Gatwick Airport, indicated with the codes LGW or EGKK, is an important international airport near the British capital. Although Gatwick is not actually in London (it is technically in Surrey, about 30 miles south of the capital), it still serves as the city’s second busiest airport. While Heathrow Airport remains the closest, Gatwick is closer to London than Stansted Airport.

Being such an important travel junction, Gatwick is a well-connected and well-serviced airport. You’ll find transfers available to London and other major cities in the UK, as well as to other airports. For example, the journey from Gatwick to Heathrow Airport, which is only about 40 miles (60 km), is covered by buses and train lines alike.

The airport also has three hotels in its vicinity. The Hampton Hotel is just a few minutes away from the North Terminal, while the Yotelair and the Bloc Hotel are by the South Terminal. You can book your room at any of these hotels directly from Gatwick Airport’s website .

If you want to get to London, you have three main transport options: going by train (with the Gatwick Express), going by coach bus (with National Express), or going by taxi. There is no London Underground line that reaches Gatwick Airport. In the following sections, you can find all relevant information about prices, journey length and advantages of each transport method.

Gatwick Airport trains - Gatwick Express

The Gatwick Express is a non-stop train that goes from Gatwick Airport’s South Terminal to Victoria Station, in Central London. The entire journey takes 30 minutes, making it the fastest way to get to the city from the airport.

There are two Gatwick Express trains available per hour, so you’ll never have to wait too long to catch one. If you arrive at Gatwick’s North Terminal, you can take the transit shuttle to the North Terminal to get to the Station. The ride is very short and the service runs 24 hours.

You can buy Gatwick Express train tickets directly at the station’s ticket machines or online on the Gatwick Express website, where you can get a 10% discount on advance booking. Remember that you can use Gatwick Express tickets to get the 2FOR1 discounts, but you’ll have to buy the printed tickets at the station and keep them to be able to show them at the sites you want to visit.

Alternatively, you can pay for your Gatwick Express tickets by tapping your Oyster card or contactless payment method at the station gates, but this way you won’t get any discounts or 2FOR1 offers.

Full-price single Gatwick Express tickets cost £19.50. Return tickets cost £38.90, so we always recommend getting a return ticket if you’re leaving London from Gatwick as well. Prices be higher at times of high demand and lower when buying tickets in advance. In the following table, you can see the maximum fares for each ticket option.

Children under 5 travel for free on the Stansted Express.

Gatwick Airport buses and coaches - National Express

There are numerous buses connecting Gatwick Airport to London and many other destinations, including other cities in the UK and nearby airports like Heathrow. The most trustworthy company connecting Gatwick to Central London is National Express.

Journey duration varies depending on the time and traffic conditions, but it will normally take between 2 and a half hours and 3 hours to get to London.

Most National Express buses will stop at the South and North Terminals in Gatwick before heading off to London Victoria Coach Station, but the main bus station is located at Gatwick’s North Terminal. Fares vary depending on availability, but generally, a full-price adult ticket costs £10.00 and a reduced one (for children aged 2-15) will be £5.00. Children under 2 travel for free.

You can buy your ticket on the National Express website or directly at the airport’s bus station. If you’re buying online, remember to check that you are selecting the direct journey to London and not the one with a change at Heathrow airport, which would take significantly longer and cost much more.

Gatwick Airport taxis

Like the majority of airports, Gatwick has its own taxi ranks just outside the Arrivals areas at both of its terminals. This way, no matter what time you arrive, you can just hop inside a cab as soon as you get out of the airport.

Of course, taxis are the most expensive way to get to the city, so we don’t particularly recommend them unless you don’t have other options. Cab fares in London are not fixed so you won’t know the exact cost of your ride until the end, but you can expect it to fall between £120.00 and £180.00. The ride will last approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, although it might be longer depending on traffic conditions and your final destination. On London taxis, you can pay by cash or card.

A slightly cheaper option might be a private hire vehicle (also called a minicab), although don’t expect to find anything much cheaper than £100.00. Keep in mind that minicabs usually require card payment through the company’s app, while taxis allow both payments by cash and card.

If you want to know more about taxis and private hire vehicles, you can check our dedicated article for all the information you need about companies and fares.