Hi! What's the best and/or cheapest way to transfer from Gatwick Airport to London? It looks like there's a bus transfer that is very inexpensive. Has anyone used this service before? Thank you!
Posted by
Hampshire, England.
1069 posts
Take the train. If by "bus" you're referring to Easybus, don't bother, there are many complaints on another travel forum about them.
Posted by
not here anymore
631 posts
London is a huge place. Where do you need to be? no point in paying a cheap price to "somewhere in London" if you then have to pay as much again to get to where you should be.
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
The best way is by train - the fare is not very expensive and you get past all the traffic. Depending on where you are going in central London it might be easier to get either the Southern train to Victoria station, or the Thameslink train to Blackfriars or St Pancras.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
We're staying right near Paddington Station and Hyde Park, if that helps.
Posted by
not here anymore
631 posts
That's a good location for arrivals via Heathrow!
From Gatwick, you need to check the Google street map for the nearest underground station, at a suitable zoom level they all appear and are marked with a red circle crossed by a blue bar. Notting Hill Gate, Bayswater and Paddington are quite easy. Queensway is officially classed as so close to Bayswater that it's easier to walk than change lines (there's even a T-Shirt of this!). Lancaster Gate might be easier to walk from Paddington on a dry day without a lot of luggage.
At Gatwick go to the railway station ticket counter. Tell them you want to travel with Southern to London and want it with a Zone1-6 Travelcard. Assuming you reach this point after about 09:15 (or at a weekend) the OffPeak price should be £16.60 which is only 90p more than a one way ticket to Victoria and for that you get unlimited travel of all Underground, local trains and red buses within an area of London so big you won't go near most of it. But it does include the area around your hotel. You must travel from Gatwicik to London Victoria station with Southern. It is not valid on Gatwick Express (although owned by Southern) as they charge more for a slightly faster ride. Nor is it valid on Thameslink who run to London on a different route which is slightly cheaper but goes out of your way. The ticket from Gatwick will work the gates on Underground stations. At Victoria go the the underground station and find Circle Line towards Edgware Rd as a starter, if you need to change lines it will be off this.
There is a proper limited stop bus service (not easybus) from Gatwick to Victoria coach station by National Express but this wouldn't be as convenient and takes much longer.