Gatwick Airport located 45 km south of London, is after Heathrow the second largest airport in the UK. Which means of transport to choose to get to central London? Here is a comparison with tips and practical information.
Be careful it is sometimes a little complicated, I have lost hair !!!!!
The taxi or black-cab
The black-cabs, in other words the taxis are numerous and easily spotted at the exit of the terminals. Finally, it is not necessary to make a reservation to use them.
The Sixt ride mini-cabs
The mini-cabs Are competing more and more with taxis because they offer more attractive rates than black-cabs. On the other hand, the price is fixed and does not vary according to the traffic.
However, mini-cabs cannot be hailed but must be booked online!
You can book your transfer directly on the Sixt ride site
Valid code until June 30, 2020 for for new customers de Sixt ride.
The bus
National Express
The National Express company
offers hourly transfers from Gatwick Airport to Victoria Coach Station and back.
The route is not direct and 9 stops are served namely: Lower Kingswood, Barnstead, Belmond Rail Station, Sutton Rail Station, Sutton (center), Rosehill, Mitcham, Streatham and Victoria Coach Station.
Buses are taken:
- North Terminal, lower level, facing arrivals
- South Terminal, lower level at stops 1 to 5
- Victoria coach station, departure from platforms 8 and 9.
Easybus
Easybus offers ultra-attractive fares with a departure every 15 minutes from the South and North terminals for a direct trip to central London at Earl's Court / West Brompton tube.
The train
Since January 2016, it is possible to use theOyster Card
for transfers with the Gatwick express, the Southern and the Thameslink. A trip with an Oyster card between Gatwick airport and central London costs:
- £ 14 peak hour: Monday to Friday (6am to 30am and 9pm to 00pm)
- £ 8 off-peak (off-skin): the rest of the time
Please note that there is no difference in price between high and low traffic times for the Gatwick express: single price of € 22.50.
Gatwick express
The Gatwick Express connects the Sud terminal from the airport to the Victoria races.
Trains run 24h / 24h Monday to Saturday.
No trains on Sunday morning between 1:00 a.m. and 7:10 a.m.
Departure every 15 minutes. It is possible to use the Oyster Card
to take the Gatwick express, but beware, this alternative is not economical if you do not make the return trip during the day.
If you are staying for several days in London, it is best to book through the tourist office website
which offers a 5% reduction.
Southern
The trains of the Southern company serve the stations of London Bridge, City Thameslink, St Pancras or the Victoria races.
For the sake of simplicity, you can also use its Oyster Card
but the economy can be anecdotal. Do a simulation on the site of trainline, to make sure that the best price is.
As a reminder, a trip with the Oyster Card costs:
- £ 14 in peak hour: Monday to Friday (6 am to 30 am and 9 pm to 00 pm)
- £ 8 outside peak hours (off-peak): the rest of the time
Thameslink
Thameslink trains run 24 hours a day and serve London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon et St Pancras.
You can also use the Oyster Card which can be interesting in some cases. Again, compare the prices between the Oyster card package and a single ticket, the price of which may vary depending on the day and time. Information on the site of trainline.
Considering the complexity of the subject, I recall the prices for a trip with the Oyster card:
- £ 14 peak hour: Monday to Friday (6am to 30am and 9pm to 00pm)
- £ 8 off-peak: the rest of the time
