Has anyone taken the express bus between Heathrow and Gatwick? When consulting their website to purchase a ticket, one is asked to choose a time they will need the reservation. How do you know if you don't know how long it will take to retrieve your luggage and get through customs before you can board the express bus? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Posted by
Sacramento, Ca, US
144 posts
I just arranged the express bus and bought tickets for my cousin and family a few weeks back. I haven't asked them yet how it went because they just returned from Europe but I heard no complaints so I assume the bus was fine and got them to Heathrow on time. I bought their tickets online and even though you have to choose a particular time, it doesn't matter. You just show your ticket and board the next bus that comes. I think they leave about every 15 minutes.
Posted by
OP
Oak Hill, VA
9 posts
Thank you for your information, Katherine.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
695 posts
Hi Susan, we took that bus last year and we decided not to buy it in advance, because we did not know what time to book, so we just showed up and bought tickets on the spot and had no problem, it was around 8pm thought. The bus ride was around 45 minutes.
Posted by
OP
Oak Hill, VA
9 posts
Martine, We have 3 1/2 hours between our flights at Heathrow and Gatwick. Is that enough time to get from one airport to the other? How long did it take to get through customs and pick up your luggage?
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
Susan,
The only way you can make this connection is if everything goes perfectly: an on-time arrival, no delays getting through immigration/passport control, and no traffic delays on the M25. However, the odds are not in your favor. Many international flights arrive first thing in the morning. If yours is one of them, you may end up in a long line at immigration. The M25 is the busiest motorway in the UK. The actual time to get from LHR to LGW can be twice the scheduled time.
Is your flight out of LGW on a budget airline? If it is and you miss the check-in deadline, your ticket will be worthless and you'll have to buy a new one on a later flight at full fare.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
I made a similar trip from Heathrow to Stansted. I could have taken a Stansted flight that left 3.5 hours after my arrival at Heathrow, or one that left two hours after that. I took the later flight. As it happened, I could have made the earlier one easily, but I wouldn't gamble on it happening again. The consequences of waiting are much less than the consequences of missing your Gatwick flight.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
695 posts
Susan, i don't think you will make it in 3.5 hours, our flight was the next day, so we had no problem. What if you flight is delayed or any other problems occurs, it takes in no traffic at least 45 min from one airport to the other. Going through customs at heathrow was pretty fast, and security at Gatwick was also fast but all this was done in the evening around 8pm.