Practicalities of getting the train to work: Victoria-LGW
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Practicalities of getting the train to work: Victoria-LGW
Interested to know how viable this is or if I'll need to rent a room local to Gatwick.
I think driving is a bit of a no-no as there aren't any major roads from W1 to LGW so I'm hoping that the train will do the job.
In theory I can get door to door in 45 minutes to an hour (10 minutes bus to Victoria, half an hour train to LGW) but is there anything I'm overlooking?.
One concern is distance from train station to easyJet reporting point - I don't know where this is, is it far?
Also I think it could get quite expensive - are there any Gatwick Express/other network discounts for easyJet/Airport Staff/crew?
Anything else I've overlooked (other than the 'wearing uniform in public' thing!).
Thanks.
I think driving is a bit of a no-no as there aren't any major roads from W1 to LGW so I'm hoping that the train will do the job.
In theory I can get door to door in 45 minutes to an hour (10 minutes bus to Victoria, half an hour train to LGW) but is there anything I'm overlooking?.
One concern is distance from train station to easyJet reporting point - I don't know where this is, is it far?
Also I think it could get quite expensive - are there any Gatwick Express/other network discounts for easyJet/Airport Staff/crew?
Anything else I've overlooked (other than the 'wearing uniform in public' thing!).
Thanks.
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e:mail "[email protected]" and they should be able to provide details of all bus/rail travel to work incentives for Gatwick.
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tis a doddle. Ezy check in in Concorde house, 5 minute stroll from the train station through the terminal. 24 hour discounted Coffee available at Costa by Sth terminal arrivals. I have a 6 zone annual "Gold card" and use it to excess from zone 6 to LGW if i use gat express. Costs £9.10 day return. There is a staff travelcard which gives you a similar discount.
After 9.30 using Southern it costs £3.15 return!
Car parking/bus is a nightmare at gatwick, not to mention wasting/shortening your life sitting on the M25 when you could be relaxing on the way to/from work.
I have a car and usually choose not to use it. I live in W4 and from front door to crew room varies between 1 hour(fastest) and 2 hours(late at night...just missed the 2.15 am london bound...have to wait for another hour..)
Extra benefit if you do overnight flights is that you dont have to fight to stay awake/ alive on the drive home.
W1 should be very easy. I live in W4 and sometimes have to grab a minicab to Victoria for the first gat express at 03.30am.
Just a bit too far to cycle with a flight bag!
After 9.30 using Southern it costs £3.15 return!
Car parking/bus is a nightmare at gatwick, not to mention wasting/shortening your life sitting on the M25 when you could be relaxing on the way to/from work.
I have a car and usually choose not to use it. I live in W4 and from front door to crew room varies between 1 hour(fastest) and 2 hours(late at night...just missed the 2.15 am london bound...have to wait for another hour..)
Extra benefit if you do overnight flights is that you dont have to fight to stay awake/ alive on the drive home.
W1 should be very easy. I live in W4 and sometimes have to grab a minicab to Victoria for the first gat express at 03.30am.
Just a bit too far to cycle with a flight bag!
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Thanks Musket - Sounds promising. I emailed last night and am awaiting a response.
Great stuff aztruck - very helpful. All seems quite doable. See you on the train in a couple of months! (Hopefully not waiting for the 3.15am - that doesn't sound fun at all).
Great stuff aztruck - very helpful. All seems quite doable. See you on the train in a couple of months! (Hopefully not waiting for the 3.15am - that doesn't sound fun at all).
Bit off topic but when I had a weeks flying from Stansted last year I stayed with my brother who lives in Shoreditch. His place is a 20 min walk from Liverpool St and I used the Stansted Express (£16 cheap day return) to get to and from work which takes 45 minutes.
The down side is that the last train back to London departs circa midnight (you'd think it would be operating 24/7 these days)and it was the week of all the fog in the South so we were landing back at STN around 1 a.m. but there were coaches to central London (you just had to show your train ticket and no charge) which in fact were quicker door to door due less traffic in the early hours.
However it was a joy to commute without having to fight the traffic and be able to doze off on the journey back without having to worry about drifting off and hitting the central reservation!
The down side is that the last train back to London departs circa midnight (you'd think it would be operating 24/7 these days)and it was the week of all the fog in the South so we were landing back at STN around 1 a.m. but there were coaches to central London (you just had to show your train ticket and no charge) which in fact were quicker door to door due less traffic in the early hours.
However it was a joy to commute without having to fight the traffic and be able to doze off on the journey back without having to worry about drifting off and hitting the central reservation!
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Stansted is madness. A train which stops when the terminal is still full of passengers! The other issue with Stn express is the physical limitation of the track layout, i.e. its only double tracked and any problem out of Liverpool st causes mayhem. LGW benefits from the Brighton mainline whch has many more paths and is not solely dependant on the overhead wires as at Stansted.
LHR is the daftest of the lot. I live 15 minutes from terminal 1 by car, and it takes 2 hours by Public transport! Unless you live in Paddington, forget it!
LHR is the daftest of the lot. I live 15 minutes from terminal 1 by car, and it takes 2 hours by Public transport! Unless you live in Paddington, forget it!
