Gatwick sits about 28 miles south of central London, near Crawley in West Sussex, and its best feature is the mainline station built into the South Terminal. The cheapest fast route to London is Thameslink from about £14.80, the fastest is the Gatwick Express (30 minutes to Victoria), and coaches start from around £2. Drop-off costs £10 for 10 minutes. Prices checked August 2026.
Getting to and from Gatwick at a glance
| Option | Price | Time to central London | Runs at night? | Door to door? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| easyBus / National Express coach | from £1.99 to £6 | 45 to 90 min | Limited late | No, Victoria stop |
| Thameslink train | from ~£14.80 | 30 to 50 min | Limited overnight | No, station stops |
| Gatwick Express | £19.80 single | 30 min to Victoria | ~05:00 to 24:00 | No, Victoria only |
| Pre-booked taxi / private hire | ~£80 to £100 fixed | 60 to 90 min | Yes, 24/7 | Yes |
| Uber / Bolt | demand priced | 60 to 90 min | Fewer cars late | Yes |
Gatwick handled about 42.8 million passengers in 2025, making it the UK's second-busiest airport after Heathrow and, it says, Europe's busiest single-runway airport. It runs two terminals, North and South, linked by a free 24-hour shuttle that takes about 2 minutes.
In this guide
- Taxis, Uber and private hire
- Public transport
- Parking
- Drop-off and pick-up
- Popular routes
- Latest news and updates
- Airport facilities and lounges
- Travel blog and guides
- FAQs
The quick answer
If you are travelling light and want the cheapest fast route into London, take Thameslink from about £14.80. It reaches London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon and St Pancras without a change, which is handy for the City or a Eurostar connection. If you specifically need Victoria as fast as possible, the Gatwick Express does it non-stop in 30 minutes for £19.80. To spend the least of all, book an easyBus or National Express coach ahead from around £2.
If you are a group with luggage, or you land late, a pre-booked taxi fixes the price up front at roughly £80 to £100 to central London and drops you at the door. Uber and Bolt work here too, but the pickup point is inside the short-stay car parks rather than at the kerb.
If someone is collecting you, the forecourt drop-off charge is £10 for up to 10 minutes and rose 43 percent in January 2026. The free alternative is the Long Stay car park, which gives 2 hours free with a shuttle to both terminals.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a train station at Gatwick Airport? Yes. The station is attached to the South Terminal and was the first mainline station built into a UK airport. From the North Terminal, take the free inter-terminal shuttle to reach it. See the public transport page.
What is the cheapest way from Gatwick to central London? A coach: easyBus from about £1.99 and National Express from about £6 if booked ahead. The cheapest fast option is Thameslink from around £14.80. More on the public transport page.
Gatwick Express or Thameslink, which is better? Gatwick Express is fastest to Victoria, 30 minutes for £19.80. Thameslink is cheaper at about £14.80 and reaches London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon and St Pancras with no change.
How much is a taxi from Gatwick to central London? Roughly £80 to £100 pre-booked as a fixed price, or £90 to £140 in a metered black cab, taking 60 to 90 minutes. See the taxis page.
How much is the Gatwick drop-off charge? £10 for up to 10 minutes, then £1 per extra minute to a £30 maximum. The free alternative is the Long Stay car park, 2 hours free. See drop-off and pick-up.
How we verified this
The prices and facts on this site were checked in August 2026 against the airport's own website and the named operators (Gatwick Express, Thameslink, National Express, easyBus, Uber and Airport Cars Gatwick). Tariffs and timetables change, so confirm the specifics on the official Gatwick Airport site before you travel.
We recommend a transport partner and may earn a referral fee. It never changes what you pay, and we only list options we would use ourselves.
Last verified August 2026 by the Gatwick Airport Guide editorial team. Prices and timetables change, so confirm the specifics on the official Gatwick Airport website before you travel.