Heathrow to Gatwick Transfers 2026: Taxi, Coach or Train, and How Much Time to Allow

What is the best way to get from Heathrow to Gatwick?

For most travellers with luggage, a pre-booked taxi is the best way from Heathrow to Gatwick: it is direct, takes 60 to 90 minutes and meets you in arrivals. For one person travelling light, a direct coach is the cheapest, and the train suits those who prefer rail and do not mind one or two changes. The right choice depends on how much time you have before your next flight, how much luggage you are carrying and how many people are travelling.

How far is Heathrow from Gatwick, and how long does it take?

Heathrow is about 42 miles (68 km) from Gatwick by road, a drive of about 60 to 90 minutes via the M25 and the M23. Allow up to 2 hours on weekday afternoons, Friday evenings and bank holiday weekends, when the M25 between Junctions 14 and 7 is often slow. Coaches take about 70 to 75 minutes, and the train takes about 1 hour 25 minutes to 2 hours, including the change in London.

How much time do I need to change from Heathrow to Gatwick?

Allow at least 4 to 5 hours between your scheduled landing at Heathrow and your departure from Gatwick, and more if you have checked bags, a long-haul flight or separate tickets. Changing airports in London is not like a normal connection: you pass UK border control, collect your bags, travel across south-west London and then check in again, so delays at any step add up.

Heathrow to Gatwick by taxi or private transfer

A pre-booked taxi from Heathrow to Gatwick takes about 60 to 90 minutes and goes straight from your arrival terminal to your departure terminal, with fixed fares from £90 per vehicle. Your driver tracks your flight, meets you in the arrivals hall and takes you directly to the correct Gatwick terminal, so there are no platforms, Tube changes or coach queues with heavy cases.

With a Heathrow to Gatwick taxi from Global Airport Taxi, the fare is fixed before you book and includes tolls, parking and waiting time, and return transfers are available at discounted rates. Child seats can be added for £15 per seat; see our child seat guide.

How much is a taxi from Heathrow to Gatwick?

Fixed-price taxis from Heathrow to Gatwick start from £90 per vehicle with Global Airport Taxi, and the price depends on the vehicle size. Because the fare is per vehicle rather than per person, a family of four in one car pays about £22.50 each from £90, often close to the cost of four coach or train tickets bought on the day, but door to door. Our fixed fares between London airports start from:

Prices start with a saloon car; larger vehicles cost more, so get a quote for an estate, people carrier or minibus. See our Heathrow taxi prices 2026 and London airport transfer price guide for more fares.

Can I take a black cab from Heathrow to Gatwick?

You can, but it is rarely the best value: Gatwick is outside Greater London and more than 20 miles from Heathrow, so a London black cab driver does not have to accept the journey, and the fare can be agreed before you set off. If no price is agreed, the driver cannot charge more than the meter shows, but a metered fare over this distance is usually much higher than a fixed pre-booked price.

Can I get an Uber from Heathrow to Gatwick?

Yes. Uber and other apps can take you from Heathrow to Gatwick from a designated pickup area, in about 60 to 90 minutes, but the price changes with demand and London app fares have included 20% VAT since January 2026. Compare the app price with a fixed fare before you confirm; our Uber vs black cab vs minicab guide explains the differences.

How much does it cost to get from Heathrow to Gatwick?

For one person, a coach is cheapest at about £5 to £15 booked in advance, and the train via Farringdon costs about £30 to £45; for a family or group, a fixed taxi fare from £90 for the whole car is usually the best value, at about £22.50 each for four. A London black cab from the Heathrow rank is usually the most expensive way, often around £165 to £200 for this distance.

Coach, train and black cab prices are typical 2026 estimates from journey planners and operators' published fares; prices vary by time of day and how far ahead you book. Taxi fares are Global Airport Taxi's fixed prices.

Heathrow to Gatwick by coach

Direct coaches run from Heathrow to Gatwick throughout the day with National Express, FlixBus and The Airline (Oxford Bus Company), taking about 70 to 75 minutes with no changes. Coaches are usually the cheapest way between the two airports for one person, especially when booked online in advance.

Coaches leave from Heathrow Central Bus Station, between Terminals 2 and 3, and from stops at Terminals 4 and 5 on some services, and arrive at both Gatwick terminals. Standard tickets usually include one or two suitcases and a small bag per person. If your flight might be late, choose a flexible ticket so you can take a later coach. Traffic on the M25 affects coaches as much as cars, so build in extra time.

Heathrow to Gatwick by train

There is no direct train from Heathrow to Gatwick. The simplest rail route is the Elizabeth line from Heathrow to Farringdon, then Thameslink to Gatwick, about 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes in total with one change. You can also go via Victoria and the Gatwick Express, but that means two changes and usually takes longer.

Rail suits travellers with light luggage in the daytime. With large cases, changing at a busy central London station, and in the rush hour, can be hard work, and the first and last trains of the day may not match early or late flights; roughly, the first through journeys leave around 05:15 and the last around 23:30.

Paying for the train is simple: you can tap in with a contactless bank card or phone at Heathrow and tap out at Gatwick on the route via Farringdon, with no paper ticket needed. Use the same card or device for the whole journey. The Heathrow Express and the Gatwick Express need their own tickets, which cost more.

