Gatwick Airport

General information

Gatwick airport is located 28 miles (45km) south of London, just off the M23.
The Gatwick airport’s North and South terminals are connected by a 2 minute shuttle.
Home of the busiest single runway in the world with more than 50 airlines running regular flights to over 200 destinations.
Over 40 million people travel through Gatwick airport every year.

How can I get to Gatwick Airport?

By car

To get to the Gatwick airport leave the M23 at junction 9 or take the A23 from London to Brighton.
The South Terminal postcode is RH6 0NP and the North is RH6 0PJ if you’re using a sat nav.
The drive takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes to drive from central London, and 2 hours and 45 minutes from Birmingham (depending on the traffic).

By train

Gatwick train station is located at the South Terminal only a 10 minute walk from check in. A free monorail connects to the North Terminal and takes around 2 minutes.
The Gatwick Express runs from Victoria every 15 minutes during the day and hourly at night. The journey takes 30 minutes.
Other train services run from Victoria throughout the day and are much cheaper. Journey time ranges from 30 minutes to an hour
If you’re travelling to Gatwick airport from outside of London your route will involve multiple train changes.

By bus

Gatwick airport coach station is located at the South Terminal, but most busses also call at the North Terminal.
National Express coaches run from London Victoria every half hour at peak times (hourly otherwise). Journey time is about 1 hour.
By far the cheapest way to travel to Gatwick with tickets starting as low as £5 one way.
Coaches also run from many other UK cities, including Birmingham and Cardiff.

Parking facilities

The best option when driving to Gatwick airport is to use a valet meet and greet parking service. Take a minute to fill in the form on the right and we’ll get you a great quote in minutes. Here are all the parking options available at Gatwick airport to help you find the best option for you:

Valet parking

Simply drop your car off with one of the airport’s meet and greet services, they’ll take care of it while you’re away and bring it straight to you on your return.
Takes away all the stress of parking at the Gatwick airport
Right by the terminal so no need to wait for slow airport busses

Long stay parking

2 long stay car parks: one located a 5 minute bus ride from the South Terminal and the other a ten minute bus from the North Terminal.
Pre-booking guarantees you a space.
For full information about Gatwick’s long stay parking see our guide.

Short stay parking

Gatwick’s 2 short stay car parks are located two minutes away from both the North and South Terminals respectively.
More expensive than long stay, but more convenient
For full information about Gatwick’s short stay parking have a look here.

What can I do at the terminals?

Both terminals have had recent renovations and offer a variety of shops and restaurants to enjoy while waiting for your flight. Here’s a quick summary of the facilities available at Gatwick’s terminals.

North Terminal

Here is a list of facilities at the Gatwick Terminal:

Shops: This terminal departures lounge has two large World Duty Free shopping areas along with a wide range shops for books, clothes, technology, and gifts. Shops are mainly situated on the lower level of the departures lounge.
Food and drink: There’s a broad selection of restaurants in the departures lounge, with everything from Wetherspoons to a caviar bar, and Wagamama to Pret a Manger. You can also grab a coffee near the check in and there’s a WHSmith by arrivals so you can grab a sandwich on your way home.
Internet: Gatwick airport has high speed wifi provided by Boingo, to which every passenger gets 90 minutes of free access. After that you have to pay extra, with Boingo offering different packages at various prices. There are also internet kiosks with printing facilities before and after security. Internet costs 10p a minute and printing is 50p a page.
Cash machines: Numerous free cash machines are available at the terminal on the lower level of the departure lounge.
Bureau de change: There are Bureaux de Change near check in, in the departures hall, and by the lifts on the arrivals concourse.
Trolleys: Trolleys are available and require a £1 coin to release (which you get back upon returning the trolley).
Mobile phone charging: Free mobile phone charging is available in the terminal departures lounge near the London News Company and World Duty Free.
Kids Zone: Near Dixons there is a free kids entertainment zone so you can put your feet up.
Toilets: There are male, female, and accessible toilets available throughout the terminal.

South Terminal

Here is a list of facilities at the Gatwick airport South Terminal:

Shops: There’s a wide range of shops available at the South Terminal, along with a large World Duty Free shopping area. You can find everything from technology to clothes and gifts, and there’s also a Boots when you get to arrivals.
Food and drink: You can grab a but to eat in a large variety of restaurants in the departures lounge including Nandos, Wetherspoons, and a caviar bar. You can also grab a coffee and a sandwich in the arrivals hall where there is a Costa and an M&S Simply Food.
Internet: You can get 90 minutes of free internet access through Boingo, throughout the Gatwick airport. After that time you can pay extra for more access. There are also internet kiosks with printing facilities at check in.
Cash machines: There’s a cash machine in the arrivals hall near the Bureau de Change.
Bureau de change: There are Bureaux de Change throughout the terminal, both before and after check in and in the arrivals hall.
Trolleys: Free trolleys are available throughout the terminal but they require a £1 coin to release which you get back when you return the trolley.
Toilets: There are male, female, and accessible toilets available throughout the terminal. There are also shower facilities on levels 1 and 3 of the departure hall.

Airports can be stressful, but we hope this guide helps you make the most of what’s on offer at Gatwick.