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Major city · United Kingdom

Crawley

Give Crawley one night only if you need a Gatwick bed; otherwise skip it and day-trip from Horsham, Brighton or London.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Crawley is a 1947 New Town beside Gatwick Airport, not a sightseeing town. Its value is practical: cheap beds 10 minutes from the terminals, a compact walkable centre, and a rail junction with fast trains to London, Brighton and Horsham. Come for the airport, the football or a base, not for the town itself.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
GBP
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Dec–Feb (wet, dark early)
Airport
LGW
Nights
1
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
  • United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
  • United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Crawley999 ▾
  • Emergency (police, fire, ambulance)999
  • Emergency from any phone112
  • NHS non-urgent111
  • Police non-urgent101

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Crawley, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub main course£10–16 (≈ US$14–25)
  • BeerPint of draught beer£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
  • Museum or sight ticketGatwick Aviation Museum adult entrycheck£7.50 (≈ US$10)
  • Budget bedAirport hotel room (up to 3), a night, per room£85 (≈ US$120)
  • Mid-range bedChain-hotel double room, a night, per room£95 (≈ US$130)
  • High-end bedChain-hotel double room, a night, per room£160 (≈ US$250)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £80 (≈ US$110) · High £150 (≈ US$200)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Gatwick AirportNew Town planningCrawley Town FCTilgate Park
Airports
LGW Gatwick Airport (On the town's north edge; 10 min by train or Fastway bus 10 to the centre.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    8°C (46°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    8°C (46°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    11°C (52°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    14°C (57°F)

  5. May

    Best

    18°C (64°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    21°C (70°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    23°C (73°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    23°C (73°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    20°C (68°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    15°C (59°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    11°C (52°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    8°C (46°F)

Best: May–Sep. Avoid: Dec–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (23°C (73°F)), coolest Jan (2°C (36°F) low), wettest Jan (12 rain days), driest May (8). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Crawley: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C (46°F)

2°C (36°F)

12 rd

Feb

8°C (46°F)

2°C (36°F)

10 rd

Mar

11°C (52°F)

3°C (37°F)

10 rd

Apr

14°C (57°F)

5°C (41°F)

9 rd

May

18°C (64°F)

8°C (46°F)

8 rd

Jun

21°C (70°F)

11°C (52°F)

8 rd

Jul

23°C (73°F)

13°C (55°F)

8 rd

Aug

23°C (73°F)

13°C (55°F)

9 rd

Sep

20°C (68°F)

11°C (52°F)

9 rd

Oct

15°C (59°F)

8°C (46°F)

11 rd

Nov

11°C (52°F)

5°C (41°F)

11 rd

Dec

8°C (46°F)

3°C (37°F)

12 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is walkable end to end in about 20 minutes. Metrobus runs local routes including the 10 Fastway to the airport; Three Bridges and Crawley stations cover the rest. Taxis wait at all three stations.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Londongo

Door to door: About 1 h

Direct train from Three Bridges or Gatwick to London Victoria or London Bridge

Frequent fast services; book off-peak for the cheapest fares.

Brighton

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Direct train from Three Bridges or Gatwick, about 30–40 min

Change at Three Bridges if you start from Crawley station.

Horsham

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Train from Crawley station south, about 15 min

Small market town with a better high street than Crawley's.

Arundel

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Train towards the coast, change at Horsham or Three Bridges

Castle and cathedral town; a full half-day.

East Grinstead

caution

Door to door: About 45 min

Bus or train via Three Bridges

Historic high street; the Worth Way cycle path also links the two.

Chichester

caution

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Train via Three Bridges and Brighton, or by car on the A24/A27

Better as an overnight than a return day.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Town centre (High Street, Queen's Square)

Walk to County Mall, restaurants and Crawley station; best for one night without a car.

Three Bridges

Own station with direct trains to Brighton and Gatwick; supermarket and cheaper chain hotels.

Gatwick / Manor Royal fringe

Airport hotels with shuttle or 24 h bus links; pick this if your flight is early.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
£45–70 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
£70–120 (≈ US$95–160) excl. bed
High
£120 (≈ US$160)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Chain-hotel double room1 × 1 night × £95£95
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × £80£160
Train Gatwick → Crawley, one way2 × £5 · check£10
Fastway bus 10, single2 × £2 · check£4
eSIM, about a week of data2 × £8£16
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge£29
Trip total≈ £157 per person per day, bed included£314≈ US$450

2026 estimate in pounds; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Pub main course£10–16 (≈ US$14–25)
Takeaway meal£7–15 (≈ US$10–20)
Pint of draught beer£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
Taxi, station to airportcheck; 10 min without trafficabout £14 (≈ US$19)
Bus single, town centre to airportcheckabout £2 (≈ US$3)
Gatwick Aviation Museum adult entrycheck£7.50 (≈ US$10)
Crawley Museum entryFree

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Crawley is an ordinary safe English town by day; the usual night-time caution applies around the High Street pubs and the station approach after dark. The real risks are traffic on the A23 and Manor Royal roads, and walking the airport perimeter.
  • The town is built for cars: pavements thin out fast away from the centre, and the airport area is not made for walking or cycling.
  • Fastway bus 10 runs near 24 h but not on Sundays and public holidays: check the timetable before a late arrival.
  • Gatwick is a working airport, not a resort: nothing in Crawley is worth a special journey on its own.

Emergency numbers

Emergency (police, fire, ambulance)
999
Emergency from any phone
112
NHS non-urgent
111
Police non-urgent
101

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

CrawleyCrawley

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Emergency999
  • Emergency (any phone)112
  • NHS non-urgent111
  • Police non-urgent101

Embassy

No embassies in Crawley; they are in London. The nearest US consulate-general is in London.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Gatwick → Crawley by train: about £5 (≈ US$7), 10 min (check)
  • Fastway bus 10, town centre → airport: about £2 (≈ US$3), 20 min (check)
  • Taxi Crawley station → Gatwick: about £14 (≈ US$19), 10 min (check)

Say or show

  • A single ticket to Gatwick, please — Single to Gatwick, please
  • Where is the bus stop? — Where is the bus stop?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Is this seat taken? — Is this seat taken?

999 works from any phone, including mobiles with no credit.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Crawley. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Dec–Feb (wet, dark early) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 3 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for LGW: last train and Fastway 10 times field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Three walking clusters with rescue anchors: High Street and Queen's Square, County Mall and the library, Tilgate Park.
  3. Place pages with verified opening hours (Crawley Museum, Gatwick Aviation Museum, Tilgate nature centre) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Rail fixture for Three Bridges and Crawley so day-trip verdicts can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United Kingdom

Sources