paskee

Hello,

Could someone please give me an idea how long I should allow to get from London Gatwick airport to London Stansted airport on a Saturday afternoon? Also, what would be the fastest & most economical way to get between the two airports?

Thanks!

KayF

There is a Gatwick Express train from Gatwick airport into London, then you could get a bus or train - not sure about this bit - to Stansted. The fastest way will not be the most economical as the Gatwick Express is quick but more expensive than the normal train that runs into London.

I would suggest checking on each of the airport websites, they usually have good info on getting to other airports.
Kay

J62

Easiest way is by bus, using National Express. I have not done this transfer, but info below suggests ~3hrs between airports.

Here's the link to the Stanstead airport site.

www.stanstedairport.com

Gatwick – Stansted
National Express coaches depart every 30 - 60 minutes to Gatwick Airport. Tickets can be purchased from the National Express ticket desks in the terminals, the coach station at Stansted Airport or from the coach driver.

The journey time is approx two hours and 45 minutes and the adult return fare is £34. Coaches serve North and South Terminals at Gatwick.

To book tickets and for further timetable information, please call 0870 580 8080 (UK only) or visit www.nationalexpress.com.

J62

Here's the info about taking the Gatwick express train, as KayF references. It may be quicker, but you have to take 2 different trains, plus get from Victoria to Liverpool St. stations in London.

Gatwick – Stansted
The Gatwick Express departs every 15 minutes from London Victoria station and takes just 30 minutes to Gatwick South Terminal. Passengers requiring the North Terminal should take the free transit between terminals, which is just upstairs from the train platforms. Gatwick Express trains, from the airport to Victoria station, also depart at 15 minute intervals and have a journey time of 30 minutes. Stansted Express trains depart every 15 or 30 minutes with an average journey time of 45 minutes. They run between London Liverpool Street station and Stansted Airport. Passengers can travel between Victoria and Liverpool Street stations by bus, tube or taxi.

PalenQ

From Gatwick take the Capital One aka Thameslink trains to Kings Cross and then a taxi, bus or tube to Liverpool Street Station and then the Stansted Express train

Gatwick Express from Gatwick only goes to Victoria - way out of your way as then you have a much longer tube ride with perhaps a change to Liverpool Street Station

Capital One trains also about half as expensive as Gatwick Express trains

Buses direct Gatwick-Stansted may be the best option

2 hours would be a normal transit time if all runs well IMO

www.nationalrail.co.uk for the train link Gatwick Airport to Stansted Airport

willit

Try this link:

http://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/...d_transfer.htm

I am sure the experts will give you fuller answers later. The airports are around 70 miles from each other by road (Avoiding central London) and would take around 90 minutes by taxi -but I guess this might cost >£100.

By public transport it seems the quickest route would be gatwick express - tube - Stansted express taking around 2 hours, but also being expensive at around £35.

The National express coach is slower at 3 hours at a cost of £25.

The site recommends allowing around 3 hours between landing and check in between Heathrow and Gatwick, so I would guess you would need to add at least another 1.5 - 2 hours to that.

So would need to allow minimum 5 hours and probably 6 hours between landing and take off, should you choose to take the bus.

alanRow

Can you give us dates - The Stansted Express has been known to be cancelled at weekends

But my advice is if there is any way of getting to your final destination from Gatwick then choose that as missing the flight from Stansted is going to leave you with egg on your face - and a rather expensive bill to fix the problem

janisj

Are you already booked? How long do you have between flights? Most low cost airlines have very strict check in requirements and you have to be checked in (not in line to check in) before their cut off time.

W9London

If you have lots of luggage, the most hassle-free way is to take National Express coach. If travelling light, take First Capital train to either Blackfriars or London Bridge, then cab to Liverpool St Station, then catch Stansted Express. (Assume you're travelling during the week. On weekends, it would be hard to find cabs around Blackfriars.)

No sense in taking Gatwick Express.

In any case, 3hrs would be on a tight side--considering it would take at least 1hr from the plane landing (then getting off the plane, passport control) till you pick up luggage.

Robespierre

Here's are two ideas no one has mentioned: ride a First Capital Connect train from Gatwick to Farringdon, then either Tube (1 min) or walk (5 min) to Liverpool Street, where you pick up the Stansted Express.

Alternatively, ride the Southern railway from Gatwick to London Bridge, then a 48 bus (16 min) to Liverpool Street. This is cheaper if you use a DaySave Pass (1/£10 or up to 4 for £20) on Southern.

Of course, whether this leaves enough time depends on how the train schedules line up.

The fastest way might be a train to Kings Cross and justairports.com from there: no waiting for the next train, and no cross-London jaunt.

A remote possibility (that you might want to calculate the timings on) is train to Kings Cross, Tube to Tottenham Hale, train to Stansted.

alanRow

<<< In any case, 3hrs would be on a tight side >>>

It's 2 hours by the quickest public transport route, check-in typically closes around 40 minutes before scheduled departure time so that leaves 20 minutes for landing, getting off the plane, going through immigration, collecting luggage, finding train station (OP may be at North Terminal so little shuttle ride required), buying tickets for the train, getting on next train.

Even with 4 hours between flights there's a good chance that the OP would miss their connecting flight, so 5 hours is the absolute minimum by the quickest public transport route or 6 if they take the "direct" coach unless OP is willing to throw a LOT of money at the problem

W9London

alanRow is quite right about possibly needing more than 3hrs "gate-to-gate".

Robespiere,
the reason why noone mentioned about Farringdon is because it's good 20min walk (without luggage) to Liverpool St Stn. It's equivalent of 3 stops on the tube.

Robespierre

Okay, so it takes 4 minutes on the Tube (according to tfl.gov.uk). Still not a bad option for some.

Carolina

Gatwick express, tube, stansted express would be my preference. Traffic can be TERRIBLE from Gatwick to Stansted and a so-called 3 hour bus journey can sometimes take double that. I once took National Express from Gatwick to Cambridge (the same one that stops at Stansted first), it took me 6 hours! The National Express stops at every airport on the way: Gatwick to Heathrow Terminals 1,2 & 3, onto Heathrow Terminal 4, next is Luton Airport - it can all take a ver5y long time.
The trains also run very frequently. If you miss one another will be available soon afterwards.

RM67

Robespiere's suggestion is actually quite a good one, since the Connect trains and tube trains platforms are literally side-by-side at Farringdon. Plus the Circle/Met/Hammersmith and City tube line is more or less ground level, so no escalators (just one very small foortbridge) and no long walks to the Stansted Express at LPS.

If I were going by public transport rather than road, I think that would be my choice.

Diz01

By far the easiest, least hassle but not cheapest options having done this a number of times is:

1. Gatwick Express train to Victoria station.
2. Tube on Victoria line from Victoria station to Tottenham Hale station - make sure you pick a train which terminates at Walthamstow as some terminate before Tottenham Hale.
3. Stansted Express to Stansted airport. All Stansted Express trains stop at Tottenham Hale station.

Diz01

PalenQ

How is this easier than the direct airport to airport bus links?

ever try chaning to the Tube at Victoria? They in fact need a congestion charge there IMO

rkkwan

Easiest - direct bus.

Fastest - train/tube/train.

Cheapest - bus to Victoria, bus to Stansted.

There's no easy and fast way, or easy and cheap, or fast and cheap. Let alone easy, fast and cheap.