best way to Gatwick?

[Supernanny*]

How have you got to Gatwick? Stress free route welcome!

Will be leaving midweek..around 6.30am/7am..

Anyone that has used a taxi please let me know the price and company name.

Thanks :)

[Katrusja]

Depending on where in ED you are and if you have to leave at 6.30/7 or be there at 6.30/7, I recommend the train from Honor Oak Park/Forest Hill. You have to change at East Croydon, but it's pretty straight forward and only takes about 45mins in total. When we're too late/early for the trains, we have used Airport Direct Services (ADS), who are very good and you can book online. It cost us 42pounds last time, if I remember correctly.

[????]

used to do this aLOT, Forest Hill, East Croydon as Katrusja says

[alice]

or get a cab to east croydon loads of fast 20 min trains to gatwick

[Supernanny*]

Brilliant, be leaving ED at 7am.

Not a commuter so wasn't sure what time bus/trains get busy.

I'm just off Barry.

[mrure26]

ADS is a very reliable company. I used it last September to Gatwick for an early flight. Cost ?40. Well worth it.

[neilson99]

If you have a car and drive it's cheaper to park there than get a cab both to and from - typically about ?35-?45 quid if you book in advance for a week in the long term car park, and they lay on very frequent (short) bus trip into the terminal.

[tomskip]

I have just looked at North Terminal long term parking and it is ?105 for our two weeks in July/August, so taxi better value for us.

[Applespider]

Leaving at 7 isn't too bad. If I end up with a Gatwick flight before 8 though, I tend to stay over at the airport. If it's a ridiculously early flight, I book the Yotel by the hour for 5-6 hours which works out at around ?40 if you do it ahead of time. Or there's now a Premier Inn across the road from the South Terminal (walk out front door and up escalator ramp to shuttle station) which was ?53 last time I used it.

[ratty]

Been lots of problems on the motorway recently. Train for peace of mind!

[ed_pete]

Katrusja Wrote:

> When we're too late/early for the

> trains, we have used Airport Direct Services

> (ADS), who are very good and you can book online.

> It cost us 42pounds last time, if I remember

> correctly.

Seconded - I've used them a few times and they've always been reliable and friendly regardless of the time of night!

[cle]

The motorway isn't the problem - it's the crappy narrow routes through Streatham and Croydon to get to it!

How about Overground or cab to Clapham Junction, and then fast train? You can buy quite cheap advance tickets on Southern's website - sometimes ?2-4! Not ideal for the return though, as you have to pick a specific train.

[pilsbury]

Try simply airports.co.uk I've always found them good value and reliable

[polla2256]

I fly from there regularly its best to drive. The trains are always deayed if you return in an evening and will be rammed with tourists, the taxi drivers are either late, over priced, fall asleep on the way or all 3 on some days. Go for valet or short stay parking as the long stay car park is ages away, though if its for longer than a week and only a one off its 6 and 2 3's.

Personally its the consistent peak evening rail delays (on return) and the inhability to travel quickly anywhere other than into central london that form my choice. Really it depends on your mood an patience threshold.

[????]

That sounds like someone who only uses the Gatwick Express.

Southern or FCC to London Bridge Via East Croydon give you regular, far less crowded reliable service. I did it weekly for nearly 3 years.

[donaldduck]

Ye the fast train from croydon is your best bet :)

[Saturn 5]

> Southern or FCC to London Bridge Via East Croydon

> give you regular, far less crowded reliable

> service.

Agree with this and much cheaper than GE or taxi.

[polla2256]

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> That sounds like someone who only uses the Gatwick

> Express.

>

> Southern or FCC to London Bridge Via East Croydon

> give you regular, far less crowded reliable

> service. I did it weekly for nearly 3 years.

Exactly changing at east croydon is as bad. Any delay on the line also affects those services. Its one of the worst lines in the area.

[ravingrose]

Hi I used South East Cars to take me and my 2 daughter's to Gatwick last week and it was ?40.00 from Nunhead. On the way back we got a train from Gatwick to East Croydon and then picked up a train from there to Newcross roughly cost a tenner