Transferring between London Heathrow to London Gatwick Airport
Travel by train:
There is no direct rail service, to go by rail you must go via central London, train - tube or taxi - then train.
Time to allow by train:
Estimate a total journey time of about 2 hours, minumum for safety, to travel by train. Check if there are planned closures or works before you travel, as maintenance is scheduled for the upcoming 2012 Olympics Games.
From Heathrow, take the Heathrow Express or Heathrow Connect to Paddington Station - then take the Bakerloo Line Underground to Oxford Circus - change trains to the Victoria Line to Victoria Station - from Victoria take the Gatwick Express to Gatwick Airport.
From Gatwick, take the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station in London - then jump on the Victoria Line Underground to Oxford Circus, change train to the Bakerloo Line to Paddington Station. From Paddington take the Heathrow Express to Heathrow Airport.
- Heathrow to Paddington: 20 minutes(+/-), 1 train every 15minutes. First train is at 5.05am - Last train is at 11:40pm
- Walk from train to train: 5-10 minutes.
- Paddinton to Victoria: 20 minutes(+/-), (Check journey planner to see if engineering works are taking place).
- Walk from train to train: 5-10 minutes.
- Victoria to Gatwick: 30 minutes(+/-), 1 train every 15minutes. First trainis at 4.30am - Last train is at 12:50am
- Walk from train to check-in: 5 minutes.
(Reverse journey is same journey time)
Bear in mind that travelling by train between Gatwick and Heathrow will involve steps and escalators, so if you have baggage or children this might not be practical.
LINKS
- Heathrow Express
- Heathrow Connect
- Gatwick Express
- Underground Journey Planner
There are other slower options by train, but these are not really practical unless you are not in any hurry, or you are planning on staying in London or near the airport for a night. Details of these alternatives are at the bottom of this article for reference.
Transfer by road:
By road London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports are about 40 miles apart. The route is all motorway, but delays can occur. There are two options for travelling by road between Heathrow & Gatwick, Bus/Coach or Taxi/Private Car Hire (minicab).
Time to allow by road:
By Coach: Without traffic congestion the a coach or bus will take around an hour to complete the journey, being speed restricted.
- Heathrow 1 & 3 to Bus Station: 15 minutes walk.
- Heathrow 4 to Bus Station: 20 minutes via Heathrow Connect Train.
- Heathrow 5 Arrival to Bus Stop: 3 minutes (Bus Stop Outside Terminal)
- Actual Coach Journey: 1 hour (with no traffic)
- Coach to Departures: 3 minutes (Bus Stop outside both terminals)
By Licensed Private Hire Car, Licensed Taxi or Minicab the journey will take about 45 minutes, and more professional airport transfer companies have alternative routes.
- Arrival Terminal to Car Park: 5 minutes
- Actual Journey: 45 minutes
- Drop off to Departures: 5 minutes
Very few road trips taken during day time will not experience some level of traffic congestion though. Journeys between 07:00 and 9:00 and 16:30 and 19:00 can take up to 90 minutes by road. Avoid transferring on Monday mornings and Friday and Sunday afternoons when traffic levels are higher if at all possible.
Most airlines suggest a minimum of three hours between scheduled arrival and departure time when travelling between these two airports, but bare in mind this is a minimum and flights do get delayed. Also British passport control lines can be long, especially for non-European passport holders at Heathrow. At both Heathrow and Gatwick it takes on average about 45-75 minutes from landing to clearing customs with luggage.
(Spring 2012 Update) Please note: Customs time has increased significantly at Heathrow since time of writing this, mainly due to reduced numbers of customs officers and increased security for the upcomling Olympics 2012. Terminal Five particulary has been experiencing 2 - 2.5 hour lines in March/April 2012... So give yourself more time than the recommended 3 hours between airports if you can!
If you have a doubt about whether you will make your flight or not, and if you have the time/money, why not consider a hotel nearby your departure airport? Check on Tripadvisor for some airport hotels, some have amazing deals and include a transfer to your terminal when you check out. An overnight stay could save you a missed flight, a bit of stress and perhaps a bit of jet-lag, plus there might be time for a civilized breakfast.
National Express Coach Service
The only direct public transfer link is by road, via National Express coaches, there is no direct rail link. There are around 100 coaches a day between Heathrow and Gatwick taking around an hour if there is no traffic congestion. The coach service is almost a 24x7 operation.
