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Gatwick Airport Live Departures and Arrivals

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Gatwick Airport Train Station

Gatwick Airport Train Station serves, as you may have guessed, Gatwick Airport. However, it also provides services to numerous stations, including London Victoria, London Blackfriars, Haywards Heath, and Brighton. The station operates on the Brighton Mainline and is actually the sixth busiest railway station in the UK outside of London.

Despite what you may think, Gatwick Airport Station has a long history that precedes the airport. It was first built in 1891 and named ‘Gatwick’. However, in 1946, it was renamed ‘Gatwick Racecourse’ to reflect its proximity to a nearby racecourse. Yet, it was not until 1958 that it was named ‘Gatwick Airport’ and became the first UK railway station to serve an airport.

At Gatwick Airport Train Station, you’ll find all kinds of travellers, from business travellers heading abroad for work, tourists going on holiday, to ordinary everyday passengers heading into London from cities like Brighton, or even commuters heading into London on the days they can’t work from home.

Gatwick Airport’s amenities include:

  • There is no ticket office at Gatwick Airport. You can book train tickets online and collect them from a self-service ticket machine, and you can also purchase an Oyster card.
  • First class lounge (opening times: Monday to Friday: 6am – 7.30pm; Saturday: 8am – 6pm; Sunday 9.30am – 7.30pm).
  • Step-free access to all platforms.
  • Boards to check the real-time train timetable and departure and arrival boards for flights.
  • ATMs, shops, and hospitality.
  • Post boxes.

Getting to and from Gatwick Airport

The quickest way to and from Gatwick Airport is via train. A shuttle service called the Gatwick Express operates between Brighton and London Victoria.

You can take a National Express coach that stops at Gatwick Airport bus station. Taxis are also located at the South Terminal bus station.

Trains to Gatwick Airport Train Station

As Gatwick Airport Train Station is primarily designed to connect passengers from the surrounding area to the airport, it predominantly serves routes to London Victoria, and the wider South East such as Brighton and Reading.

London Victoria to Gatwick Airport

Journeys from London Victoria take around thirty to thirty-five minutes and are operated by Gatwick Express and Southern.

Meanwhile, journeys made from City Thameslink are operated solely by Thameslink and take anywhere from thirty-eight to fifty-five minutes. They may also stop at London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon, and St Pancras International.

Edinburgh to Gatwick Airport

To get from Edinburgh Waverley to Gatwick Airport, you must change in London first and go to a different station.

The easiest route is to travel via LNER or Lumo to London King’s Cross, catch the Victoria line south to Victoria Train Station, and then catch the Gatwick Express directly to Gatwick Airport.

Brighton to Gatwick Airport

Getting from Brighton to Gatwick Airport Train Station takes approximately thirty minutes with either the Gatwick Express or Thameslink.

The Gatwick Express runs approximately every fifteen minutes between the two destinations, whereas Thameslink trains leave every thirty minutes during peak hours.

Main train companies at Gatwick Airport Train Station

Thameslink, Gatwick Express, Great Western Railway, and Southern are the primary rail operators at this station. They ferry passengers between destinations like London and Brighton so that they can catch their flights.

Things to do near Gatwick Airport Train Station

The main thing to do at Gatwick Airport is to catch your flight, of course!

Gatwick Airport is the secondary international airport that serves London. It’s also the second busiest airport in the UK and the eighth busiest in Europe.

The airport has over fifty long-haul routes, including those to Dubai, New York City, Shanghai, and Singapore. It also services thirty European countries and one hundred European destinations, like Amsterdam and the Azores.

If you need to stay overnight, then the airport is near a range of hotels for a convenient stay after a long day of travelling. Nearby are hotels by Sofitel, Radisson, Travelodge, and Premier Inn.

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FAQs about Gatwick Airport Train Station

Which terminal at Gatwick is the train station at?

Gatwick Airport Train Station is located in the South Terminal.

How do I get to the train station from Gatwick Airport?

You can take the free inter-terminal shuttle between terminals. The shuttle runs frequently.

How many train stations are at Gatwick Airport?

There is only one station—Gatwick Airport Train Station. It is located in the South Terminal; however, a frequent shuttle bus connects the South and North terminals.

*Information is subject to change. Please check the latest train timetable before your trip.

About Station

Gatwick Airport Facilities and Services

Station Details

Gatwick Airport station, South Terminal, Gatwick Airport, West Sussex, RH6 0RD

Open Monday to Sunday 24hrs

Available

Facilities

Toilets
WiFi
Shops
Station Buffet
ATM
Bureau de Change

Accessbility Facilities

Accessible Booking Office counter
Wheelchairs
Accessible ticket machines
Step-free access

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