Gatwick Express Round Trip or First Capital Express

Joan, I'd just choose based on where your hotel is located. I generally use the Southern train between Victoria and Gatwick rather than the Express. It is at least 5 GBP cheaper (more if you buy in advance) and only takes about 5 to 10 minutes longer than the Express.

Joan, you don't say when you are traveling nor what time of day, nor day of the week. For the best answers I need that. The three train companies have very different personalities and the train experience will be different, particularly based on day of the week and time of day. Gatwick Express was the first special airport train business unit back in the days of British Rail, when it was still run by the government. It is the daddy of all airport services. It is dedicated to providing the fastest service between London and Gatwick, and runs non stop as a shuttle between the two end points. Recently they have removed the ability to buy tickets on the train and they MUST be purchased before boarding. It has the most luggage room, the fewest bits of rubbish about, few non-airport customers, and a very frequent service. For that you pay a premium. It is operated by Southern Railway as a distinct business unit. Southern also serves Gatwick from Victoria on its normal runs to 3 Bridges and Brighton, and some other trains stop there too. These are normal trains with normal luggage facilities (not much) and normal customers. It will normally stop at least at Clapham Junction and East Croydon on the way. At peak hours it can be SRO, not with airport customers but commuters. It will get its fair share of free newspaper rubbish. First Capitol Connect, also known as Thameslink, is a commuter railway which runs from the northern outer suburbs of London through the centre to Sutton and Brighton in the South. Most of their trains are a bit older, and often very busy, and they will be receiving a whole load of new and hand-me-down trains over the next few years to help with overcrowding. They go from Kings Cross Thameslink and several other City stations. All 3 have regular cheap ticket promotions.

First Capital does now run directly from St Pancras to Gatwick so it has the advantage that you only have one transfer from Eurostar instead of having to use tube or taxi to Victoria. The old Kings Cross Thameslink station closed a couple of years ago.

Thanks so much for your in-depth help. I arrived at Gatwick via Virgin Atlantic on a Tuesday at 0725 and depart at 1705 on a Wednesday. I arrive on the Eurostar at 1936 on Tuesday at St. Pancras on the Eurostar from Paris. Does my schedule make any difference in your advice? Also, as for lodging, I've hear the St. Pancras area is more of a business area. Thanks again.

7:25 arrival at Gatwick means probably 8:30 or so boarding your train. That will be in peak rush hour time and trains which call at Gatwick after other stations may well be, as we refer to it here, "heaving". If your flight is early and/or you clear Passport Control quickly it will be even worse. Because you need to be at Gatwick by 2pm on the return, and that's the middle of the day, any of the three routes would work. Thanks for the heads up, Philip. I'm less than half a mile away from KX most days but because I have no interaction with First Capital Connect at all except at Bedford the new station had passed my radar unnoticed.

By the way, Joan, I see you referring to FCC as First Capital Express. With 5 to 7 intermediate stops its hardly an Express. The correct name is First Capital Connect.