Jan 1, 2016, 2:32 am
Last edit by: miklcct
Heathrow to Gatwick transport options: a pictorial guide
This guide is for people transferring between Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
For quick and easy: take the taxi.
For cheaper and still fairly quick: take the National Express
For cheap: use the Piccadilly line to Victoria (or Blackfriars) via Barons Court
Or the newest rail alternative: Elizabeth line to Farringdon followed by Thameslink to Gatwick.
Minimum connection time on through tickets is 3 hours. On the ground you need at least 90 minutes to make the connection, using a taxi. If you are late, then a delay taking you to 2 hours 30 minutes for the connection should still be do-able on most of the options listed here.
Details on contactless payment here, this will allow you to avoid queuing for tickets. This works on the Heathrow Express but buying in advance via their website and App is cheaper, with fares under £6 single if booked more than 3 months ahead.
This guide is for people transferring between Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
For quick and easy: take the taxi.
For cheaper and still fairly quick: take the National Express
For cheap: use the Piccadilly line to Victoria (or Blackfriars) via Barons Court
Or the newest rail alternative: Elizabeth line to Farringdon followed by Thameslink to Gatwick.
Minimum connection time on through tickets is 3 hours. On the ground you need at least 90 minutes to make the connection, using a taxi. If you are late, then a delay taking you to 2 hours 30 minutes for the connection should still be do-able on most of the options listed here.
Details on contactless payment here, this will allow you to avoid queuing for tickets. This works on the Heathrow Express but buying in advance via their website and App is cheaper, with fares under £6 single if booked more than 3 months ahead.
Heathrow to Gatwick transport options: a pictorial guide
Jan 1, 2016, 6:53 am
#31
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Fantastic piece of work CWS. As you know, reward flights from Glasgow, Edinburgh et al show many Gatwick / Heathrow changes, very frustrating but that's just the way it is I suppose. This guide is very informative and will be extremely helpful to anyone who has a domestic connection ^
Jan 1, 2016, 7:33 am
#32
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You are of course correct, my apologies for not realising the obvious, it's actually cheaper than some options. Plus there are valuable Tier Points at stake here. The Art Department have duly delivered the appropriate graphics and have decreed that it is the most comfortable route between Heathrow and Gatwick. Who am I to argue? See post 7 above.
Jan 1, 2016, 8:33 am
#33
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You are of course correct, my apologies for not realising the obvious, it's actually cheaper than some options. Plus there are valuable Tier Points at stake here. The Art Department have duly delivered the appropriate graphics and have decreed that it is the most comfortable route between Heathrow and Gatwick. Who am I to argue? See post 7 above.
Jan 1, 2016, 9:39 am
#34
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You are of course correct, my apologies for not realising the obvious, it's actually cheaper than some options. Plus there are valuable Tier Points at stake here. The Art Department have duly delivered the appropriate graphics and have decreed that it is the most comfortable route between Heathrow and Gatwick. Who am I to argue? See post 7 above.
Excellent guide ^
Jan 1, 2016, 10:00 am
#35
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Excellent guide.
One other option, although rather long winded but could be useful if the m25 is snarled up or there is an issue with tubes, is to take the railair coach to Reading station (every 15 mins- journey time about 45-50mins) and then the GWR train service to Gatwick. In fact if you timed it right I don't reckon it would be any longer than the 'other tube options' and London bus options listed above.
One other option, although rather long winded but could be useful if the m25 is snarled up or there is an issue with tubes, is to take the railair coach to Reading station (every 15 mins- journey time about 45-50mins) and then the GWR train service to Gatwick. In fact if you timed it right I don't reckon it would be any longer than the 'other tube options' and London bus options listed above.
I'm prefering AMS though!
Jan 1, 2016, 10:15 am
#36
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Jan 1, 2016, 10:19 am
#37
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You are of course correct, my apologies for not realising the obvious, it's actually cheaper than some options. Plus there are valuable Tier Points at stake here. The Art Department have duly delivered the appropriate graphics and have decreed that it is the most comfortable route between Heathrow and Gatwick. Who am I to argue? See post 7 above.