Which option is best for you?

A pre-booked taxi is best for families, groups, tight connections and late arrivals; a coach is best for solo travellers on a budget; and the train suits light travellers who prefer rail.

For groups, see our group airport transfers, and for business travel, business class airport transfers.

Do I need an ETA or a visa to change from Heathrow to Gatwick?

Usually, yes. Changing from Heathrow to Gatwick means leaving the airport and entering the UK, so you must pass UK border control; visitors from ETA countries need an Electronic Travel Authorisation, which costs £20 since 8 April 2026, and others need a visa. The exemption for passengers who stay airside does not apply, because you cannot change between Heathrow and Gatwick without leaving the airport. British and Irish citizens do not need an ETA. Apply well before you travel, because airlines check before you board.

What happens if my flight into Heathrow is late?

If your flights are on separate tickets, the second airline does not have to wait or rebook you if your first flight is late, so allow extra time and consider travel insurance that covers missed connections. If both flights are on one ticket from the same airline or partners, ask the airline what happens if you miss the connection. A pre-booked driver tracks your flight and adjusts the pickup time, so a delay does not mean losing your transfer, and you can head straight to Gatwick as soon as you are through arrivals.

Which Heathrow and Gatwick terminal do I need?

Heathrow has four terminals (2, 3, 4 and 5) and Gatwick has two (North and South), so check both terminals on your booking before you travel. Free trains link the Heathrow terminals, and a free shuttle links Gatwick's North and South terminals in a few minutes. A pre-booked driver meets you at your Heathrow arrival terminal and drops you at the correct Gatwick terminal, which saves time if you are short of it.

Where do I catch the coach, train or taxi at Heathrow, and where do I arrive at Gatwick?

Coaches leave from Heathrow Central Bus Station and some terminal stops, trains from the station at your terminal, and a pre-booked driver meets you in arrivals; at Gatwick, trains arrive next to the South Terminal and coaches at the South and often the North Terminal.

Should I stay overnight between Heathrow and Gatwick flights?

If you land in the evening and fly the next morning, or your connection is shorter than about 4 hours on separate tickets, an overnight stay near Gatwick is often the safer plan. Travel across that evening, when the roads are quieter, check in to a hotel near Gatwick and reach the terminal fresh in the morning. A pre-booked car can take you from Heathrow to your hotel, and from the hotel to the terminal the next day. See our Heathrow to hotels taxi and Gatwick to hotels taxi pages.

What is the best option for travellers with reduced mobility?

A pre-booked car is usually the easiest for travellers with reduced mobility, because there are no platforms, escalators or coach steps, and the driver helps with luggage. Both airports offer free special assistance from the aircraft to the arrivals hall if you book it with your airline. If you take the train, book Passenger Assistance in advance for the change at Farringdon. If you need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, ask for one when you book.

Gatwick to Heathrow: what is different?

Gatwick to Heathrow uses the same routes in reverse: about 60 to 90 minutes by taxi, about 70 minutes by direct coach, and about 1 hour 25 minutes to 2 hours by train via London. Heathrow's check-in and bag drop for long-haul flights often close earlier than short-haul ones, so allow extra time for the Heathrow end. Dropping off at a Heathrow terminal costs £7 for 10 minutes for private cars; with a pre-booked taxi, the driver handles this. See our Gatwick airport taxi and Heathrow airport taxi pages for fixed fares from either airport.

Can I travel from Heathrow to Gatwick at night?

Yes, by pre-booked taxi at any hour, and by coach on some late-night services, but trains stop running from around midnight. If you land late in the evening with a morning flight from Gatwick, a pre-booked car to a Gatwick hotel is often the simplest plan. See our guide to late-night and early-morning airport transfers.

What are the pros and cons of each option?

The taxi wins on speed and ease, the coach on price, and the train on predictability away from motorway traffic.

What mistakes do travellers make when changing from Heathrow to Gatwick?

The biggest mistakes are leaving too little time, forgetting that you need an ETA or visa to enter the UK, and booking the wrong Gatwick terminal.

1. Booking a connection of under 4 hours on separate tickets.
2. Forgetting the ETA or visa: you pass UK border control to change airports.
3. Assuming there is a direct train; there is not.
4. Not checking the Gatwick terminal (North or South) for your airline.
5. Choosing the train with heavy luggage in the rush hour.
6. Buying a fixed-time coach ticket when the first flight could be late.
7. Accepting a ride from a tout in the arrivals hall; book a licensed car in advance.

So how should you get from Heathrow to Gatwick?

Book a pre-booked taxi if you have luggage, children, a group or a tight connection: it is the fastest door to door and the price is fixed. Take a direct coach if you are alone, travelling light and have time to spare. Take the train via Farringdon if you prefer rail and travel in the daytime. Whatever you choose, allow at least 4 to 5 hours between flights. Choosing between London airports for a future trip? See our Heathrow vs Gatwick vs Stansted guide.

Connecting to a different airport? We also run fixed-price transfers from Heathrow to Stansted, Heathrow to Luton and London City to Gatwick.

Heathrow to Gatwick: frequently asked questions