Is 1.5 hours enough time for a flight from LGW (London Gatwick)
Jul 23, 2019, 3:57 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 114
Is 1.5 hours enough time for a flight from LGW (London Gatwick)
I have a Vueling flight on Sunday, August 4th at 11:35 from LGW (London Gatwick) - CDG (Paris)
I plan to get there via Thameslink rail. Will arrive at 10:09, leaving me with 1 hour 26 mins to check my bags, go thorugh security.
My question: Is this enough time? I know lots of people will say "why risk it?" but I'm only getting there this late because I'm taking the FIRST nonstop rail from Farringdon to Gatwick.
What do you think?
I plan to get there via Thameslink rail. Will arrive at 10:09, leaving me with 1 hour 26 mins to check my bags, go thorugh security.
My question: Is this enough time? I know lots of people will say "why risk it?" but I'm only getting there this late because I'm taking the FIRST nonstop rail from Farringdon to Gatwick.
What do you think?
Jul 24, 2019, 2:04 am
#3
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Make sure to check to see if there are any maintenance closures on that Sunday. If you end up on a bus replacement service, you won't make it.
But if the train runs on time, you'll be fine.
But if the train runs on time, you'll be fine.
Jul 25, 2019, 12:54 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London
Posts: 1,546
Not a risk I would be comfortable with. Weekend rail engineering (which is the reason trains on the cross London Thameslink route are starting late on that date) occasionally overruns - not every time - but it is certainly not an unknown event. There are lots of earlier trains that day starting at London Bridge. I'd be in one of those.
Jul 29, 2019, 7:34 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: California
Posts: 463
In my opinion your problem is not security (which is normally sane) but the bag drop deadline since you need to check bags.
I believe Vueling check-in closes 40 minutes before the flight.
I usually plan on Thameslink being ~10 minutes late into Gatwick (assuming it is punctual leaving London Bridge which is another story)
Unless you know exactly which carriage & door to board and do not need elevators/escalators that will be approximately another 15 minutes between leaving the train and arriving at the Vueling rows.
The Vueling counters can have pretty long queues (with clueless/argumentative people ahead of you further delaying things), so count another 10-20 minutes.
And poof 86 minutes has become 41-51 minutes...
I'd take an earlier train.
I believe Vueling check-in closes 40 minutes before the flight.
I usually plan on Thameslink being ~10 minutes late into Gatwick (assuming it is punctual leaving London Bridge which is another story)
Unless you know exactly which carriage & door to board and do not need elevators/escalators that will be approximately another 15 minutes between leaving the train and arriving at the Vueling rows.
The Vueling counters can have pretty long queues (with clueless/argumentative people ahead of you further delaying things), so count another 10-20 minutes.
And poof 86 minutes has become 41-51 minutes...
I'd take an earlier train.
Jul 29, 2019, 7:58 am
#6
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There are other ways of getting to LGW, and you're relying on a plan that needs everything to work perfectly and leaves you no slack for any disruption.
Why not get yourself first to Victoria, then take either the Gatwick Express, or a National Express bus for only about £5?
Jul 29, 2019, 1:42 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,770
There are other ways of getting to LGW, and you're relying on a plan that needs everything to work perfectly and leaves you no slack for any disruption.
Why not get yourself first to Victoria, then take either the Gatwick Express, or a National Express bus for only about £5?
Why not get yourself first to Victoria, then take either the Gatwick Express, or a National Express bus for only about £5?
I'm a regular on Farringdon > Gatwick and I would take the train OP is planning. Looking at the timetable, there are in fact three more trains (9.39, 9.45, 10.00) that OP can have as backups and still make the 40m check-in deadline.
Of course, it's possible that Thameslink will all be completely b*llsed up (as on several days recently) but you can always check early in the morning and adjust plans accordingly. Indeed there's even time to get from Farringdon to Victoria at last minute and still make it (quickest on a Santander Cycle but that's hard with checked bags).
So overall while this train certainly isn't risk-free and doesn't leave loads of leeway, it's one I'd go for if Farringdon is most convenient.