The Ultimate Gatwick Airport Guide

London is one of the most popular cities in the world for international students. Arriving in London can be a very daunting experience. Thus, 'Getting to London' is a series of blogs that expand on the general information covered in our London City Guide.

The second blog in the series, 'Getting to London,' focuses on London's second largest airport, Gatwick International.

Gatwick International Airport Key Facts:

Airport Code: LGW

Number of Terminal: 2, North and South

Location: Close to Crawley, 30 miles south of Central London.

Passengers: circa 95,000 travellers daily

Destinations Served: 200+ destination cities worldwide.

Home to: 45+ airlines.

Getting to London from Gatwick

Once you have arrived at Gatwick you will have a few options to get into London.

Gatwick Airport Train Services

• Gatwick Express:

Departs: Departs South Terminal. There is a 2 minute terminal transit shuttle which operates 24 hours a day between the South and North Terminals.

Arrives at: Victoria Train Station.

Fact: The Gatwick Express is the fastest nonstop way to get into London!

Frequency of Service: Every 15 minutes

Operating Times: 4:30am until 1am

Journey Time: approx. 30 mins

Cost: buy online where tickets cost £18 for a single and a return will cost £31.05. Online tickets are currently 10% off.

Where to purchase tickets: Tickets can be bought online or from ticket machines at the station. Tickets can no longer be bought onboard the train itself.

• Other Train Services:

Southern Trains operate between Gatwick and Victoria with stops at East Croydon and Clapham Junction. The journey time to Victoria is typically 35 mins and timetables and ticket costs can be found on their website.

First Capital Connect operates services to London Bridge and St Pancras International. Trains run every 15 mins and the journey lasts between 30 and 45 mins. Check their website for timetables and ticket prices.

Gatwick Airport Bus Services

Most of Gatwick's bus services operate from the South Terminal forecourt with some other services calling at the North Terminal. There are over 400 bus services connecting Gatwick to destinations all over the UK. For travel to London we recommend the following two options:

• easyBus to London

Departs From: North and South Terminal.

Number of Routes: 3

Arrives at: Waterloo Station, Victoria Bus Station and Earls Court/West Brompton.

Frequency of service:

Operating times: 4am till 1am.

Journey time: between 60 mins and 90 mins (depending on route)

Cost: from £2 and upwards.

Where to get tickets: it is highly recommended to buy online with easyBus in advance to make savings. Tickets can also be purchased from the driver, however, prices will be higher than booking in advance.

• National Express

Leaves From: North and South Terminals.

Departs: Victoria Bus Station.

Frequency of service: every 30 mins.

Operating times: 4am till 1am.

Journey time: between 65 mins and 120 mins. (average 85 mins)

Cost: £10 and upwards.

Where to get tickets: tickets can be purchased at National Express booths in both terminals or online. For the best prices book online.

Gatwick Airport Taxis Services

If you have a lot of luggage, arrive as a group, or perhaps you arrive at the airport late at night, a good idea is to take a taxi. There are taxis available 24 hours a day and the typical journey time into central London is 1 hour, however, in peak times the journey can be considerably higher due to heavy London traffic. Prices can vary.

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