Gatwick is London's second airport, south of the city, with a North and a South Terminal linked by a free shuttle. Trains from the station at the South Terminal reach central London in 30 to 45 minutes, and a Southern or Thameslink train paid by contactless costs £10.70 off-peak, less than half the Gatwick Express fare.
Gatwick lies in West Sussex, near the town of Crawley, well outside the London boroughs. Even so, it has some of the best rail links of any British airport. Three train services run directly into central London: the non-stop Gatwick Express to Victoria, Southern trains to Victoria, and Thameslink trains through London Bridge, Farringdon and St Pancras. You can pay for all three by tapping a contactless card or an Oyster card at the ticket gates.
The choice between them matters more for your wallet than your watch. This guide explains Gatwick's two terminals, how the trains differ, when coaches or taxis make sense, and the ticket rules that catch visitors out.
Gatwick at a glance
- Terminals
- North and South, 2 minutes apart by free shuttle
- Railway station
- At the South Terminal, about a 5-minute walk from arrivals and departures
- Gatwick Express
- Non-stop to Victoria, 30 minutes, twice an hour; £24.00 contactless
- Southern and Thameslink
- Victoria, London Bridge, St Pancras and more; £19.20 peak, £10.70 off-peak contactless
- Contactless and Oyster
- Valid between Gatwick and London, not to stations further south
- Coach to Victoria
- National Express from £6.00, about 1 hour 5 minutes
North Terminal or South Terminal?
Gatwick has two terminals, and your airline decides which one you use. According to Gatwick's airline list (September 2026), easyJet, Emirates and Qatar Airways use the North Terminal, while British Airways, Ryanair, Wizz Air and Vueling use the South Terminal. TUI flights use both: flight numbers beginning TOM leave from the North Terminal and those beginning BY from the South Terminal. Airlines do change terminals, so check Gatwick's airlines and terminals page before you travel.
The two terminals are linked by a free shuttle that takes 2 minutes. The railway station is at the South Terminal, so if you land at the North Terminal, take the shuttle first and follow the signs for trains.
When you fly home, allow a few extra minutes if your airline uses the North Terminal: the train brings you to the South Terminal, and you then take the shuttle across before check-in.
Arriving at Gatwick: passport control and first steps
Arrival works the same way as at any UK airport. You pass passport control (eGates for eligible nationalities, including EU citizens, Americans, Canadians and Australians with a biometric passport), collect your luggage and walk through customs. Most visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before they fly, which costs £20. Our page on entry rules for visitors to the UK explains who needs one.
Gatwick sells a paid Fast Track lane at passport control (from £15) and Fast Track at security for departures (from £6). They can save time at busy periods, but they are optional, and prices vary. Gatwick's website shows current prices.
If you want an Oyster card, the "Your Service Centre" desk in the South Terminal check-in zone sells them. The card costs £10.50 and the fee is not refundable. Visitor Oyster cards are also sold at Gatwick, at the Information Centre, the Gatwick Express ticket office, terminal desks and the Southern ticket office. Many visitors simply use a contactless bank card or phone instead. Our guide to the Visitor Oyster card explains whether it is worth buying.
Gatwick Express: fast, but you pay for the name
Gatwick Express runs non-stop from the South Terminal station to London Victoria in 30 minutes, twice an hour. Because it makes no stops, it is the most predictable of the three options, and the journey time is the same at any hour it runs.
The contactless and Oyster fare between Victoria and Gatwick on Gatwick Express is £24.00 at any time. It does not count towards TfL's daily or weekly caps, and Travelcards are not valid on it. Gatwick Airport says you save 10% if you book online in advance on the Gatwick Express website, which also lists the paper ticket prices.
Gatwick Express is worth it if you value a guaranteed non-stop train and your hotel is near Victoria. For most other visitors, the slower trains are better value, as the next section shows.
Contactless ends at Gatwick when you head for the coast. Tapping in and out works only between Gatwick and London. If you continue south to Brighton or Crawley, or travel on to Reading or Cambridge, you need a proper ticket from a machine or online. Tapping in anyway leaves you without a valid ticket for the journey.
Southern and Thameslink: the better-value trains
Southern trains run from Gatwick to London Victoria, calling at Clapham Junction on the way. Thameslink trains run through the middle of London, calling at London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon and St Pancras International, then continue north to Bedford, Peterborough and Cambridge. These trains stop at more stations on the way, but Gatwick says the trip to London takes 30 to 45 minutes whichever train you take.
With contactless or Oyster, the fare between Gatwick and Victoria, London Bridge or St Pancras on Southern or Thameslink is £19.20 at peak times and £10.70 off-peak. The peak fare is almost double the off-peak one, so avoid arriving into London during the weekday morning rush if you can. TfL's single fare finder shows the exact fare for your station and time.
Thameslink is especially useful if you are staying in the City, near London Bridge, or around King's Cross and St Pancras. At Farringdon you can change to the Elizabeth line for Liverpool Street, Canary Wharf or Paddington; our guide to the Elizabeth line explains that route. Our overview of London's main railway stations helps you picture where each terminus is.
| Train | London stations | Time to London | Contactless fare, adult (September 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gatwick Express | Victoria only, non-stop | 30 minutes | £24.00 at all times |
| Southern | Clapham Junction, Victoria | 30 to 45 minutes (all trains) | £19.20 peak / £10.70 off-peak |
| Thameslink | London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon, St Pancras | 30 to 45 minutes (all trains) | £19.20 peak / £10.70 off-peak |
Paying for the train: contactless, Oyster and paper tickets
Contactless bank cards, phones and Oyster cards are valid between Gatwick and London. Tap in at the ticket gates at Gatwick and tap out at your London station with the same card or device. The 60+ Oyster photocard is not valid on this route. Our explainer on Oyster, contactless and daily caps covers how the system works once you are in the city.