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Don't forget that whilst the Gatwick express is non-stop, it is quite expensive and often crowded. There are Southern Trains every 10-15 minutes or so which are cheaper, and take about 30 minutes to Clapham Junction or 40 to Victoria.
From Clapham you can take trains West to Chiswick, Hounslow, Feltham, Richmond etc every 15 minutes or so, or North on the Thameslink services through to Hampstead, St Albans Luton etc.
From Chiswick I can usually get to LGW in about 50mins via Clapham by train which is quicker than driving.
From Clapham you can take trains West to Chiswick, Hounslow, Feltham, Richmond etc every 15 minutes or so, or North on the Thameslink services through to Hampstead, St Albans Luton etc.
From Chiswick I can usually get to LGW in about 50mins via Clapham by train which is quicker than driving.
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Sorry, you're quite right. I meant First Capital Connect who go from Gatwick through the kings Cross Thameslink station then up to luton and Bedford.
Silverlink do as you say go from Clapham then route North through West Brompton up to willesden and Northwards from there
Silverlink do as you say go from Clapham then route North through West Brompton up to willesden and Northwards from there
Last edited by Seat1APlease; 4th Mar 2007 at 22:02.
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Thanks again chaps.
I received a helpful reply from BaaCommuter.com which I've quoted below in case anyone is interested.
I haven't investigated the Gatwick Express Card fully yet but the Gatwick Staff Discount Card looks like it would work out at about £155/month for just Southern Services or £215 if I wanted to include Gatwick Express. I wonder if the 10 minutes saved each way + more trains available would be worth the extra £60. Perhaps I'll have to experiment when the time comes.
Adding the cost of the bus to Victoria it's getting a little expensive. Especially as I'll be living on CTC's £1000/month 'subsistence salary' for the first 6 months. Still... better than renting somewhere near LGW I suppose.
I received a helpful reply from BaaCommuter.com which I've quoted below in case anyone is interested.
I haven't investigated the Gatwick Express Card fully yet but the Gatwick Staff Discount Card looks like it would work out at about £155/month for just Southern Services or £215 if I wanted to include Gatwick Express. I wonder if the 10 minutes saved each way + more trains available would be worth the extra £60. Perhaps I'll have to experiment when the time comes.
Adding the cost of the bus to Victoria it's getting a little expensive. Especially as I'll be living on CTC's £1000/month 'subsistence salary' for the first 6 months. Still... better than renting somewhere near LGW I suppose.
You have a few options for travelling from Victoria to Gatwick.
If you choose to use Gatwick Express you can save 34% on fares by
purchasing a Gatwick Express Partners Card for just £10 a year. You can
then purchase discounted season tickets (weekly, monthly, annual) and
one-off singles/returns. Please visit the Gatwick Express Desks in Gatwick
Station for more information.
Alternatively, you could purchase a Gatwick Staff Discount Traincard. This
costs £27 for three months or £100 a year and allows you to save 34% on
most rail fares in the South East. You could then purchase discounted fares
between Gatwick and Victoria for £144.50 a month (Southern services only)
or £204.80 (all services). You could also use the discount card to purchase
discounted fares to other locations within the network - Brighton,
Guildford, etc (I can send you a leaflet detailing the scheme and the
network if you confirm your postal address). For more information or to
purchase a discount card please visit the Train Desk in South Terminal
Arrivals - you will also need a passport photo.
You could also use National Express Coach services from Victoria. You can
purchase a ticket that allows unlimited use of National Express Coach
services from Victoria to Gatwick (and down to Brighton) for just £25 a
week, £85 a month or £850 a year. The journey takes just over an hour
(compared to 30-35mins by rail) but works out cheaper than the train. The
tickets can be purchased from any National Express desk at Gatwick.
To take advantage of any of the schemes listed above you will need to take
with you either a valid airport ID or other proof of employment.
I hope the information above is of help but please let me know if you need
any further details.
If you choose to use Gatwick Express you can save 34% on fares by
purchasing a Gatwick Express Partners Card for just £10 a year. You can
then purchase discounted season tickets (weekly, monthly, annual) and
one-off singles/returns. Please visit the Gatwick Express Desks in Gatwick
Station for more information.
Alternatively, you could purchase a Gatwick Staff Discount Traincard. This
costs £27 for three months or £100 a year and allows you to save 34% on
most rail fares in the South East. You could then purchase discounted fares
between Gatwick and Victoria for £144.50 a month (Southern services only)
or £204.80 (all services). You could also use the discount card to purchase
discounted fares to other locations within the network - Brighton,
Guildford, etc (I can send you a leaflet detailing the scheme and the
network if you confirm your postal address). For more information or to
purchase a discount card please visit the Train Desk in South Terminal
Arrivals - you will also need a passport photo.
You could also use National Express Coach services from Victoria. You can
purchase a ticket that allows unlimited use of National Express Coach
services from Victoria to Gatwick (and down to Brighton) for just £25 a
week, £85 a month or £850 a year. The journey takes just over an hour
(compared to 30-35mins by rail) but works out cheaper than the train. The
tickets can be purchased from any National Express desk at Gatwick.
To take advantage of any of the schemes listed above you will need to take
with you either a valid airport ID or other proof of employment.
I hope the information above is of help but please let me know if you need
any further details.
