigration or baggage delays.

Book your train tickets and check all your options at Trainline.

Gatwick to London by Coach or Bus

National Express coach tickets from Victoria Coach Station to Gatwick airport cost £8 on average each way, with a journey time of 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes. EasyBus tickets start at £2 each way if booked far in advance from Earl’s Court to Gatwick with a journey time of approximately 1 hour 5 minutes. Terravision is another operator with fares starting at £6.





Other Transport Options from Gatwick to Central London

Gatwick to London by Car

Follow the signs to the exit of the airport. Follow the M23 and A23 toards London for about 23 miles. At the end of this road you are on the edge of central London. Follow B221 towards the Westminster area. Follow the local signs from there. We do not recommend you drive to and from your London accommodation due to the long journey time and expense; a train is usually a much better option for most people.

Gatwick Airport to London by Taxi

Gatwick says the only official service is “Airport Cars Gatwick” and it is possible to book these online at http://taxis.gatwickairport.com/bookings/taxi.html. We do not recommend you take a taxi to and from your hotel due to the long journey time and expense, a train will usually be a better option.

 How much does a taxi cost from Gatwick to central London?
A pre-booked private minicab will cost £45 to £60 each way depending on the company. A local black taxi will cost in excess of £100 each way.

Gatwick Airport to Central London by Uber

This is another popular option, allowing you to book a cab from your smartphone on demand. There are several categories of car you can book depending on your needs. You will get an estimated price before you confirm your vehicle.

How much does an Uber cost from Gatwick to central London?
Fares generally run between £79 and £130 one-way depending on location. Get $20/£10 free credit by using our exclusive sign-up link at http://uber.com/invite/uberindependentguides or enter “uberindependentguides” as a voucher code when using the app for the first time.




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