There is one important limit. Contactless and Oyster are not valid for journeys south of Gatwick or outside London, such as to Crawley, Brighton, Reading or Cambridge. For those, buy a ticket from a machine at the station or online.
Paper and e-tickets are an alternative, and they can be cheaper for groups. Gatwick points out that groups of three or more can save a third with GroupSave tickets, and many operators offer lower fares if you book ahead. If you are touring Britain by train after your stay, our guide to UK train tickets and railcards explains Advance fares. Visitors can buy a Two Together or 16-25 Railcard, and the Two Together Railcard is sold at the station at Gatwick.
Southern charges £2 for a child with an adult. Southern offers £2 tickets for children travelling with an adult, which can make a family trip into Victoria much cheaper than paying full fares. Check the conditions on Southern's website before you travel, as the offer applies only to Southern services.
What it costs for a couple or a family
The fare difference grows when you travel together, because each adult pays separately and caps do not apply to Gatwick Express. These examples assume a one-way trip to Victoria with contactless.
| Group, one way to Victoria | Southern, off-peak | Southern, peak | Gatwick Express |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two adults | £21.40 | £38.40 | £48.00 |
| Three adults (GroupSave paper tickets may cost less) | £32.10 | £57.60 | £72.00 |
For a couple arriving off-peak, choosing Southern over Gatwick Express saves £26.60 each way. For children, rules on National Rail vary by operator, so check the fare before you travel rather than assuming they ride free. Our guide to children's fares in London explains where children do travel free once you are in the city.
Coaches and taxis from Gatwick
National Express runs coaches from Gatwick to London Victoria Coach Station, with 32 a day on service 025. Fares start from £6.00 and the trip takes about 1 hour 5 minutes, depending on traffic. That is slower than the train, but it is the cheapest way to Victoria and can suit travellers with a lot of luggage. Our guide to Victoria Coach Station explains where you arrive.
For London's black cabs, the fare to or from Gatwick can be agreed with the driver before the journey; otherwise the meter applies. Because Gatwick is well outside central London, a taxi into the city is a long and expensive ride, and TfL does not publish a typical Gatwick fare. Minicabs must be booked in advance. Our guide to taxis, minicabs and ride apps explains how to check that a driver and vehicle are licensed.
Travelling on from Gatwick: Heathrow, Luton and the coast
Gatwick is not just a gateway to London. Direct trains run south to Brighton in about 30 minutes, which makes it a practical base for a trip to the coast; see our Brighton day trip guide. Remember to buy a ticket for this journey, because contactless is not valid south of Gatwick.
For Heathrow, the quickest option is usually a direct coach. National Express runs 63 services a day between the two airports, from £14.70, taking about 1 hour 5 minutes. By rail, take Thameslink to Farringdon and change to the Elizabeth line, about 1 hour 30 minutes in total. Our guide to transferring between Heathrow and Gatwick compares both.
Thameslink also runs directly from Gatwick to Luton Airport Parkway, where the DART shuttle continues to Luton Airport. Gatwick gives a journey time of about 1 hour 30 minutes. Our page on Luton Airport covers the last leg.
Early flights and late arrivals
Train times in the early hours differ from the daytime pattern, and Gatwick warns that planned engineering works or strikes occasionally affect rail services to the airport. Check the timetable for your date on the operator's website or on National Rail Enquiries before you fly, and check Gatwick's train page for disruption notices.
If your flight leaves at dawn, compare the cost of a taxi at 04:00 with a night at an airport hotel. Our guides to late-night and early-morning airport transport and airport hotels around London help you decide. If you are still choosing which airport to fly into, our comparison of London's airports sets Gatwick against Heathrow, Stansted, Luton and London City.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gatwick Express worth it?
Only in some cases. Gatwick Express costs £24.00 with contactless and takes 30 minutes to Victoria. Southern trains also go to Victoria, and Gatwick says all its London trains take 30 to 45 minutes. Off-peak, Southern costs £10.70, so most visitors save money with little time lost.
Can I use Oyster or contactless at Gatwick?
Yes. Contactless cards, phones and Oyster cards are valid on trains between Gatwick and London, including Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink. They are not valid for journeys south of Gatwick or outside London, such as Brighton, Crawley, Reading or Cambridge, where you need a ticket.
How do I get between Gatwick's North and South Terminals?
A free shuttle links the two terminals and takes 2 minutes. The railway station is at the South Terminal, so passengers arriving at the North Terminal who want a train into London should take the shuttle first and then follow the signs.
Which terminal does British Airways use at Gatwick?
Gatwick's airline list shows British Airways at the South Terminal, and easyJet at the North Terminal. Terminal allocations can change, so check your booking or the airlines and terminals page on Gatwick's website a few days before you fly.
What is the cheapest way from Gatwick to central London?
The National Express coach to Victoria Coach Station, from £6.00, is the cheapest, but it takes about 1 hour 5 minutes. The cheapest train is Southern or Thameslink off-peak with contactless, at £10.70 to Victoria, London Bridge or St Pancras.
Sources
- London Gatwick - Train travel (checked September 2026)
- London Gatwick - To and from London (checked September 2026)
- London Gatwick - Airlines and terminals (checked September 2026)
- Transport for London - Single fare finder (checked September 2026)
- National Express - Gatwick Airport coaches (checked September 2026)
- Transport for London - Taxi fares (checked September 2026)
- GOV.UK - Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) (checked September 2026)