Sep 25, 2015, 8:48 pm
Last edit by: Mwenenzi
LHR <--> LGW Connections Thread
London Heathrow and Gatwick Airports Connection, Transport, Minimum Connect Time, etc.
++++London Heathrow and Gatwick Airports Connection, Transport, Minimum Connect Time, etc.
Edit
This thread & wiki has in some ways been superseded by a new thread (started 28 Dec 2015)
Link-->Heathrow to Gatwick transport options: a pictorial guide
Costs in this wiki-thread will not be current
++++
MCT: British Airways requires a 3 hour minimum connect time (MCT) for LHR<--> connections; some others have a 3:30 MCT. Most would probably recommend four hours minimum if you are arriving from an international flight, and of course, you must retrieve your baggage and take it to the other airport.
If you are booked through on one airline and one ticket, if you mid connect the airline has an obligation to accommodate you on the next flight with availability. For separate tickets on different airlines, the second airline may have no legal obligation to do so.
The fastest and most expensive way is to use a Black Taxi (formal taxi), private hire driver, licensed mini-cab. Most direct and reasonably priced is the National Express coach (bus).
NOTE: If you are traveling Monday morning, Friday or Sunday afternoon or evening, add another full hour for these connections due to traffic congestion.
National Express Coach / Bus
The easiest way to connect is using National Express coach (bus) service. Minimum drive time is 1:15, assuming traffic on the M25 isn't troublesome.
One way is £20, return €40. Runs around the clock, as often as five times hourly. For £5 you can add Flexible Add-On, allowing free ticket change within 12 hours before or after your scheduled time, 24 hour free cancellation, or amend your travel date.
You are allowed two 20 kg / 44 lb bags (airlines will not transfer baggage between Heathrow and Gatwick airports).
Route:
http://www.nationalexpress.com/airpo...ick-coach.aspx
The easiest way to connect is using National Express coach (bus) service. Minimum drive time is 1:15, assuming traffic on the M25 isn't troublesome.
One way is £20, return €40. Runs around the clock, as often as five times hourly. For £5 you can add Flexible Add-On, allowing free ticket change within 12 hours before or after your scheduled time, 24 hour free cancellation, or amend your travel date.
You are allowed two 20 kg / 44 lb bags (airlines will not transfer baggage between Heathrow and Gatwick airports).
Route:
- Gatwick South
- Gatwick North
- Heathrow Terminal 5
- Heathrow Terminal 4
- Heathrow Bus Station (Terminals 2 & 3)
http://www.nationalexpress.com/airpo...ick-coach.aspx
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Rail, Rail & Coach (bus)
There is no direct rail option between LHR and LGW. There are "tube" (underground) to rail, rail and rail connected by tube, bus and rail combinations. These will take longer than National Express coaches, will require connections that may require stairs, changing platforms and walking.
Perhaps most convenient:
1. Take the Tube to Hammersmith station
Change to a District line train to Victoria (Should take 50 minutes or so)
£4.50 if paid in cash, £2.40 if you have an Oyster card
2. onward via Southern train from Victoria to Gatwick Airport (Should take 30 minutes)
£11.90 on the day itself , (but if you book in advance and take a booked train, you can get this down to £5) (seanyjmuc)
Cheap: Tube / London Underground (Travel Zone 6) has several stations at Heathrow, serving the Picadilly Line: LHR T-2 and T-3 are served by a station accessible by walking a pedestrian subway; T-4 and T-5 have lower level Tube Stations. From LHR take the Tube to Victoria station or London Bridge station, then either Southern Railway (from Victoria) or First Capital Connect (from London Bridge) to Gatwick. (Or reverse.)
