Advice on getting to Gatwick airport

duchy

I can think of a lot worse places to be stuck for three hours than Gatwick airport.

Building in a bit of delay time is sensible especially if the OP is unfamiliar with the journey. Gatwick has plenty of places to grab a coffee or a drink and people watch (and having worked at an airport I can confirm you see some extraordinary things people watching there )

mgdavid

duchy wrote: »

I can think of a lot worse places to be stuck for three hours than Gatwick airport.......)

unless they happen to be on the rail route between Manchester and Gatwick, that's hardly relevant or useful to the OP

SavingPennies_2

Thanks so much for the advice everyone! I think I'm going to go for the train combo of Manchester - Euston, then St Pancras - Gatwick. I think the coach will take too long and as no-one has mentioned taxis I'm thinking it's not a good idea and probably really expensive. I'm also familiar with the walk between stations as I think it's the same route as when I traveled on the Eurostar a few years back. I'm just glad I checked on here because when I looked on trainline.com I didn't come up with this combo, I guess because there's a bit of a walk between stations.

To answer a few questions, I'm travelling on a week day and I don't have an oyster card. I plan to book tickets in advance as I assume the prices will go up nearer the time.

To the people who mentioned how much time to allow, I think I'm okay with 3 hours as I have to get 3 trains in total (incl. a train to Manchester Picadilly) and I get a bit stressed about delays, missing my train etc, so I'd be happy to arrive earlier and just have a wander round the airport. If I was going from Manchester airport I wouldn't be so concerned about being early as it's nearby and familiar but having never flown from Gatwick I want to allow plenty of time.

Voyager2002

SavingPennies wrote: »

I'm also familiar with the walk between stations as I think it's the same route as when I traveled on the Eurostar a few years back. I'm just glad I checked on here because when I looked on trainline.com I didn't come up with this combo, I guess because there's a bit of a walk between stations.

The train to Gatwick leaves from a completely different part of what is really a giant complex of stations making up King's Cross / Saint Pancras. So while you are familiar with the distance and how long the walk will take you, check carefully where you have to catch the train to Gatwick.

I do hope you were not planning to buy your train tickets from Trainline! For the most expensive part of your journey (Manchester to Euston) your best option is probably the Virgin Money train site.

giraffe69

Gatwick is now in the oyster zone so you can use contactless cards if all of your party have them instead of queuing for separate tickets.

Exile_geordie

If you don't want the hassle of changing in London get a train booking engine - I use GWR - and add 'Via Reading' in the box there. Yes it takes longer but would ease any issues of going via London.


Also use https://raileasy.trainsplit.com/main.aspx for your options too

SavingPennies_2

Voyager2002 wrote: »

The train to Gatwick leaves from a completely different part of what is really a giant complex of stations making up King's Cross / Saint Pancras. So while you are familiar with the distance and how long the walk will take you, check carefully where you have to catch the train to Gatwick.

I do hope you were not planning to buy your train tickets from Trainline! For the most expensive part of your journey (Manchester to Euston) your best option is probably the Virgin Money train site.

Good to know about the station thanks, I would have just gone to the same place I got the eurostar, didn't realise there was more than one part, will check it out in advance.

I was planning on buying direct at the train station, (prices same as trainline.com) I didn't know tickets could be bought cheaper than that! It's currently £21.00 cheapest single which seems pretty good, will check out Virgin Money train site though thanks.

k3lvc

SavingPennies wrote: »

Good to know about the station thanks, I would have just gone to the same place I got the eurostar, didn't realise there was more than one part, will check it out in advance.

Walk from front of St Pancras station towards Eurostar but instead of turning down Eurostar check-in area just keep walking and head through barriers then down lifts/escalators in front of you signed 'Capital Connect' or 'Trains to Gatwick/Brighton'

You can even now use streetview on google maps to walk through the station if you want to familiarise yourself with it

Voyager2002

SavingPennies wrote: »

It's currently £21.00 cheapest single which seems pretty good.

That price is indeed good. It is only available if you book well in advance, and only a very limited number of tickets at that price will be offered.

Do also consider your return journey, and remember that your flight back in Gatwick might be delayed.

pompeyrich

SavingPennies wrote: »

Good to know about the station thanks, I would have just gone to the same place I got the eurostar, didn't realise there was more than one part, will check it out in advance.

I was planning on buying direct at the train station, (prices same as trainline.com) I didn't know tickets could be bought cheaper than that! It's currently £21.00 cheapest single which seems pretty good, will check out Virgin Money train site though thanks.

The cheaper singles do tie you to a specific train on a specific date, so would be good for your trip to the airport but as Voyager mentioned, would be hard to estimate your arrival time back at Euston for the trip home, we have long waits for baggage at Gatwick, long queues at immigration and held up at customs in the past add to that the possibility of a delayed flight and you might have to buy a full price ticket if you missed the train you were booked on.

Virgin allow the safer option of a cheap advanced single coupled with a more flexible off peak single for the return portion.