Best way to travel from Gatwick to London? | Gatwick Express vs Southern Rail vs Thameslink

A brand-new video from my 'Best way to' series, this time looking at the ways to get from Gatwick Airport to Central London and vice-versa, all by rail.
We begin the race from Trafalgar Square to Gatwick using the Gatwick Express, followed by a journey back to London on a Southern service and then back to Gatwick, this time with Thameslink.
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Link to my 'Best way to get to Heathrow Airport?' video:
• Best way to travel fro...
Link to my Gatwick Express full journey:
• Full Journey on the Ga...

[@sakugava]

Very helpful. I´d just like do add that when you travel by train with Southern (Thameslink), you are entitled to 2For1 entry tickets to amaizing attractions all around the UK (including London).

[@isaacrawlings1651]

Some advice when travelling on Thameslink, the rear first class compartment on all Thameslink trains is declassified so anyone can use it. However, not everyone knows this so even if a train is quite crowded the first class area is often rather empty

[@rosswalters2993]

Thank you. Great video. I’m flying into Heathrow next month for a few days in London. Then flying to Iceland from Gatwick. This video has been most helpful.

[@stephenconnolly2582]

very helpful. I have now booked the southern rail single to the airport and saved 7 pound. thanks

[@triciahosein4516]

Thank you from your video....

[@emjayay]

There is also a bus line from Trafalgar to Victoria. It stops in front of St Martin of the Fields church. Slower than the Tube but no walking to Embankment. Cheaper too.

[@ArchiveF]

Thanks

[@lasmaa0220]

Thank you for the video. I would add at least 5-10 min to opt.2 and opt.3 since you used time in opt 1 to get all tickets!!! So the time difference is no more an option! And I tottally agree to be more fair - direction in all travels should be the same. Also take into account that turists will spend more time to find platform, etc!

[@aviationtrainsfc1]

He did also have to wait 15-20 minutes for the Gatwick Express so he used that time to collect the tickets

[@Usern9798]

Lovely! 🥰 Thank you for the video!

[@maxTravelsRailways]

Thanks for watching!

[@TimothyZakaria]

​@@maxTravelsRailwaysBritish Tea is the best for alertness I am coming to London for the first time thanks for the video

[@TimothyZakaria]

​@@maxTravelsRailwaysNottingham isn't safe anymore but it's my favorite English city I liked the University.

[@niakatebritish7294]

I was living Gatwick from 7 years

[@jamescridland6330]

im not sure what the fare would be but you can now use your oyster card at gatwick airport so may work out cheaper using your oyster card compared to paper tickets

[@grassytramtracks]

Though it's always worth checking the single fare finder and doing the maths, it also might not be the cheapest choice

[@thenibblershow5305]

Thameslink:rare southern: Always late. Gatwick express: expensive scam Gwr: useless. Hope this helps and tell me if it does

[@GIORGOS8v]

Gatwick to Farringdon (Thameslink) is £24.50 with return ticket if you pay it online beforehand. Will it be cheaper if I just tap my credit card or my Oyster card? I think both are off peak times. Departure 13:00, Arrival 10:00.

[@joannedavis1885]

Hello, from the US. Will be visiting London in August. Your videos are so helpful as I plan. An issue for us, is we are older (60s) and my husband is an amputee. Are there elevators and escalators in the stations that we can use if needed.

[@maxTravelsRailways]

Hello! Yes, elevators and/or escalators are available at every single station, but not all stations are completely step-free. I can suggest you look out for underground and train maps which indicate which stations are step-free.

[@tomwinslett6037]

This gave me the information I needed; even more than I was expecting to find. As we are going from LGW to St Pancras Station and there will be 5 of us (cost), we are planning on using Thameslink. My question, where could people arriving on different airlines but similar hours, meet at LGW if we are going to use Thameslink? I'm thinking it would be helpful if there were chairs but that isn't needed. We should be within 30 minutes of each other but that will not happen if there are delays.

[@aviationtrainsfc1]

Just meet in the arrivals area

[@maimadha]

Great video

[@jkopvo]

Hi, Thanks for the video! We are planning to visit London, landing at LGW and then needing to travel to St. Patras station - so I believe the ThamesLink is our best option. We've not been to London before, so have a couple questions: - When boarding ThamesLink at LGW, is it the same as National Rail? - Do we need to buy tickets for ThamesLink, or can we just tap our credit card to enter the boarding area? - Are there different ThamesLink trains leaving LGW (heading north) such that we should somehow compare to make sure we are on the one which will arrive fastest? - Do we need to tap-off after exiting the ThamesLink train? Thanks much, John :)

[@maxTravelsRailways]

- Thameslink is one of many National Rail operators, so yes - You can tap in and out with your credit card. This is by far the most convenient payment method. You must tap out at your destination station - To get to St.Pancras get any northbound train going to either Bedford, Peterborough or Cambridge

[@branhamphotos5354]

do you think its to aggressive to try and see big ben tower bridge and buckingham palace in 7hrs from gatwick? what do you recommend? thanks

[@sakugava]

Just remember do add a couple of hours spent in the immigration service.

