Transportation between Gatwick and Victoria Station

We just took the Gatwick Express. I think it travels on the hour.

Except in the dead of night Gatwick Express runs every 15 minutes with a journey time of 30 minutes. Southern railway run between the same points with their regular service. Its a bit cheaper, a bit slower, a bit less clockface in departure times and running times but many here withing to save a few quid use it. Both could take your luggage unless you are bringing steamer trunks. Of course luggage for 3 weeks is exactly the same luggage for one week. Everything you bring you have to carry. What are you going to do on stairs? You ask "best". Who knows - only you know what best means to you.

Not really. We are doing a land tour of Paris and London before boarding a cruise ship. That calls for some different types of clothing. Are there no elevators or escalators in the airports/train stations to accommodate visitors with luggage? 'Important to know. Thanks for fueling that thought!

Gatwick has lifts to the platforms, London Victoria is an end station with all platforms at ground level so no need to worry. On the underground, the deeper stations have either escalators (sometimes very long) or elevators. Some of the shallower stations might be more difficult with luggage as they have only stairs.

Yes Jeanette, all that information is available and I'm happy to help. As Hanger Lane was formerly a rail station it is not deep enough to have grown escalators or lifts. Its around 29 stairs on the main staircase. A very good resource is Direct Enquiries . Click on the left most tab for access and then on the route you would like to use. Click on the camera icon and you can see a photo. I hope this helps. The TfL Step free tube guide can be really helpful. It certainly is true that Victoria has stairs, quite steep and wide with few banisters. The Bus station and Terminus Place has the fewest (17) but you want to be sure you wind up in the main booking hall not the District Line one to avoid more stairs. Again Direct Enquiries can help. You will need to change to get to the Central Line which has Hanger Lane on it. That would normally be done at Oxford Circus but there are yet more stairs to do that - 2 flights of 20 = 40. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Does anyone know if the station at Hanger Lane is deep or shallow/ has elevators or only stairs?

Victoria does have a flight of stairs.

If you plan carefully you do not need a lot of luggage for a cruise. Of course, the key is planning. We have done six European cruises. Other than the first one, each of us has a back pack style carryon size and ONE, not one each, one carry on size, rolling bag with our extra cruises clothing. Will not tell you how we took on the first cruise or the problems we had with luggage on that trip. It is called, Learning curve.

My husband and I have been on many cruises and travel extensively, this being only the 2nd European cruise. Our luggage has NEVER been an issue before because we did not do a land trip before the cruise. Also, our ports of departure have been either in the US or handled totally by Travel Agencies. Luggage just appeared at our destination like MAGIC!! For the first time, we planned this trip on our own, which involves a stay in Paris, then another in London, before departing on the cruise. We've always had rental vehicles and never had to worry with luggage, but the expense of this trip, given the value of the US Dollar, requires that we be more independent. It is vanity and hygiene, for sure, that prevents me from packing only about 3 outfits for 3 weeks. We like to change our underwear every day! There are only about 3 legs of the trip that will be a problem anyway. We'll deal with it!

Nigel, Thank you for your valuable information!