How to Get to London from Gatwick Airport

Getting to London from Gatwick Airport is relatively simple. Choose between the train services, shared transfers or bus routes. Alternatively, we offer private transfers from Gatwick Airport to all locations in London.

by train:

This is one of the best ways of getting to London from Gatwick Airport. There are 3 choices of trains you can take:

A Gatwick Express train to Victoria with no stops along the way. It takes about 30 minutes and operates from approx. 05:00 to 00:30. From here, it’s easy to get to your hotel via the London underground.
A Thameslink train to London Stations between London Bridge & St Pancras. It takes about 30 minutes and operates 24/7. A great option if you are saying in the King’s Cross/Bloomsbury area, or London Bridge.
A Southern train to London Victoria with several stops. Takes about 45 minutes but cheaper than Gatwick Express. Operates 24/7. A cheap but very crowded way of getting to London from Gatwick.

Gatwick Express to London Victoria:

The fastest way to get to London from Gatwick Airport is to take The Gatwick Express. The journey lasts 30 minutes from the Airport to London Victoria station. London Victoria is one of the largest underground stations in London, so from here you can easily reach any Central London hotel. Bear in mind you will need to buy a separate tube ticket or get an oyster card when traveling on the London underground.

Thameslink to St Pancras & London Bridge:

This service takes longer than the Gatwick Express but is cheaper. The major difference is that the train goes to the City of London area, including St Pancras and London Bridge, so it’s a good option if you are staying in the Bloomsbury area.

Southern Trains to London Victoria:

Southern trains also go to London Victoria station via East Croydon and Clapham Junction. It follows the same route as the Gatwick Express, but takes longer and the trains get very crowded, so it’s not recommended if you are travelling with a large group of people or with kids. The service operates 4 times and hour and the journey takes approximately 45 minutes.

gatwick express vs. southern trains vs. Thameslink

The Thameslink goes to St Pancras which is one of the major London train stations. The area around St Pancras has a lot of hotels and Kings Cross underground station (which is next to St Pancras) has 5 underground lines: the Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines. The Thameslink train also stops at Clapham Junction, Blackfriars and Farringdon. At Clapham Junction you can change train to get to London Waterloo, another major London station near the London Eye and Southbank Centre.
The Gatwick Express and Southern both go to Victoria, which is next to Westminster and Belgravia. The Victoria underground operates three lines: Circle, Victoria and District.
Gatwick Express is faster but more expensive than the Southern Trains. However you are guaranteed a seat.
Southern Trains are 15 minutes slower than the Gatwick Express but the tickets are cheaper. The major downside to the Southern Trains is that they can get very crowded, especially during the rush hour. In fact in the rush hours its almost impossible to get a seat and the train is absolutely full.

In summary:

If you’re looking for the fastest (30 minutes) and quietest (ie. least congested) way of getting to London from Gatwick Airport then take the Gatwick Express into Victoria. From here take a taxi to your final destination or use the underground (which also get very very busy during rush hour).
If you are looking for another fast option (30 minutes) which is more crowded (especially during rush hour) but less expensive then take the Thameslink – St Pancras route.
BUT if its much easier to get to your final destination in London from Victoria rather than from St Pancras route, and you want to pay less for a ticket than the Gatwick Express (but don’t mind very congested trains!) then take the Southern Train to Victoria.

by Private Transfer:

Direct taxis from Gatwick to London are recommended if you are traveling to a location in London that is not easily accessible via train, or if you are a large group of passengers. We offer private transfers from Gatwick Airport to London, and transfers are available to any location in London, and from any terminal at Gatwick Airport. In England, it’s cheaper to book a taxi in advance than take one on the day.

BY SHARED TRANSFER:

This shared taxi service runs 24 hours, 7 days a week. You’ll be greeted at arrivals by your driver, who will take you to your hotel in London with a maximum of 3 stops along the way. This is a very cost effective way of getting to your hotel if you are travelling solo.

by bus:

Most people using public transportation to get to London from Gatwick airport will choose one of the train options. The only reason you would choose to use the bus is only if you wanted to save money on the cost of travel. The buses are cheaper than the trains. However, the journey times is much much longer and the traffic is very unpredictable. If you do decide to take a bus from London to Gatwick, make sure you leave plenty of time so you don’t miss your flight.

in summary:

There are two bus companies that offer services from Gatwick to London: National Express and Easybus.

If you want to get to London Victoria Coach Station from Gatwick, the only difference between National Express and Easybus is the price.
If you want to get to Earls Court/West Brompton then take the Easybus
If you want to get to Waterloo train station (from Gatwick’s south terminal) then take the easybus.

in detail:

National Express to London Victoria:

This service goes from Gatwick Airport to London Victoria Station. Trains operate once an hour with a journey of around 1h30m to 2h depending on traffic conditions and time of day. Trains depart from both terminals from the lower level forecourt.

Easybus to Earls court or London Victoria:

Easybus offers services to two different destinations, either to Earls Court/West Brompton or to London Victoria station, with departures from both the north and south terminals. In addition, there is a service from the South Terminal to Waterloo train station in central London. The service operates every day.