Distance from Gatwick to Heathrow?
Nov 6th, 2004, 02:06 PM
#1
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Distance from Gatwick to Heathrow?
I'm in the process of booking tickets for Rome, probably through British Air. They have a flight that includes a connection time of 2-1/2 hours between Gatwick and Heathrow. Is that enough time to get comfortably between the two airports?
Nov 6th, 2004, 02:54 PM
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All it takes is a late arrival, a delay in getting through customs, or heavy traffic to use up your transfer time in a hurry. People have made it with a four-hour transfer time, but the general rule of thumb is to allow a *minimum* of five hours between your scheduled arrival at the first airport and your scheduled departure from the second airport.
Nov 6th, 2004, 03:06 PM
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as a reference point, the bus journey time (on the main national express bus) is about 1.5 hours --slightly more in rush hour, a bit less in low traffic times.
i'm with tim on this one...you should be safe with five if you have little or no delays. with delays (road traffic or plane), who knows?
i'm with tim on this one...you should be safe with five if you have little or no delays. with delays (road traffic or plane), who knows?
Nov 6th, 2004, 04:24 PM
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remember - you can't check your bags all the way through. Simply retrieving your luggage off a jumbo can take 30 or 40 minutes. Then you must clear immigration and get to the airport bus, then after 45 mins (a miraculous time) to 2 hours (if it is during rush hour), you will be lucky to get to LGW 3.5 hours after landing -- and then you still have to go through security.
So an absolute MINIMUM of 4 hours -- I'm happier w/ 5+ hours.
So an absolute MINIMUM of 4 hours -- I'm happier w/ 5+ hours.
Nov 7th, 2004, 04:47 AM
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Wow. Thanks for the heads-up. I'm surprised that BA even offers that connection has an alternative. I think I'm going to hope for the best and book one-way nonstop to Rome through Delta. Thanks, guys.
Nov 7th, 2004, 09:10 AM
#8
I noticed this on Brisith Air this past summer. Was offered a Seattle/London-Heathrow to London-Gatwick/Geneva route on the website. With a bit more searching they also had a flight for same approx. price that went both in and out of Heathrow.
Personally I'd look into different routing rather than do the Heathrow/Gatwick transfer.
Personally I'd look into different routing rather than do the Heathrow/Gatwick transfer.