Be aware of occasional stoppages or station closures. Check ticket prices and book at www.nationalrail.co.uk - Single "Advance" fares from London to Gatwick are around £5. (Reason077)
Cheaper: X26 Terminal 2-3 bus stop to East Croydon, train to LGW (or reverse). (alanR)
Tube to Olympia or West Brompton, then train to Clapham Junction and on to LGW. Not going into zone 1 (Earls Court is a both zone 1 and 2) will reduce tube travel cost. Seems the direct trains are gone so a change is required at Clapham Junction. (YVR Cockroach)
OR better still, change at East Croydon (if you get the hourly direct Milton Keynes-EC train) where there are ramps for those with luggage. Changing at Clapham is horrible as it will involve two sets of steep steps, a narrrow subway or footbridge and many grumpy commuters. (Swanhunter)
Cheapest: Bus 285 from Terminal 2-3 Bay 20 to Feltham, connect at Clapham Junction (2 trains). (mickeypops & RichardInSF)
There is no direct rail option between LHR and LGW. There are "tube" (underground) to rail, rail and rail connected by tube, bus and rail combinations. These will take longer than National Express coaches, will require connections that may require stairs, changing platforms and walking.
Perhaps most convenient:
1. Take the Tube to Hammersmith station
Change to a District line train to Victoria (Should take 50 minutes or so)
£4.50 if paid in cash, £2.40 if you have an Oyster card
2. onward via Southern train from Victoria to Gatwick Airport (Should take 30 minutes)
£11.90 on the day itself , (but if you book in advance and take a booked train, you can get this down to £5) (seanyjmuc)
Cheap: Tube / London Underground (Travel Zone 6) has several stations at Heathrow, serving the Picadilly Line: LHR T-2 and T-3 are served by a station accessible by walking a pedestrian subway; T-4 and T-5 have lower level Tube Stations. From LHR take the Tube to Victoria station or London Bridge station, then either Southern Railway (from Victoria) or First Capital Connect (from London Bridge) to Gatwick. (Or reverse.)
Be aware of occasional stoppages or station closures. Check ticket prices and book at www.nationalrail.co.uk - Single "Advance" fares from London to Gatwick are around £5. (Reason077)
Cheaper: X26 Terminal 2-3 bus stop to East Croydon, train to LGW (or reverse). (alanR)
Tube to Olympia or West Brompton, then train to Clapham Junction and on to LGW. Not going into zone 1 (Earls Court is a both zone 1 and 2) will reduce tube travel cost. Seems the direct trains are gone so a change is required at Clapham Junction. (YVR Cockroach)
OR better still, change at East Croydon (if you get the hourly direct Milton Keynes-EC train) where there are ramps for those with luggage. Changing at Clapham is horrible as it will involve two sets of steep steps, a narrrow subway or footbridge and many grumpy commuters. (Swanhunter)
Cheapest: Bus 285 from Terminal 2-3 Bay 20 to Feltham, connect at Clapham Junction (2 trains). (mickeypops & RichardInSF)
London Taxi ("Black Cab")
At LHR there are taxi ranks for Black Taxis, which are spacious and accept passengers with disabilities including wheel chairs and a goodly quantity of baggage. AtvLGW, which is not in London, there are no Black Taxis; check at Information desks about securing a taxi.
In both instances, plan on paying £100 or more for a transfer; minimum transfer times are 45 minutes.
Tariffs: There are three tariff times, each progressively costlier
Extra charges: All extra charges must be revealed at start of trip
At LHR there are taxi ranks for Black Taxis, which are spacious and accept passengers with disabilities including wheel chairs and a goodly quantity of baggage. AtvLGW, which is not in London, there are no Black Taxis; check at Information desks about securing a taxi.
In both instances, plan on paying £100 or more for a transfer; minimum transfer times are 45 minutes.
Tariffs: There are three tariff times, each progressively costlier
- Tariff 1: Monday to Friday 06:00 - 20:00
- Tariff 2: Monday to Friday 20:00 - 22:00
- Tariff 3: Saturday and Sunday 06:00 - 22:00 and Every night 22:00 - 06:00 and public holidays
Extra charges: All extra charges must be revealed at start of trip
- £2.40 minimum charge
- £2.00 telephone or online booking charge
- £2.80 mandatory charge starting at LHR taxi rank
- £4.00 holiday charge 20:00 on 24 - 06:00 on 27 Dec, 20:00 31 and 06:00 on 2 Jan.