[@commonsense3482]

It’s not far to walk from Trafalgar Sq to Victoria

[@kenwooitv]

Is it recommended to purchase the Southern train direct return trip from Gatwick to/fro Victoria via the online ticket (about £27 return trip) or just use the contactless credit/debit card.. which is £9.50 per way as shown on the TFL Single fare finder site? I believe 9.50+9.50 is just £19 for contactless BOTH ways (during off peak) which way cheaper than the online ticket, but couldn't find any website that confirms this. Thank you!

[@grassytramtracks]

What time are you travelling? The price depends on whether it's peak hour (6:30-9:30 and 16:00-19:00) or not

[@laucoba4404]

Then, traveling at the weekend and paying with contactless, the fare is 9.50, is it right?

[@GIORGOS8v]

Thank you for the question. I was wondering the same thing! Gatwick to Farringdon (Thameslink) is £24.50 with return ticket if you pay it online beforehand. Will it be cheaper if I just tap my credit card or my Oyster card? I think both are off peak times. Departure 13:00, Arrival 10:00.

[@gabrielstevens3884]

With a train every 30 minutes and the fact it only saves 3/4 minutes travel time I see no point in the Gatwick Express. Even when they ran every 15 minutes I didn't think it worth the difference but now they run every 30 minutes its mad. Thameslink is great as it goes through London so you can get to more stations around London.

[@Thaleya1]

If you use an oystercard, does that count towards your daily cap if you are travelling from gatwick airport via the thameslink?

[@maxTravelsRailways]

Unfortunately the Gatwick travel zone is separate and won’t count towards the daily cap

[@saqibfiaz8038]

Can i go gatwick to london bridge direct ? Which train name?

[@maxTravelsRailways]

Yes! Use Thameslink

[@johnroberts2331]

Not sure I'd trust the Southern Time as it was in the opporsite direction. I would of preffered you did it from Central London. Maybe that's just me! Great video though!

[@johnroberts2331]

I find the Gatwick Express the most conformtable i both seats and ride quality. I often travel to Brighton with them.

[@8ninjanichariceaileenvlogs]

Hello po

[@thisdude5854]

You know thameslink southern and Gatwick express are in Govia Thameslink Railway also great northern and some of southeastern

[@dijoxx]

Gatwick Express is a tourist trap. No Londoner I know uses it.

[@oliveringram3056]

It is not an option at the moment, bloody strikes.....

[@AndrewG1989]

I personally do think that Southern is better than Gatwick Express because the older Class 377s that have much more comfortable seats and the Class 387/2 have got horrible ironing board seats (same with Southern Class 377/6 & Class 377/7).

[@Zadako666]

Thanks for the video! But next time use ur common sense when u make video. If u dont hv noise cancellation tech dont stand close to noisy fountain!!!

[@pedropetelleco]

Hi MAX.. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR U TO MAKE A VIDEO FROM GATWICK TO LEEDS BRADFORD OR ANOTHER COACH / TRAIN OPTION TRANSPORT? I MEAN, I AM TRIPPING TO ENGLAND IN 2025 (FEBRUARY), THEN, I AM WATCHING SOME VIDEOS HOW TO REACH LEEDS. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO PROVIDE THIS ASSISTENCE? WATS UR EMAIL ADDRESS OR WHATSAPP?

[@srfurley]

Nobody else has answered this, so I will. Take Thameslink Northbound from Gatwick Airport to St. Pancras International. Come up the escalators to the main St. Pancras station, turn left at the top of them, walk across the station concourse, exit the station and you will see Kings Ross station in front of you across the road; it’s probably just 😊over five minutes walk from getting off the Thameslink train. From Kings Cross station LNER operate frequent services to Leeds, takes about a couple of hours. If you want Bradford Northern operate frequent services from Leeds to either of the Bradford stations, Interchange or Forster Square. These two stations are on different lines, but both are in the centre of Bradford, about 10 minutes walk apart. The journey from Leeds to Bradford will probably take about 20 minutes. Alternatively, Grand Central operate direct trains from Kings Cross to Bradford Interchange. These take about three hours, but there are only about four trains per day. Hope this helps.