My boyfriend and I arrived in Gatwick last month, with the intention of taking the Gatwick Express into London. I did a lot of research before we left for our trip, and read on the GE website that you can purchase your ticket on the train, which I re-confirmed with an airport employee. After boarding one of the GE trains, we never saw anyone selling a ticket. We got off the train at Victoria station, to find that one needs that ticket to exit (just like in the tube). The ticket station was closed. We were stuck. We talked to one of the train officials, who writes up the ticket slips for these situations. We had to plead our case that the website declares tickets are sold on the train, and he ended up giving us a 2 for 1. Has anyone else experienced this? Can anyone explain why it happened (other than not buying the ticket beforehand)?
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
Kristen, I just checked the Gatwick Express website and don't see any reference to buying your ticket on the train. Can you link us to this information?
Posted by
OP
Pittsburgh, PA, United States
10 posts
I'm looking at the websites, and it actually looks different than the one I was looking at. I'm not sure if I was looking at Rail Europe's site regarding the Gatwick Express, or not. I'll keep checking. Regardless, an airport employee confirmed that we could purchase tix on the train.
Posted by
Bromley, Kent,, UK
1829 posts
It is very strange that this facility is not made obvious. Hoever, if you look at the third paragraph down on the link below, it does say that tickets may be bought on board. Also another clue is that one of the photographs on their site shows a train official with a ticket machine!
Maybe they don't want to encourage it.
https://www.gatwickexpress.com/content.asp?SID={2B18E313-3C8A-45F8-B33E-28FB5C849BC7}&pageid=60
Posted by
OP
Pittsburgh, PA, United States
10 posts
Ok, I was on the home page of the Gatwick Express site just now, and they have a link to "View the service for yourself". This shows a quick video, including a statement that you can buy tickets on board at no extra charge, while showing a porter with a machine on video.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32352 posts
Kristen,
Rick's Guidebooks also state that Gatwick Express tickets can be bought on-board the train, and that's confirmed by my own experience. On my last trip, the Conductor worked his way through each car selling tickets. It's a bit odd that he was absent on your trip?
Cheers!
Posted by
OP
Pittsburgh, PA, United States
10 posts
We were so paranoid that we didn't have tix, and we thought we would be charged first class tix because the surrounding area looked like 1st class, that we stood for 3/4 of the trip!
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9110 posts
There are very large signs at Gatwick airport encouraging passengers to purchase their tickets on-board. The rail station at the airport is tiny, and only has a small amount of space available for ticket windows/machines.
I've been on the Gatwick Express twice where the conductor hasn't made it to my car before it arrives at Vitoria Station; thus a free ride. It's kind of an open secret amongst the locals to never purchase your tickets from the machine, as you have a 50-50 chance of getting a free ride.
Posted by
Bromley, Kent,, UK
1829 posts
"as you have a 50-50 chance of getting a free ride."
As the OP pointed out you need a ticket to leave the platform at Victoria.
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9110 posts
The gates must be new. Last time I took the Gatwick Express (about three years ago)they weren't there.