- For credit or bank cards, charge of the higher of £1.00 or 10% of the metered fare
LHR <--> LGW connection, MCT, transport, etc. (merged threads)
Aug 23, 2010, 11:08 am
#16
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Aug 23, 2010, 2:47 pm
#17
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Or better still, change at East Croydon (if you get the hourly direct Milton Keynes-EC train) where there are ramps for those with luggage. Changing at Clapham is horrible as it will involve two sets of steep steps, a narrrow subway or footbridge and many grumpy commuters.
Aug 23, 2010, 3:37 pm
#18
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Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8A293 Safari/6531.22.7)
That would be 3 changes, though... It's a shame there isn't enough demand for a direct rail service these days (not that I imagine you could get a diesel train past airport junction). There is a "parliamentary" daily service from Ealing Broadway to Wandsworth Road, so the connections are still there even since the Brighton Cross-Country services were axed. It would open up some handy direct routes from intermediate stations, too...
That would be 3 changes, though... It's a shame there isn't enough demand for a direct rail service these days (not that I imagine you could get a diesel train past airport junction). There is a "parliamentary" daily service from Ealing Broadway to Wandsworth Road, so the connections are still there even since the Brighton Cross-Country services were axed. It would open up some handy direct routes from intermediate stations, too...
Dec 27, 2010, 10:43 am
#19
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 425
LHR to LGW transfer and lounges
I'm arriving at LHR from CAI on BMI and read there is an arrivals lounge - I'm *G (US Chairman) and on a Business class ticket and arrive 9pm so the arrivals lounge in LHR might be closed anyway (think the hours are 05:30 - 14:30)?
I'm flying out of LGW at 11:30am the next day so need to transfer airports and was thinking of either buying an advance National Express bus ticket OR playing by ear and maybe taking the tube into London for a few hours before taking Gatwick Express to LGW to make the 11:35. However, I might be tired so the bus to LGW might work but is there anywhere to sleep at LGW or a lounge that would be open?
I bet the LGW lounge is only open 6:30-~22:00 so I would be out of luck for that too. Do they have showers at LGW at least or any other lounge/shower options while it is closed?
So would you advise I make a trip into London or go straight to LGW and crash somewhere or do an airport hotel? Might be easier to just get through security at LGW and hang out so I don't miss my flight.
I'm flying out of LGW at 11:30am the next day so need to transfer airports and was thinking of either buying an advance National Express bus ticket OR playing by ear and maybe taking the tube into London for a few hours before taking Gatwick Express to LGW to make the 11:35. However, I might be tired so the bus to LGW might work but is there anywhere to sleep at LGW or a lounge that would be open?
I bet the LGW lounge is only open 6:30-~22:00 so I would be out of luck for that too. Do they have showers at LGW at least or any other lounge/shower options while it is closed?
So would you advise I make a trip into London or go straight to LGW and crash somewhere or do an airport hotel? Might be easier to just get through security at LGW and hang out so I don't miss my flight.
Dec 27, 2010, 10:51 am
#20
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As this is much more UK/London related, I'm moving this to the UK forum.
Thanks!
--aztimm
Moderator, US Airways
Thanks!
--aztimm
Moderator, US Airways
Dec 27, 2010, 11:48 am
#21
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You're correct on the arrivals lounge - it closes in the early afternoon.
There is a Yotel at Gatwick South (it's directly below arrivals), where you can buy rooms by the hour (no, not like that) - a 4-hour day room costs £25, or from £60 for an overnight. Tiny rooms, but right in the terminal - I use it a lot these days.
