London Gatwick Airport (LGW): visitor guide

Gatwick has two terminals, North and South, linked by a free automated shuttle that runs every few minutes, 24 hours a day. The shuttle ride takes about two minutes; allow 10–15 minutes door to door with walking and lifts.

Check your terminal before you book transport. The railway station sits at the South Terminal, so if you fly from the North Terminal you ride the shuttle first, then walk straight into the station concourse. Both terminals have check-in, security, shops and food on the landside and airside sides.

Gatwick is a single-runway airport and one of the busiest in Europe. Security queues are longest in the early morning bank of short-haul departures, roughly 06:00–09:00, and on Friday and Sunday evenings. Arrive two hours before a short-haul flight and three hours before long-haul.

Trains are the default. Gatwick Express runs non-stop to London Victoria in about 30 minutes; Southern and Thameslink services take 35–50 minutes and stop more, but cost less, especially with an Advance ticket bought online. Thameslink trains continue through central London to London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon and St Pancras International, which is useful if you are heading north or to the Eurostar.

Buy before you travel. A ticket bought in advance online is often about half the walk-up price at the station machine. Contactless bank cards and Oyster work on Southern and Thameslink services to London, but not on the Gatwick Express premium fare, where you need a separate ticket.

Coaches are the budget option. National Express and similar operators run from both terminals to Victoria Coach Station in 60–90 minutes depending on traffic, with fares from about £5–10 booked ahead. The coach is slower but runs later and is not affected by rail engineering works.

Trains thin out after about 23:00 and the last services leave around 01:00, so a flight landing after midnight usually means a coach, a taxi or a night at an airport hotel. Coaches run through the night on some routes but not every hour; check the timetable for your date before you fly.

Taxis and private hire cars wait outside both terminals and run 24 hours. A metered or pre-booked car to central London costs roughly £100–140 and takes 60–90 minutes at night. Minicabs that approach you inside the terminal are unlicensed; book through the official ranks or an app instead.

If you land very late, the simplest plan is a hotel at or near the airport and a train the next morning. Several hotels sit within a short walk or free shuttle ride of the terminals, and the station opens early enough for a 05:00–06:00 departure.

Both terminals have paid lounges that any traveller can book, plus airline lounges for eligible passengers. Paid access is usually about £30–45 per adult for a few hours, booked online in advance; walk-up space is limited at peak times. Expect seating, Wi-Fi, drinks and light snacks rather than full meals.

If you are not flying in a premium cabin and do not hold a lounge membership, a paid lounge is worth it mainly on a long layover or a delayed evening flight. Otherwise the terminal cafés and bars are cheaper. Some airport hotels sell day rooms, which can be better value for a shower and a proper rest.

Car hire desks sit in both terminals, with the pick-up car parks a short shuttle ride away. Rates start around £30–60 per day for a small car, more in summer and at short notice. Fuel is about £1.40–1.50 a litre, and most cars have a manual gearbox; automatics cost more and should be booked early.

Do not drive into central London unless you have to. The congestion charge is £18 a day and the Ultra Low Emission Zone applies to most older vehicles; both are enforced by camera. Gatwick is well placed for the South Downs, Brighton, Kent and the south coast, which are the trips where a car actually pays off.