As Britain’s 2nd busiest airport, London Gatwick Airport services around 43 million passengers each year. One of the cheapest ways to get there is by bus.
London Gatwick Airport is located in West Sussex County, just South East of London. Travellers to the airport have a number of bus services to choose from, with direct bus services from London, Oxford, Bristol, Cardiff, and many other major towns and cities throughout the UK. National Express runs several routes to Gatwick Airport from across the UK.
Read on to learn more about the different buses, including how frequently and what time buses run, and where they run from.
Using Trainline, you can book cheap bus tickets from major locations in the UK to London Gatwick Airport in just a few clicks. This will save you money on taxis and airport parking, meaning you’ll have more to spend on your holiday. We recommend that you book tickets well in advance to get the cheapest fares.
National Express runs direct and low-cost services from over 70 locations across the UK. They also have a service that runs every 30 minutes from London Victoria Coach Station to London Gatwick Airport. This service stops at both Gatwick North Terminal and Gatwick South Terminal and the journey takes between 65 and 85 minutes. Tickets from London to Gatwick Airport can cost as little as £8 if you book in advance.
If you have an early flight, you can stay in the small YOTELAIR, just inside Gatwick Airport’s South Terminal.
If you want to kill a bit of time after you get off the plane, there are several noteworthy attractions near Gatwick Airport.
Crawley is a large nearby town, accessible by the number 10, 22, 100, 400, or 460 local buses from Gatwick Airport. Right on the edge of the Heald Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, you can take a walk through the countryside and stretch your legs after a long flight. Just north of this is Tilgate Park which contains a nature reserve and a Go Ape experience for the more adventurous. Crawley also has a mall for shopping or and a museum where you can explore the town’s history.
Alternatively, for those who want to delve further into the area’s history, Horley is a quaint local town close to Gatwick Airport with pubs you might find in the books from the Brontë sisters. Underneath a railway line archway, there’s also a 95-seat theatre, and if you’re lucky, you might catch one of the ten shows produced every year. You can reach Horley via the 20 or 100 bus from London Gatwick Airport.
If flight history is your thing, Gatwick Aviation Museum is also nearby, with a collection of British aeroplanes from the post-war era to the 1970s. The museum is in Charlwood, reachable via the Route 22 bus or by taxi. Note, you might need to book in advance.
Looking for other ways to travel from London Gatwick Airport? You can also get the train from London Gatwick Airport.
Need inspiration for your next trip to the UK? Pick one of our recommended itineraries below.