Heading into London - it really depends on how tired you'll be feeling! It could be a great fun way to spend an extended transit, or a wet, rainy, miserable few hours feeling cold. Personally, I'd do it, even if just for a quick pop up at St Paul's, a coffee, and a walk to City Thameslink for the train to Gatwick. Personally, I wouldn't recommend the Gatwick Express, but would go either for the Southern Railway service from Victoria, or the First Capital Connect service (weekdays only) from St Pancras, Farringdon, City Thameslink and London Bridge (not rush hours).
Of course, if you prefer, it's easy to stay up all night in London! Just grab a copy of Time Out and see what takes your fancy
There is a Yotel at Gatwick South (it's directly below arrivals), where you can buy rooms by the hour (no, not like that) - a 4-hour day room costs £25, or from £60 for an overnight. Tiny rooms, but right in the terminal - I use it a lot these days.
Heading into London - it really depends on how tired you'll be feeling! It could be a great fun way to spend an extended transit, or a wet, rainy, miserable few hours feeling cold. Personally, I'd do it, even if just for a quick pop up at St Paul's, a coffee, and a walk to City Thameslink for the train to Gatwick. Personally, I wouldn't recommend the Gatwick Express, but would go either for the Southern Railway service from Victoria, or the First Capital Connect service (weekdays only) from St Pancras, Farringdon, City Thameslink and London Bridge (not rush hours).
Of course, if you prefer, it's easy to stay up all night in London! Just grab a copy of Time Out and see what takes your fancy
Dec 27, 2010, 6:32 pm
#22
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Just got back from there it's your call
Weather is really grim there right now and there has been interrupted rail service all weekend long (usual tube strike). But like was stated, there isn't a whole lot of good options getting form either airport. But all the Boxing week sales are going on right now before the VAT goes to 20%. And we are up in arms over tax cuts...
Feb 24, 2011, 7:46 am
#23
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 95
Help with LHR-LGW transfer
Next week I have to do the LHR-LGW transfer for my travel from BOS to MLE. In contrast to the usual question of "Will X hours be enough?" I have too much time on my hands. My flight from BOS arrives in Heathrow @6AM and my departure from Gatwick is @6PM.
Are there any recommendations for a less direct route that will kill some time and/or places that I can stop while making my way to Gatwick? Perhaps something near either airport? Anything to avoid spending a lot of time in a terminal.
I have an overnight stay for my return journey and have the Holiday Inn Heathrow Ariel booked. I planned on the tranfer bus, but where exactly does it arrive at Heathrow? What is the best way to make my way to the Holiday Inn.
Thanks
Are there any recommendations for a less direct route that will kill some time and/or places that I can stop while making my way to Gatwick? Perhaps something near either airport? Anything to avoid spending a lot of time in a terminal.
I have an overnight stay for my return journey and have the Holiday Inn Heathrow Ariel booked. I planned on the tranfer bus, but where exactly does it arrive at Heathrow? What is the best way to make my way to the Holiday Inn.
Thanks
Feb 24, 2011, 8:54 am
#24
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Next week I have to do the LHR-LGW transfer for my travel from BOS to MLE. In contrast to the usual question of "Will X hours be enough?" I have too much time on my hands. My flight from BOS arrives in Heathrow @6AM and my departure from Gatwick is @6PM.
Are there any recommendations for a less direct route that will kill some time and/or places that I can stop while making my way to Gatwick? Perhaps something near either airport? Anything to avoid spending a lot of time in a terminal.
Are there any recommendations for a less direct route that will kill some time and/or places that I can stop while making my way to Gatwick? Perhaps something near either airport? Anything to avoid spending a lot of time in a terminal.
You'll be in London from about 8 am until then, about eight hours. If you need suggestions for what to do there, see any of several other threads here!
On the way back you can cross Bath Road (aka the A4, a busy four-lane divided roadway) to get the free city bus back to the Central Bus Station, or take the £4 per person "Hotel Hoppa" shuttle door-to-door to your terminal. My choice would depend on how large my party is, how much time I have, and which terminal I'm departing from.
