How to travel by public transport between central London and London Gatwick airport (LGW).
Gatwick airport is 28 miles (45km) south of London, in East Sussex.
There are several trains every hour to/from various stations in central London and a National Express coach to Victoria Coach station.
The train is faster and much more frequent than the coach. Southern and Thameslink trains are much cheaper than the Gatwick Express and only a few minutes slower.
London to Gatwick airport tickets – quick summary
Scroll down for full details of each service.
| Service | Tickets | Time |
|---|---|---|
| National Express coach: A3 | from £8.50 | 75–120 mins |
| Gatwick Express train | £23.00* | 30 mins |
| Gatwick Express- Oyster/contactless | £22.90 | 30 mins |
| Southern train – paper ticket | £20.40* | 35–50 mins |
| Thameslink train – paper ticket | £14.40* | 35–50 mins |
| Trains-Oyster/Contactless | £10.10/£18.40a | 35–50 mins |
*Standard on the day paper ticket fare.
a:Off-peak and peak fares with Southern or Thameslink only . See below
Trains to and from Gatwick Airport
There are three train routes between Gatwick airport and central London,
Southern and Thameslink operate trains to Gatwick airport from various stations in central London.
- Southern (from Victoria station)
- Thameslink (from London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon or St Pancras International stations)
The Gatwick Express is a non-stop train from Victoria station to the airport. It’s not that much quicker than the local trains and is more expensive.
- Gatwick Express (from Victoria station)
Oyster/contactless fares by train to/from Gatwick
You can use a Pay as you go Oyster card or a contactless payment to pay for the journey to/from Gatwick airport by train. Be careful to use the same card when you tap in and out of the barriers.
The single fare from a train station in zone 1 is £10.10 off-peak or £18.40 peak.
These are the Oyster/contactlesss fares between a London train station and Gatwick Airport with Southern or Thameslink.
To find the total Oyster/contactlesss fare for an underground trip plus the train fare to Gatwick use the TfL Single Fare Finder.
Oyster/Contactless peak train times from London to Gatwick airport
The peak times are 06.30am–9.30am and 4pm–7pm Monday–Thursday. Off-peak is charged at all other times.
Oyster/Contactless peak train times from Gatwick airport to London
The peak time is 06.30am–9.30am Monday–Thursday.
Off-peak is charged at all other times.
The Gatwick Express is £22.90 with a contactless/oyster card, a 10p discount on their standard single fare.
Please note that the Pay as you go Oyster/contactless fare might not always be the cheapest way to pay. Paper tickets could be cheaper especially if you are in a group of 3+, have a Railcard or book tickets in advance (not recommended for travel from the airport).
See the info under each train operator for the standard on-the-day paper ticket fares.
How to buy train tickets to/from Gatwick airport
If you don’t want to use an Oyster or contactless card, train tickets are available from any train station in London or from Gatwick airport train station when you arrive.
If you want to save a bit of money and can book ahead, book online to find cheaper ‘Advance’ single train tickets for Southern or Thameslink trains. Advance tickets are booked for a certain time and are not refundable if you miss the train.
Tickets can be collected for free from the ticket machines at Gatwick Airport train station. To collect the tickets, you will need to bring the debit/credit card used to book the tickets.
Southern trains
Tickets
The standard on-the-day fares from Victoria station:
Single: £20.40 adult (£10.20 child).
Return: £40.60 adult (£20.30 child)
Return tickets are valid up to one month.
Discounts are available for railcard holders, and groups of 3+
Book in advance with Southern for cheaper fares (but you must travel at the exact time booked).
Departure/arrival stations
- Gatwick airport: Gatwick train station, South Terminal
- Central London: Victoria or London Bridge train stations
If you arrive at the North Terminal, there’s a free train transfer to the South Terminal for Gatwick train station.
Note: Not all services to/from London Bridge station are direct. You may need to change at East Croydon.
Journey time & frequency
- London Victoria – 34 minutes
- London Bridge – 29-40 minutes
- 24-hour service. Several trains per hour. Hourly overnight.
Use the National Rail journey planner to check exact times. Under ‘more options’, scroll down to ‘Choose operator’ and select Southern, then tick ‘Fastest trains only’.
Thameslink trains
Tickets
The standard on-the-day fare from from London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink or St Pancras International.
Single: £14.40 (£7.20 child) Fares are cheaper on Saturdays & Sundays—Ask for a ‘super off-peak single’ £11.90 for adults (£5.95 child)
Return: £25.70 (£12.85 child). Tickets valid for one month.
Departure/arrival stations
- Gatwick airport: Gatwick train station, South Terminal
- Central London: London Bridge, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, Farringdon and St Pancras International train stations.
Journey time & frequency
Thameslink runs several trains per hour and an hourly service overnight
- London Bridge – 28 minutes
- Blackfriars – 35 minutes
- Farringdon – 40 minutes
- City Thameslink – 37 minutes
- St Pancras International – 44 minutes
Use the National Rail journey planner to check exact times. Under ‘more options’, scroll down to ‘Choose operator’ and select Thameslink, then tick ‘Fastest trains only’.
Gatwick Express trains
Gatwick Express
The Gatwick Express is a non-stop train from Victoria station to Gatwick. It’s much more expensive than Thameslink or Southern but only about 5 minutes faster. So there’s absolutely no reason to take it. At more than twice the price of the contactless/oyster fare it’s not worth it
It’s cheaper to travel by train with Thameslink or Southern.
Tickets
Book online or buy tickets from the ticket offices at platform 13/14 or from the ticket office/machines at Gatwick train station. £23.00 single, £45.80 return (valid for 1 month).
There is a 10% discount if you book tickets online or via the Gatwick Express app.
You can use a Pay as you go Oyster card or contactless card to pay on the day, but it’s only 10p cheaper — £22.90.
Departure/arrival
- Gatwick airport: Gatwick airport train station, South Terminal
- Central London: Platforms 13 & 14, Victoria train station
Journey time & frequency
- Journey time – 30 minutes
- See timetable
National Express Coach to/from Gatwick airport
National Express, the UK’s main coach operator, runs regular coaches between Gatwick airport and central London. You can take one large-sized suitcase (up to 20kg), or two medium-sized suitcases plus one small piece of hand luggage per person for free.
Departure/arrival
- Gatwick airport: Lower forecourt, South Terminal & the lower forecourt outside International Arrivals, North Terminal
- Central London: Victoria Coach Station, Buckingham Palace Rd, SW1
Journey time & frequency
- 65–90 minutes
- 24-hour service. Departures hourly during the day, reduced service at night.
Booking tickets
From £8.50-£12 single. Book tickets online or buy them at Victoria Coach Station (open 08:00-20:00) or at Gatwick airport from the National Express ticket offices in International Arrivals, North Terminal and in Arrivals and the lower forecourt area in the South Terminal.
We recommended booking coach tickets in advance, if you need to be at the airport for an early flight or on train strike days.
Last updated: 13 March 2024