How difficult would it be to transfer from Gatwick, where I would be arriving on a domestic flight, and transferring to Heathrow for an international flight? How much time would I have to allow
How difficult would it be to transfer from Gatwick, where I would be arriving on a domestic flight, and transferring to Heathrow for an international flight? How much time would I have to allow between arrival in Gatwick and departure from Heathrow?
Transit times vary by time of day, but be sure to plan on at least 3 hours for the whole process....more time would be best. Must include time for baggage, security, immigration, etc. at both airports...Heathrow's huge and it takes a while to get from place-to-place there (Gatwick is much smaller).
I think the previous responder is underestimating the time needed. Given that the transfer time from LGW to LHR is up to 90 minutes and your international flight from LHR would like you to be checking in 2 hours prior to departure time, we are already up to 3½ hours. Add the time to get from your airplane to the bus at Gatwick, you are getting close to 4½ hours.
I note that both this responder and the person answering the same question on the other forum mentions passport control/immigration. Since you are arriving on a domestic flight, I don't believe this will be necessary.
the three hour minimum time is a quote from British Airways (note that I suggested more time)..and no, immigration is not necessary at arrival airport (if flying from within the UK), nor is security, but baggage collection is. On the LHR end, expect significant time to check bags, clear security and passport control and reach your departure terminal/gate...so yes, more time is a good thing.
There is a bus which runs from Heathrow to Gatwick; the bus ride itself is approximately 1/1/2 hours. You'll need to change some money into pounds to pay for the bus trip; if you're over 62, you can ride for 1/2 price. At least that's the way it was several years ago. I believe the bus runs until a certain time of night. If I were you, after you cleared customs etc, I'd be on the bottom floor to change money and then find the bus.
It ain't easy if you have a number of bags but if you are carry on try Gatwick express and tube to Paddington then Heathrow express .. probably save an hour BUT ideal .. take Gatwick express to Victoria and spend the night :-)
There is an additional option not mentioned elsewhere. There is an express train from Gatwick to Victoria Station where you would connect to the underground line that goes to LHR. The underground stops at all of the terminals. I would assume that your international "ticket" would show your departure terminal. Luggage on the train is no issue but could be a hassle on the underground depending upon how crowded it is, how much luggage you have, etc. The express train departs more frequently than the coach while the underground is very frequent. It has been a number of years since I've done this so I don't know how the costs compare these days.
If you take the tube to Heathrow, if you're in a hurry, it's important to know which terminal your flight is from, since different trains have different stops in different order. A number of airlines have been moved to Terminal 4, so past experience is no guide. You should also know which tube lines and stations are closed for repairs and have your route planned out. You can go to Paddington and take an express train from there, I think, but that is pricier. We had no problem with luggage on the Underground, but we only had carry-ons.
All the other posts are pretty much on the money except that National Express withdrew the Senior's discount (which applied to over 60's) in October 2011.
the three hour minimum time is a quote from British Airways (note that I suggested more time)..and no, immigration is not necessary at arrival airport (if flying from within the UK), nor is security, but baggage collection is. On the LHR end, expect significant time to check bags, clear security and passport control and reach your departure terminal/gate...so yes, more time is a good thing. Posted by KidsToLondon
I agree with this response. We have done this transfer, in both directions, numerous times and find that 5 hours provides us with enough time to accomplish all the airport tasks (!) and arrive at the gate waiting area with a few moments to breathe and perhaps grab a cup of coffee. Minimum 5 hours!
If you are planning to do anything other than the National Express bus, you can consult the Transport for London website http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ but particularly the Journey Planner page http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en which will provide you with a variety of options for your proposed route and provide info on planned engineering works on the various lines. A quick search shows the options ranging from 1:30 to almost two hours. And using both the Victoria and Heathrow express trains will be more expensive than the bus I think as well as more work. Heathrow Terminal 4 often has shorter lines than other terminals so you might save a little time if you are flying out of T4 but giving yourself 5 hours from landing to boarding is certainly a good idea.
Within Gatwick, go to the South Terminal and take the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station in London - then transfer to the Victoria Line Underground to Oxford Circus, change train to the Bakerloo Line to Paddington Station. From Paddington take the Heathrow Express to Heathrow Airport.
- Heathrow to Paddington: 20 minutes(+/-), 1 train every 15minutes. First train is at 5.05am - Last train is at 11:40pm - Walk from train to train: 5-10 minutes. - Paddinton to Victoria: 20 minutes(+/-), (Check journey planner to see if engineering works are taking place). - Walk from train to train: 5-10 minutes. - Victoria to Gatwick: 30 minutes(+/-), 1 train every 15minutes. First trainis at 4.30am - Last train is at 12:50am - Walk from train to check-in: 5 minutes. (Reverse journey is same journey time)
Bear in mind that travelling by train between Gatwick and Heathrow will involve steps and escalators, so if you have lots of luggage or baggage or children this might not be practical or you will need to allow sufficient time for short walking transfers within Victoria Station and the U-stops. There are some lifts in some of the stations, but you should locate them before you take your trip. If you purchase your tickets online, you can save on fares. While buses run only at the speed of traffic, rail lines run on their own right-of-ways and will get you from Gatwick to Heathrow faster than "express buses" can, since trains travel at higher speeds than road traffic. Another approach to your trip might be to try flying in and out of either Gatwick or Heathrow, if you can get the flights that you need from either of these two major London area airports. If you can do this, you will avoid a significant land transfer journey between Gatwick and Heathrow airports. Before taking this land transfer route, you should check the latest route and rail conditions and adjust your schedule accordingly. If your flights are scheduled closer to the 2012 Olympic Games in London, you will also want to review the potential impact of this major event upon your travel itinerary. FWIW, there is also a future high-speed rail link in the planning stages between Gatwick and Heathrow airports, mainly routed along the M25 Orbital, but this rail link is not currently in operation. I have made this trip several times in the past, when I find it necessary to transfer between Gatwick and Heathrow airports and have found that 3-4 hours is adequate time, including the usual bottlenecks at Heathrow airport. Your experience may vary. This is part of the travel adventure — or, at least, I would approach this land transfer with this in mind, together with some measure of humor. Happy Trails!