Feb 24, 2011, 9:17 am
#25
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Now I have more options than I was thinking about.
Feb 25, 2011, 11:37 am
#26
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Glad to help!
Just checked Left Luggage prices. They've gone up since the last time I used them: £8 per item per day. If that's a bit stiff for you, options I found (but have not tried) include the lockers at the British Library and the (reportedly less expensive) facility at the coach (bus) station nearby.
You could also probably leave your bags with the concierge at a nearby hotel. I'm sure a £5 tip would cover that nicely. Most of the hotels near Victoria aren't fancy enough to have concierges, but there must be some larger ones in the area.
Just checked Left Luggage prices. They've gone up since the last time I used them: £8 per item per day. If that's a bit stiff for you, options I found (but have not tried) include the lockers at the British Library and the (reportedly less expensive) facility at the coach (bus) station nearby.
You could also probably leave your bags with the concierge at a nearby hotel. I'm sure a £5 tip would cover that nicely. Most of the hotels near Victoria aren't fancy enough to have concierges, but there must be some larger ones in the area.
Last edited by Efrem; Feb 25, 2011 at 1:17 pm Reason: fix typo (insert missing word "bags" in 2nd para.)
Feb 25, 2011, 12:48 pm
#27
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Regarding left luggage at Victoria Coach Station - it is indeed a cheaper option, see the prices and opening hours here.
It's a pretty straightforward five or so minute walk from Victoria railway (and Tube) station - here's an outline map of the area (look at the bottom left hand corner) - worth noting there's a useful side entrance to the concourse of Victoria rail station on Buckingham Palace Road (and the trains to Gatwick go from that side too).
(Actually, Sloane Square Tube station isn't all that far from the Coach Station either, but it's a less straightforward walk.)
It's a pretty straightforward five or so minute walk from Victoria railway (and Tube) station - here's an outline map of the area (look at the bottom left hand corner) - worth noting there's a useful side entrance to the concourse of Victoria rail station on Buckingham Palace Road (and the trains to Gatwick go from that side too).
(Actually, Sloane Square Tube station isn't all that far from the Coach Station either, but it's a less straightforward walk.)
Jul 21, 2011, 9:04 am
#28
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LGW to LHR Sunday early morning
Greetings,
I'm flying in from Malta on my way home to the US Mid October.
I'll be landing at around 10:30PM at LGW and flying out from LHR the next morning at 9:30AM.
I thought of staying in Gatwick as I arrive and take the bus in the morning to LHR.
What should I plan on in terms of transportation?
I'll be probaby staying at the Hilton close to the South Terminal at Gatwick.
Thanks,
I'm flying in from Malta on my way home to the US Mid October.
I'll be landing at around 10:30PM at LGW and flying out from LHR the next morning at 9:30AM.
I thought of staying in Gatwick as I arrive and take the bus in the morning to LHR.
What should I plan on in terms of transportation?
I'll be probaby staying at the Hilton close to the South Terminal at Gatwick.
Thanks,
Jul 21, 2011, 9:10 am
#29
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That's quite an early start - would you not feel better doing the bus to Heathrow the night before?
http://www.nationalexpress.co.uk/ will give you times and prices.
http://www.nationalexpress.co.uk/ will give you times and prices.
Jul 21, 2011, 9:15 am
#30
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Thanks for the qucik repsonse....
I'm debating.
The Hilton at LHR is a little above my "allowance" so I have 2 options:
1. hop on a bus to LHR upon arrival, and then at LHR take a shuttle of a taxi to some other hotel in the area (any preference?)
2. Stay the night at the Hiltons, hop on an ealry bus to LHR.
What would you do?
I'm debating.
The Hilton at LHR is a little above my "allowance" so I have 2 options:
1. hop on a bus to LHR upon arrival, and then at LHR take a shuttle of a taxi to some other hotel in the area (any preference?)
2. Stay the night at the Hiltons, hop on an ealry bus to LHR.
What would you do?