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London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick is overall probably the best of the London airports served by budget airlines. There are two terminals - the south terminal caters to most of the budget and charter flights, and has plenty of cafes and shops both sides of security. The north terminal is a short transit ride away (2 minutes, every 8 minutes), and the shops are rather more limited. Mostly only scheduled and long-haul flights fly from the north terminal anyway.
Getting there on foot
It is probably possible to walk to Gatwick airport, but it would be very ill-advised to start from London, because it's an extremely long way. Probably best to just get the train.
Getting there by public transport
Train.
The easiest way to Gatwick airport is by train. The station is attached to the south terminal, so you can be off the plane and on a train in around 15 minutes. Details of all the journeys listed below can be found on the National Rail website.If you are going to central London, take a Southern train for 9 pounds (around 40 minutes). This is nearly as fast, and costs rather less than the Gatwick Express trains, which require special tickets. Both trains arrive at London Victoria. Thameslink run trains underneath central London, and get to Kings Cross in the north of the centre in around 45 minutes.
Thameslink also run trains directly to Brighton from Gatwick. If you are heading for the midlands or north it may be cheaper to catch a Virgin train from Gatwick to Birmingham and northwards, rather than going through central London. If you are going west towards Bristol, First Great Western run an hourly service to Reading.
Coach.
National Express run several coaches an hour to central London from both terminals at Gatwick airport. The fare is 6.40 pounds, which is a little cheaper than the train, although the journey time is twice as long. They also run coaches to Brighton direct from Gatwick.Getting to other airports.
National Express run hourly direct coaches from Gatwick to Heathrow, Luton and Stansted Airports. Only the Heathrow service is as fast as the train however, and the fares are generally more expensive. The train connections between Gatwick and the other airports are as follows:- Thameslink run two trains an hour to Luton Airport Parkway, which is a free bus ride to Luton Airport (about 1.5 hours).
- Stansted Airport can be reached by getting a train to Victoria, taking the Victoria line to Tottenham Hale, and changing on to the Stansted Express there. You can buy a through ticket for this whole journey from Gatwick
- Heathrow Airport can be reached in a number of ways: catch a train to Victoria and get the tube to Heathrow (change Green Park) for around 13 pounds in total. Catch a train to Clapham Junction and change for a train to Feltham (one ticket 11 pounds), and from there take the airlink bus to Heathrow (1.20 pounds). Details of the tube and airlink bus are available from the Transport For London website.
Shops and cafes
Before security.
Both terminals have a McDonalds selling drinks and fast food at high-street prices, and a Boots selling sandwiches and snacks on the same basis. In the north terminal these are on the mezzanine floor where the transit arrives, and in the south terminal they are upstairs from the check-in desks. Internet is available at both terminals for around one pound for 10 minutes.