Jan 10, 2016, 2:10 pm
#39
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Yes, any of the above would be fine. I'd probably advocate using the new Oyster/contactless ticketing in Option 4, assuming you have a suitable card, if you are on time or no more than 3 hours late. Contactless starts tomorrow.
Jan 12, 2016, 7:34 am
#40
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Heathrow to Victoria
4) Other rail and tube options via central London:
A better route, in my opinion, is to take the Piccadilly line from T5/T3 to Barons Court, then transfer over the other side of the same platform to the District line to Victoria. Then take any train other than the Gatwick Express to Gatwick. Works in a similar way for LGW-LHR travellers. This strikes me as the best route to use between Heathrow and Gatwick so long as you have more than 2 hours 30 minutes until your next departure, it's reasonably fast, cost effective particularly off peak, can be done with contactless payment, and the transfers aren't too painful, the worst one being at Victoria station.
A better route, in my opinion, is to take the Piccadilly line from T5/T3 to Barons Court, then transfer over the other side of the same platform to the District line to Victoria. Then take any train other than the Gatwick Express to Gatwick. Works in a similar way for LGW-LHR travellers. This strikes me as the best route to use between Heathrow and Gatwick so long as you have more than 2 hours 30 minutes until your next departure, it's reasonably fast, cost effective particularly off peak, can be done with contactless payment, and the transfers aren't too painful, the worst one being at Victoria station.
Just to add that as a regular Zone2west - Victoria traveller, as long as I don't have multiple suitcases during rush hour, I always stay on the Piccadilly line to South Kensington, then up the couple of flights of stairs to the District/Circle line platform because:
1) there's additional tube trains to Victoria (circle line)
2) avoid getting held at Earls Court - which happens quite often either to change driver or waiting for timetabled departure from Earls Court
3) avoid getting held between Earls Court and Gloucester Road by tube trains to/from High Street Kensington
4) one less station stop - West Kensington
on average, I reckon it saves a few minutes each journey (sometimes a lot more). obviously not worth it if you have monster bags to drag up the stairs at South Kensington.
Jan 12, 2016, 8:11 am
#41
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Once again CWS.... Wow. Just wow.... ^
Even this was fun to read although I probably will never ever use it as I live halfway on the best route between LHR and LGW.
Even this was fun to read although I probably will never ever use it as I live halfway on the best route between LHR and LGW.
Jan 12, 2016, 10:04 am
#43
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Well it's showing the paper ticket options, which remain available for those without contactless. But yes you are right, in the contactless world it's maybe not so relevant.
Jan 12, 2016, 10:08 am
#44
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Jan 12, 2016, 10:08 am
#45
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Just a few points/comments on this excellent guide
1. The Knowledge is of marginal (if any) advantage here. Not sure how a Taxi would know the route to LGW any more than anyone else. The route from LHR to LGW lies completely outside the Met Police area.
2. Cross London tube route from Paddington to Victoria: the Bakerloo Line->Oxford Circus->Victoria Line is i) quicker ii) more frequent iii) more accessible (no up and over the outer rail at paddington via staircases with your luggage) iv) more foolproof (all trains from the same platform go to the same destinations) than the circle line
3. Addison Lee meeting point in T5 is meeting place south (turn left as you exit customs into Arrivals); T3 its meet-and-greet name boards so individual searching required
4. (One for the future) TfL’s are to mandate card payment facilities in all London taxis, from October 2016 (and about time too!)
1. The Knowledge is of marginal (if any) advantage here. Not sure how a Taxi would know the route to LGW any more than anyone else. The route from LHR to LGW lies completely outside the Met Police area.
2. Cross London tube route from Paddington to Victoria: the Bakerloo Line->Oxford Circus->Victoria Line is i) quicker ii) more frequent iii) more accessible (no up and over the outer rail at paddington via staircases with your luggage) iv) more foolproof (all trains from the same platform go to the same destinations) than the circle line
3. Addison Lee meeting point in T5 is meeting place south (turn left as you exit customs into Arrivals); T3 its meet-and-greet name boards so individual searching required
4. (One for the future) TfL’s are to mandate card payment facilities in all London taxis, from October 2016 (and about time too!)