In a week I will be arriving to Gatwick at 7:20 (with only carry on luggage). I then have to head to my B&B near Greenwich (about an 80 min ride) drop off my bags and then take a 20 min train ride in to London.
Okay so my question: there is a 10:30 London Walk I really want to go on, but I know it would be cutting it close. Is it even possible to make it, or should I not even try?
More specifically, how quick (without driving us crazy) can we get from the plane on to the train? I checked train schedules and if I can catch the 7:45 I would arrive to my place by 9:08, but is that unrealistic?
Thanks!
Posted by
Charlotte, NC, USA
3428 posts
Catching the 7:45 will be nearly impossible- you may not even be off the plane by then. If everything works out and you land early- it is just barely possible. Assume at least 1 hour from wheels down to on the train as an optimistic estimate. We usually land at Gatwick around 8:00-9:00am we are seldom at our hotel in Victoria Station before 10:30 and it has been later. It's not that the lines are long or slow at immigration usually, but sometimes there is a wait to get to the gate, and sometimes a longish walk to passport control and sometimes a long line-- and sometimes all three.
Posted by
Denver, Colorado, USA
713 posts
I'm not expert enough about navigating Gatwick (haven't flown into it for nearly 10 years since change of airline routes now take us into Heathrow) to answer your specific questions about the airport.
But I have been to London on several trips, and have a suggestion. Victoria Railway Station has a baggage storage facility (operated by the Excess Baggage Company). Baggage storage is usually called "left luggage" in the UK. There's more info online at http://www.left-baggage.co.uk/locations.php They charge something like 8 pounds per bag per day to store your luggage. (I think there are left luggage facilities at all the main railway stations in London.)
So rather than trying to get out to Greenwich and back in time for the London Walks thing, what if you take the train (express or non-express) from Gatwick to Victoria, then store your carry-on bag at the left luggage facility at Victoria, then go on the London Walk? You could collect the bag after the walk is over, and then get out to Greenwich to check into your B&B.
The downside is you're out the cost of bag storage, but for something like 8 pounds you've bought yourself some time and relief from rushing frantically around on the first day of what I assume is intended to be a holiday in London.
Happy trails!
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
If your plane arrives on time and you follow Suz's advice, you should have no problem making the 10:30 London Walk. The non-express train to which she referred is a Southern train. 35-40 minutes to Victoria rather than the 30-minute ride on the Gatwick Express, but a lot cheaper. Trains run every 15 minutes. On weekdays at the hour you will ride it the train will be full of commuters, but with only carry-on luggage that won't be an issue.
If you have the time, you could walk a few blocks from Victoria train station to Victoria coach station and store your bag there. The price is only £3.50 for 2-24 hours.