London Gatwick Airport
London, GB · 47.5 km (29.5 mi) south of central London
Getting to the city
| Mode | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Addison Lee Private car · Pre-booked 24/7 service; same-day bookings often available but subject to fleet availability | Roughly 60-90 min Gatwick–central London, depending on traffic and exact destination | Commonly quoted in the £80-140 range Gatwick–central London depending on vehicle class and time; fixed price agreed at booking |
| Bolt Rideshare · On-demand 24/7 but with noticeably fewer cars than Uber at some times of day | About 60-90 min Gatwick–central London depending on route and traffic | User reports generally in the £35-65 range Gatwick–central London, usually slightly under comparable Uber quotes at the same time |
| Gatwick Express Train · Every 15 minutes | 30-35 min | £19.90-23.50 one-way standard adult bought at station; cheaper advance and railcard discounts sometimes available |
| Great Western Railway to Reading Train · Around hourly at best during the day; some gaps at off-peak times and late at night | Roughly 75-90 min when using direct or semi-direct services | Varies widely; often around £20-35 one-way Gatwick–Reading depending on time and advance purchase |
Insider notes
For cheaper rail travel, use Southern or Thameslink instead of the Gatwick Express and save around £10 each way.
Allocate 10 extra minutes for the North Terminal’s automated people mover during peak times.
EasyJet and Wizz at LGW often enforce baggage size at the gate, so pay for extra baggage in advance.
Live departures
Full board →| Flight | To | Sched | Est | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U28407 | CDG | 18:15 | 20:03 | Landed |
| U28119 | ALC | 19:25 | 19:48 | Departed |
| U28409 | CDG | 19:35 | 19:47 | Landed |
| U2883 | JER | 19:35 | 19:48 | Landed |
| G9259 | SHJ | 19:35 | 20:24 | Departed |
London Gatwick — two terminals, the shuttle between them, and the trains north
Gatwick is London’s second airport and the largest base for easyJet, with British Airways and a wide range of leisure and long-haul carriers alongside. It is well south of the city — about 47 km from central London, farther than many first-timers expect — so the train in is a real leg of the journey, not an afterthought.
The terminals
There are two terminals, North and South, and they are separate buildings connected by a free automated inter-terminal shuttle that takes a couple of minutes. The railway station is at the South Terminal, so if you fly from the North Terminal you will use the shuttle to reach the trains (and vice versa on arrival). Check which terminal your airline uses — they are not walkable from each other, and the shuttle, while quick, is a step to factor in.
Getting into London
Several rail services share the station at the South Terminal, suiting different destinations:
- The Gatwick Express runs nonstop to London Victoria in around 30 minutes — the fastest, and the priciest.
- Thameslink trains run through central London to London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon, and St Pancras, and continue north — often the most useful if you are not headed to Victoria.
- Southern services also serve Victoria and stops along the way, usually a bit cheaper than the Express.
By road, the M23/A23 into London can be slow, and the distance makes a taxi an expensive, lengthy trip — the train almost always wins.
Worth knowing
Gatwick runs largely on a single main runway at very high intensity, so it is efficient but has little slack; a knock-on delay can build during busy periods. If you are connecting — particularly self-connecting between two separate low-cost bookings — leave generous time, collect and recheck your bags, and account for the terminal shuttle if your flights use different terminals.
Other easyJet hubs
Where is London Gatwick Airport (LGW)?
London Gatwick Airport (LGW) is in London, GB, a hub for easyJet.
How many terminals does London Gatwick Airport have?
London Gatwick Airport has 2 terminals, handling around 41.0M passengers a year.
How do I get from London Gatwick Airport to London?
Ground options include Addison Lee, Bolt, Gatwick Express — Addison Lee takes about Roughly 60-90 min Gatwick–central London, depending on traffic and exact destination (Commonly quoted in the £80-140 range Gatwick–central London depending on vehicle class and time; fixed price agreed at booking).