Things to know about Gatwick Airport Transfer

Posted by thomasmiller on March 7th, 2020

 Gatwick Airport is located about 45 kilometers south of Central London and is the city's second largest and second busiest airport after Heathrow, despite only operating with one runway. Gawtick Airport is popular with charter airlines and many Londoners take cheap flights to Europe from here. The two major airlines operating from Gatwick Airport are British Airways and easyjet. Aer Lingus, Norwegian Air Shuttle and Ryanair.If you're coming to London by plane, most probably you'll be arriving in either Heathrow (24 kms or 15 miles from London) or Gatwick (40 kms or 25 miles). Some planes are also coming to Stansted (80 kms or 50 miles) and the London City Airport (16 kms or 10 miles). You can take taxi from each of the airports, and it will be the most convenient option to take, although a bit expensive. It is highly recommended if you're traveling with somebody else and can share the cost (about £50 by black cab). There are regular bus connections between each of the airports and the city, with numerous stops in central London and in its most popular accommodation districts.

Passengers arriving into Gatwick will find a variety of options for getting into Central London as the airport is well serviced by many forms of transport.

Rail

Several trains run between Gatwick and London, the most well-known and fastest being the Gatwick Express. This service runs direct with no stops in between and takes about 30 minutes. A train departs every 15 minutes between 4:30am and 1:30am. For a cheaper option you could take trains operated either by First Capital or Southern. First Capital send 2 to 3 trains per hour and Southern operate up to 8 an hour. Both services terminate at London Victoria but make stops in between which means the trip takes longer.

Bus

National Express operate Gatwick Airport transfers to Heathrow or Stansted airports and to towns and cities in the region but they no longer run a service into Central London (this ceased in 2008). However, Easybus have started a service to London Victoria and fares can be as cheap as £2 one-way if you book in advance online. The earlier you book, the better chance you will have at a cheap fare.

Taxi

Taking a Gatwick Airport taxi is the most expensive option and, depending on traffic, it could also be very time consuming. The official taxi company operating at Gatwick is Checker Cars. You can take one of these cabs by lineing up in the queue in front of the airport. You could also opt for a Black Cab but you will need to leave the airport and flag one down if you would prefer their services. Taxis only become economical if you are sharing with many people.

Bicycle

If you arrive with a bike you are in luck because Stansted Airport is located on Route 21 of the UK's National Cycle Network. This network connects many of Britain's cities and towns with thousands of kilometers of trails, both on and off the road. In this case you can cycle northwards to Horley, virtually traffic-free. The journey onwards to London probably won't be as laid back, however.