Heathrow to Gatwick

By the Viamo editorial team · Editor Terje Moy · Last updated October 2026 · 7 min read

Heathrow and Gatwick sit on opposite sides of London, around 68km apart by road, and — despite both being major hubs serving the same city — there is no direct rail link between them. If you're changing planes here rather than stopping in London, the choice comes down to three realistic options: a direct coach, a rail journey via central London, or a taxi. Each has a genuinely different balance of time, cost and risk, and which wins depends heavily on how much slack you have in your schedule.

The quickest, most predictable option: the direct coach

Several operators run direct coaches between the two airports without going anywhere near central London. National Express is the main one, with departures roughly every 20–30 minutes through most of the day and a thinner overnight service; FlixBus and the Oxford Bus Company's "The Airline" service (which continues on to Oxford) also cover the route. Journey time is typically an hour to a little over an hour, though the fastest non-stop journeys can be quicker — it depends on traffic on the M25 and M23 and how many stops a particular service makes at the terminals.

Coaches pick up and drop off directly at the terminals at both airports, so there's no need to navigate a station or change trains, which is a real advantage if you're jet-lagged, travelling with a lot of luggage, or simply want one predictable leg rather than several shorter ones. Fares are generally the most affordable of the three options, especially booked ahead online rather than on the day.

By rail via central London — and the smarter route through Farringdon

There's no single train that does this journey, so the rail option always means changing at least once in London. Most people default to the classic route via Victoria, but a second, less obvious route via Farringdon is usually faster and involves only one change.

Via Farringdon (usually the better rail option)

Take the Elizabeth line from any Heathrow terminal to Farringdon — a central station the line calls at directly, roughly 35–45 minutes from Heathrow depending on your terminal and the stopping pattern. Farringdon is also a core Thameslink station, so you can change onto a southbound Thameslink service straight through to Gatwick without leaving the station complex, in around 40–50 minutes on the faster trains. All told, this route typically takes around 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes door to door, with a single change.

Via Victoria (the more familiar but usually slower route)

The alternative is Heathrow Express or the Elizabeth line to Paddington, then the Underground across to Victoria, then the Gatwick Express (around 30 minutes non-stop) or a regular Southern service. This works fine, but it involves two changes rather than one, and the Underground leg between Paddington and Victoria adds walking and waiting time that's easy to underestimate. Realistically, allow 1 hour 45 minutes to a little over 2 hours for this version, more if the Underground is disrupted or you're carrying heavy luggage between platforms.

Either way, this is more affordable than a taxi and often on par with the coach for time — the Farringdon route in particular is genuinely competitive, and it's worth knowing about since it's not the route most people find by default.

Taxi or driving: fast on paper, exposed to the M25

By road, Heathrow and Gatwick are around 68km apart, mostly via the M25 London orbital motorway and a short stretch of the M23. In free-flowing traffic that's under an hour. The problem is that the M25 — particularly the stretch between the M4 and M23 junctions — is one of the most congested and incident-prone motorways in the country, and journey times of an hour and a half to well over two hours are common at peak times, on Friday afternoons, or whenever there's an accident or roadworks. A taxi or private transfer is the most expensive of the three options and the least predictable on time, even though it's the only one that goes door to door without a change.

Terminals: where you start changes your options slightly

Heathrow has multiple terminals (2, 3, 4 and 5), and while all of them are served by the Elizabeth line and by at least some of the coach services, it's worth double-checking your specific terminal against the coach or train schedule rather than assuming every departure calls at every terminal — Terminal 5 in particular sometimes has a slightly different pattern. At Gatwick, North and South Terminals are linked by a short, free automated transit; the railway station used by both the Gatwick Express and Thameslink sits beneath South Terminal, so if you land at North Terminal, build in a few extra minutes to reach the platforms. Most coach services call at both Gatwick terminals directly, which is one less thing to think about if you're taking that option.

Which should you choose, and how long to allow

For most travellers with a normal connection window, the direct coach is the easiest call: one leg, no changes, predictable timing and the lowest fare of the three. The Farringdon rail route is a strong alternative if you'd rather travel by train, are already comfortable with London's rail network, or the coach schedule doesn't suit your landing time. A taxi makes sense mainly for very early or very late transfers when coach and rail frequencies thin out, or if you have so much luggage that a single door-to-door leg outweighs the M25's unpredictability — just don't rely on it to hit a tight connection. For the wider picture across all five London airports, see our London airports to the city guide.

As a rough planning figure, budget at least 2 to 2.5 hours total between touching down at one airport and being airside at the other, covering disembarkation, immigration if relevant, the transfer itself, and check-in and security at the second airport — more if you're travelling at a peak time or your connection involves clearing UK border control for the first time on this trip.

If you're on two separate tickets rather than one booking

Heathrow and Gatwick are sometimes used as a "virtual" connection point by travellers who've booked two entirely separate tickets — landing at one airport and later flying out from the other — rather than a single through itinerary. If that's your situation, treat this transfer with real caution: self-transfer between two independent bookings means neither airline is obliged to help you if the first flight runs late and you miss the second, and the airport's usual minimum connection time figures don't apply at all here, since they only cover connections within the same airport. Build in a generous buffer — several hours rather than the bare journey time above — and have a backup plan if the transfer runs long.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a direct train between Heathrow and Gatwick?

No. There's no single train covering the route — every rail option involves at least one change in central London, most commonly at Farringdon or Victoria.

What's the fastest way to get from Heathrow to Gatwick?

The direct coach and the rail route via Farringdon are usually closest in overall time, both typically landing in the range of 1 to 1.75 hours depending on traffic and connections. A taxi can be quicker on a clear run but is far less predictable because of the M25.

How much should I budget for the transfer if I have a connecting flight?

As a rough figure, allow at least 2 to 2.5 hours from landing at one airport to being airside at the other, and considerably more if you're on separate tickets or unfamiliar with UK immigration.

Is the coach or the train cheaper between Heathrow and Gatwick?

The coach is generally the more affordable of the two, especially booked in advance, though rail fares via Farringdon are also reasonable compared with a taxi. Both are considerably cheaper than a taxi or private transfer.