At Gatwick the coaches pick up from each terminal, at Heathrow the coaches start at the bus station between Terminals 1,2 and 3, they do not pick up or set down from each terminal at Heathrow. The coaches visit Terminal 5 at Heathrow on their way between Heathrow and Gatwick. If you are using Terminal 4, you need to catch the free Heathrow Connect train that runs every 15 minutes to the central area where the bus station is. There are luggage trolley friendly underground tunnels between Terminals 1 and 3 and the central bus station. Allow 10 minutes from exiting customs. The ticket office at Heathrow Bus Station can have very long queues at peak times.
National Express coaches allow a maximum of 2 medium size suitcases. Folding bikes, surfboards etc are carried only at the discretion of the driver. Bikes must be packaged like that required by the airlines. No animals except guide dogs.
Licensed Airport Transfer Private Car Services, Pre-booked Taxi Cab's & Private Hire Minicab Companies and Mini Bus Options
The fastest route is by pre-booked Licensed Private Hire Company, Pre-booked Taxi or Minibus. Without traffic congestion the fastest transfer can be achieved in around 45 minutes. Look up "London Airport Connections by Private Taxi" - plenty of choice (12million results on Google!), and all credit card bookings are guaranteed and covered by insurance when purchasing by card in the UK, which means if you complain about the vendor, they will investigate your complaint for you. (Debit card companies do not always, so ask your bank before you use a Debit card!) Normal charge for a Licensed Private Hire Transfer between Heathrow and Gatwick should be at about £75 for 4 persons, £105 for 6. Bare in mind additional costs, but you do get what you pay for. Supposed 'Airport Specialists' can be anything from reliable individual drivers, to back street local minicab companies with drivers more used to going to the local supermarket. Checking the company you are thinking of using out first could stop you from being taken for a ride instead of a transfer.
If there are 2-3 passengers or more travelling it is actually cheaper to prebook a private transfer than using the direct National Express bus, and they normally meet you in the airport arrivals to take you directly to your departure terminal.
London Black Taxi cabs do have ranks in front of all the terminals at Heathrow, and will go to Gatwick. Both 5 and 6 seat taxis are available, all take disabled passengers, they have special ramps if needed. Most modern Black Taxis will accept credit cards, but get a price agreed with the driver at the commencement of the journey, and pay only the agreed fare. Black Taxis will take a great deal of luggage.
You will get the best price by booking in advance.
Competition is fierce and advertised headline rates by taxi companies can be misleading.
The most common extras to look for in the small print are:
- surcharges for paying by anything other than cash.
- car parking, which can go up sharply after a small 'free' period.
- 'meet and greet' charges.
- waiting time (remember the average traveller will take 45-60 minutes to clear customs) many companies start charging after 30 minutes - not enough luggage capacity requiring an upgrade or extra car.
- rescheduling your pick up if your flight is delayed or when your flight is cancelled.
Some online companies are 'all-inclusive', others have hidden small print, so check properly before you book!
CHECK YOU HAVE AN ADDRESS BEFORE YOU BOOK - so many websites have no real contact details!
Do you trust a company that uses a mobile/cell telephone as it's contact number?
Fixed land-line telephone numbers in London start 020**** or +4420**** from overseas. If you see a number starting 07*** or +447*** it's a mobile telephone!! If it starts 0845*** or +44845**** it a purchase and divert number - not necessarily a problem, but check there's an address before booking. This also applies to number starting 03*** or +4403*** in the UK anywhere.
Hotel - Airport Transfers If you are staying at a hotel nearby a airport, it is best to see if the hotel provides a free or discounted shuttle bus service directly from the airport to the hotel. If they do, this would probably be your best method of travel. If they do not, it is recommended you ask the hotels advice of a good means of travel to their location.
Be WARNED, if a hotel offers to book you a cab, the prices may be overpriced as they include a commission for the hotel. This commission will be passed onto your fare and will be paid by you in full. It is best to compare the prices online at minicab website beforehand.
The cheapest (slow) train route: (not recommended for the faint of heart!)
The cheapest route between Heathrow and Gatwick is not direct.
- From Gatwick Airport use the rail link from Gatwick Airport station to East Croydon (takes 15 minutes, frequent service, costs about £5; ask for a Southern ticket, the other operator charges more).
- Just outside East Croydon station is the end of the run for the X26 Metrobus (timetable online at www.londonbusroutes.net
) which takes between one hour and 20 minutes and about two hours to reach Heathrow, at a cost of £2 single and is free for children under age 11. (From Heathrow just do the reverse).
Another more arduous way is to use the London Underground between Heathrow and London Victoria (changing once from the Piccadilly Underground Line at Barons Court to the District Line to Victoria) and taking the bus (or train) between Victoria and Gatwick. This is much slower though and the London Underground can be crowded and there are escalators/steps at Victoria, Children and when coming off a long flight.
The cheapest underground/bus option will commonly take 3.5 hours airport to airport.