dominiquejade

I'm having an awful time booking tickets through the gatwick express online!
I fly into LGW on March 28th at 8:40 AM, so i'll need to take the Gatwick Express into the city but i can't seem to find any trains that depart after 0750. Anyone know what the problem could be? Is there a better way to get into the city?

BigRuss

Try www.nationalrail.co.uk.

And you can use other trains - the southern line goes to London Bridge station if that's more convenient for you than Victoria. Thameslink lines go through the city to Kings' X or London Bridge. Southern Line is faster than the G'Ex because even though the G'Ex is on the fastest trains in the UK system, G'Ex trains travel through both East Croydon AND Clapham Junction, the two most congested suburban stations in the country. Southern Line and Thameslink trains avoid Clapham Junction.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/static...South_East.pdf

Odin

There is no Gatwick Express service between 25-28 March. There are trains with changes at London Bridge if you need to get to Victoria.

janisj

Pre the website: <i>There will be no Gatwick Express services on 25-28 March, and Sunday 3 April.</i>

There are other trains to London from Gatwick - where is your final destination?

There won't be any trains to Victoria but you can get to London Bridge or St Pancras.

janisj

we were all posting at the same time . . .

annhig

According to their website there is no Gatwick Express running over the Easter weekend due to maintenance work:

http://www.gatwickexpress.com/?&gcli...FYTGGwodECUFbQ

However, I just tried the date you mention and according to the Trainline, there are trains every 5 mins or so from LGW into London Bridge or St Pancras.

just buy the ticket when you get there.

it's dead easy and there aren't any discounts for buying it in advance.

dominiquejade

I'm not partial to victoria station, I just need to get from the airport to the city. my destination is canning town out in the docklands

janisj

>>my destination is canning town out in the docklands<<

After all the help/suggestions you've received here -- you end up booking in <i>Canning Town</i>?

janisj

The good news is -- the Gatwick Express wouldn't have been the way to go anyway.

Take the train to London Bridge, then the Jubilee line to Canning Town.

PalenQ

Yes as annhig says just buy that train ticket once there - there are automatic machines and regular ticket windows.

Buy a return ticket and since it is issued by a National Rail station you can use it for 2 for 1 admissions at many London sights and activities - even some Thames cruises - your whole time there, I believe. Even pricey places like Madame Tussauds honor the paper national rail ticket 2 for 1 deal the site below says.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/2334.aspx

dominiquejade

I knew ya'll would be disappointed! but hey, at least i've got direct access to the tube lines rather than having to deal with DLR. The other 2 people I'm traveling with wanted to stay at stay city greenwich, which i wasn't impressed with so canning town was the best i could negotiate lol.

im SO GLAD there's maintenance work being done because i didn't realize the gatwick express was so awful.

I'm getting a ticket through Southern? less than HALF the price and HALF the time. What was I thinking? and i thought i did my research, geez..

dominiquejade

so i would be better off buying at the station? the price won't go up? is the station right at the airport? sorry my questions probably sound so stupid, haha.

janisj

>>im SO GLAD there's maintenance work being done because i didn't realize the gatwick express was so awful. <<

The Gatwick Express isn't awful. It is just it isn't practical for getting to Canning Town.

There is no advantage to buying your tickets in advance. In fact -- if you want to use the 2for1 discounts . . . you CAN'T buy in advance. https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

dominiquejade

the gatwick express was twice as expensive and took twice as long to get into the city.

janisj

>>the gatwick express was twice as expensive and took twice as long to get into the city.<<

Uh -- no. It is the fastest transport from Gatwick to central London -- it is just that Canning Town is not in central London.

jamikins

Is you hotel refundable? Canning Town is awful, industrial wasteland with little redeeming qualities. There is the big conference centre but the area around it is terrible. I go through it everyday to get to work and cannot imagine spending a holiday staying there.

Greenwich is lovely with the village, market and tonnes of restaurants and stores. It is also a short two stops on the train into London Bridge using the same transport ticket as the tube/dlr. MUCH better atmosphere and location!!!

jamikins

Why is dealing with the DLR any big issue? There is no difference from the tube other than it runs above ground...?

It takes a while from Greenwich to Bank, but like I said, you can take the train Greenwich to London Bridge in only two stops.

Don't just look at the tube map, other connections may be quicker and easier.

jamikins

Look at the tube AND rail map

https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/track

The rail uses the same ticket in London as the tube so it costs the same and Greenwich is MUCH quicker to centre on the rail than Canning Town is to anywhere central. The train also takes you directly to Charing Cross in west end from Greenwich.

jamikins

On that link look at tfl rail

PalenQ

so i would be better off buying at the station? the price won't go up? is the station right at the airport? sorry my questions probably sound so stupid, haha.>

Same price - no reason to advance purchase - station is right adjacent to arrivals hall.