cheeky commuter question

[jetlagslag]

Good afternoon world, I'm just wondering which is the best method to get from Heathrow to Gatwick, I'm flying into LHR terminal 1, but I need to get to Gatwick, and I fear London travel at the best of times!

Cheers!

[perkin]

is there not a bus link between the 2?

[the_fish@blueyonder.]

There are bus links between the two airports, which are pretty frequent.

This page from the BAA Heathrow site has all the infromation, Heathrow-Gatwick is at the top. http://www.heathrowairport.com/portal/controller/dispatcher.jsp?CiID=5a69677bdf092010VgnVCM100000147e120a____&CtID=448c6a4c7f1b0010VgnVCM200000357e120a____&Ct=B2C_CT_GENERAL&RootCh=Getting%20to%20or%20from%20our%20Airport&Ch=Travel+between+Airports&ChID=625990d870962010VgnVCM100000147e120a____&ChPath=LHR%5ETo+and+from+our+Airport%5ETravel+between+Airpor ts&ChIDPath=bde597dc2eb12010VgnVCM100000147e120a____%5E2f2797dc 2eb12010VgnVCM100000147e120a____%5E625990d870962010VgnVCM100 000147e120a____

[wiggy]

As the BAA website indicates, National Express run a fairly frequent service between LHR/LGW, roughly every 15 -30 minutes during daylight hours but minimal late at night.
From LHR T1 head for the Central Bus Station ( about 10 minutes walk). Buy your ticket at the ticket office (the drivers do not sell tickets on board - don't even ask!). A single ticket LHR/LGW is around 18 STG. The Buses usually go from Central Bus Station via LHR T4 to LGW, in theory taking around at least 1 hr 15 to get from the LHR bus station to LGW. However at this point I must issue the a "health" warning: the whole process can become very protracted, especially in Summer.
You often have a long wait for tickets ( 20 min plus is not uncommon), you may not get on the first bus to arrive due to a backlog of pax and the M25 can be a crawl. Do not cut the timings too fine. FWIW BA reckon on a 3 hours minimum connection time ( from time of Flight Arrival to time of Flight Departure) between the two airports and from personal experience I reckon that's the absolute bare minimum ( and incredibly stressful for those involved) I generally try and allow 4 hours. As an aside do not expect startling customer service from National Express, some of the employees do try, but sadly a lot of the drivers are to stressed to use "please" and "thankyou"....don't expect the services to run to schedule and do expect boarding to be a bunfight........

Alternatively you can tube/Heathrow Express into London and then come out again by train to LGW, unlikely to be quicker or cheaper but an option.

Finally if all else fails and you are really running tight but have to make a connection (e.g. flight, report time:uhoh: ) a Taxi from LHR to LGW is about 80 STG and takes about 40 - 45 minutes minimum, all depending on the state of the M25 ( If you're considering this option I can PM you the phone numbers of a couple of the "chauffer" driven car outfits who operate the route) .

See you on the bus :hmm: :hmm:

[KiloMIke]

I think you can buy tickets online at www.nationalexpress.com

They used to give airline staff a discount but not sure if they still do.

[wiggy]

You can by online ( good idea, saves queing). Though you buy a ticket for a specific bus at a specific time in reality you can use it on any bus that day.
Your correct in thinking staff/ Airline discount has gone. The best deal now for frequent travellers is a wallet of 10 open tickets, for 99 quid.

[tom de luxe]

If you're travelling light, the following IMHO give the best combination of robust connection and speed:
1) Heathrow Express to Paddington where you head straight for the tube, namely the
2) Bakerloo Line (southbound) to Oxford Circus, where there's cross-platform interchange with the
3) Victoria Line southbound to Victoria station to connect with
4) Gatwick Express.

Does not involve travel via Mornington Crescent (I win!).

A taxi will be faster (not by much), more expensive (not by much :} HEX and GEX ARE expensive), but the above solution is immune to M25 SNAFUS, and the tube lines involved are (in my experience) less prone to delays than others.

[Ace Rimmer]

Also at the moment there are roadworks eastbound on the M25 between Jct 10 and 9 so that will add guite a bit of time to the transit

[the_fish@blueyonder.]

If you're travelling light, the following IMHO give the best combination of robust connection and speed:
1) Heathrow Express to Paddington where you head straight for the tube, namely the
2) Bakerloo Line (southbound) to Oxford Circus, where there's cross-platform interchange with the
3) Victoria Line southbound to Victoria station to connect with
4) Gatwick Express.

Does not involve travel via Mornington Crescent (I win!).

A taxi will be faster (not by much), more expensive (not by much :} HEX and GEX ARE expensive), but the above solution is immune to M25 SNAFUS, and the tube lines involved are (in my experience) less prone to delays than others.

I'd agree with that to a certain extent, only I'd get the Circle/District Line to Victoria Direct, and then get a Southern Train service to gatwick which costs about £5 less than the GEX and only takes 5 minutes longer.:cool:

[Pax Vobiscum]

I would check for any known delays to services before deciding which Underground line to take. The 'tube' (Bakerloo/Victoria) option will probably be a few minutes quicker than the 'surface' (Circle/District), but by taking the Circle you could avoid the need to change. Particularly if you've got heavy/large luggage with you, the slight larger surface trains may be more comfortable and will certainly avoid the need to negotiate escalators.

Southern Trains definitely a better deal than the Gatwick Express, but at least with the Express you can be sure you're on the right train! If only there were similar competition for the Heathrow Express - don't be tempted to take the Piccadilly line 'tube' from Heathrow unless you've got a lot of time to spare ...

[radeng]

pax said:
>don't be tempted to take the Piccadilly line 'tube' from Heathrow unless you've got a lot of time to spare ...<

If you do, it will seem like you need days, not hours!

[Globaliser]

... don't be tempted to take the Piccadilly line 'tube' from Heathrow unless you've got a lot of time to spare ...I used to think this, until a spate of weekend trips ex-LHR had me experimenting.

My office is near Blackfriars. So my realistic public transport options to Heathrow are:-District/Circle Line to Embankment; Bakerloo Line to Paddington; Heathrow Express to Heathrow. Taxi to Paddington; Heathrow Express to Heathrow. District Line to Barons Court (or Hammersmith); cross-platform change to Piccadilly Line to Heathrow.Late in the Friday evening peak hour (leaving the office about 7 pm), the Tube to Paddington was usually faster than a taxi. Using the Heathrow Express would usually be 60-65 minutes; my record was about 55 minutes. Much of the variation is due to the amount of time you have to spend at Paddington waiting for the next HEX to depart, ie anything up to 15 minutes.

Using the Tube all the way was fairly reliably about 75 minutes.

As the Tube is something like £3.50 on an Oyster, as opposed to the £16.50 one-way by Tube and HEX, I've concluded that I can afford to spend an extra 10-15 minutes on the Tube for that price difference.