Gatwick Airport station taxis

[The Snap]

In December I’m taking exams at the CAA HQ at Gatwick. I’m getting the train from Manchester via Euston and London Bridge to Gatwick.

I’ve never actually been to Gatwick either by plane or train. My question is…is there a taxi rank for public hire at the station, and how do I access it? I’ve tried to use Google Street View but can’t quite work it out.

Cheers

 

[hexagon789]

In December I’m taking exams the CAA HQ at Gatwick. I’m getting the train from Manchester via Euston and London Bridge to Gatwick.

I’ve never actually been to Gatwick either by plane or train. My question is…is there a taxi rank for public hire at the station, and how do I access it? I’ve tried to use Google Street View but can’t quite work it out.

Cheers

It's outside the station on the forecourt.

The Onward Travel Map on National Rail shows the location: https://assets.nationalrail.co.uk/e...0d3f99cf7547115472c/Gatwick_Airport__GTW_.pdf

 

[The Snap]

Great, thanks

 

[Ken X]

If its a nice day it would almost be as easy to walk

Just over a mile if you are so inclined.

Good luck with the exams.

 

[The Snap]

If its a nice day it would almost be as easy to walk

Just over a mile if you are so inclined.

Good luck with the exams.

Thank you

 

[stadler]

In December I’m taking exams at the CAA HQ at Gatwick. I’m getting the train from Manchester via Euston and London Bridge to Gatwick.

I’ve never actually been to Gatwick either by plane or train. My question is…is there a taxi rank for public hire at the station, and how do I access it? I’ve tried to use Google Street View but can’t quite work it out.

Cheers

I would not recommend a taxi ride for such a short distance. Firstly the airport road layout means that the taxi has to take an extremely long route to reach there. The route from the taxi rank to the CAA HQ involves exiting the South Terminal area and going all the way along Airport Way in the opposite direction and then entering the North Terminal area and turning around on the roundabout before going back along London Road down to City Place and the CAA HQ building.

The taxi ride will likely take about fifteen minutes. It is very slow getting out of the airport. Plus it is often around fifteen minutes to queue up for a taxi. Plus another five minutes at least to walk from the railway station to the taxi rank. You are looking at it taking at least 30 minutes to get from Gatwick Airport railway station to the CAA HQ if you take a taxi. Also the airport taxis are extremely expensive and you can expect a fare of around £15.00 to £20.00 for this journey.

It would actually be quicker for you to walk as Ken X mentioned above. If walking then simply follow signs to the Metrobus bus stops along the main road. This is a three minute walk from the station. Then from the Metrobus stops you just walk South along the footpath alongside the A23 for approximately 20 minutes (or 15 minutes if you are a fast walker) until you get to City Place and the CAA HQ building is right there.

Alternatively if you want an even quicker option than just use the bus. Simply follow signs from the railway station to the Metrobus stops. This is a three minute walk from the station. You want the Southbound stop going towards Crawley town centre. Then just take any 3 10 20 22 200 400 420 460 bus (just not the 4 or 5 or 100 bus) for one stop to City Place and alight there. The bus ride takes three minutes and once you alight it is a three minute walk to the building. The buses run very frequently at least once every five minutes. The bus fare is just £1.70 single (so £3.40 return there and back) and you can pay with cash or contactless.

 

[The Snap]

I would not recommend a taxi ride for such a short distance. Firstly the airport road layout means that the taxi has to take an extremely long route to reach there. The route from the taxi rank to the CAA HQ involves exiting the South Terminal area and going all the way along Airport Way in the opposite direction and then entering the North Terminal area and turning around on the roundabout before going back along London Road down to City Place and the CAA HQ building.

The taxi ride will likely take about fifteen minutes. It is very slow getting out of the airport. Plus it is often around fifteen minutes to queue up for a taxi. Plus another five minutes at least to walk from the railway station to the taxi rank. You are looking at it taking at least 30 minutes to get from Gatwick Airport railway station to the CAA HQ if you take a taxi. Also the airport taxis are extremely expensive and you can expect a fare of around £15.00 to £20.00 for this journey.

It would actually be quicker for you to walk as Ken X mentioned above. If walking then simply follow signs to the Metrobus bus stops along the main road. This is a three minute walk from the station. Then from the Metrobus stops you just walk South along the footpath alongside the A23 for approximately 20 minutes (or 15 minutes if you are a fast walker) until you get to City Place and the CAA HQ building is right there.

Alternatively if you want an even quicker option than just use the bus. Simply follow signs from the railway station to the Metrobus stops. This is a three minute walk from the station. You want the Southbound stop going towards Crawley town centre. Then just take any 3 10 20 22 200 400 420 460 bus (just not the 4 or 5 or 100 bus) for one stop to City Place and alight there. The bus ride takes three minutes and once you alight it is a three minute walk to the building. The buses run very frequently at least once every five minutes. The bus fare is just £1.70 single (so £3.40 return there and back) and you can pay with cash or contactless.

Thanks for the advice, sounds like the bus is the best option! Unless it’s a nice dry day for a walk, which in December is unlikely.

Another amateur question from a non-Londoner…I assume the buses take contactless payments? Or do I need cash?

 

[stadler]

Thanks for the advice, sounds like the bus is the best option! Unless it’s a nice dry day for a walk, which in December is unlikely.

Another amateur question from a non-Londoner…I assume the buses take contactless payments? Or do I need cash?

The buses take both cash and contactless. You can chose either method. It is the same price either way. Make sure to ask the driver for a "Single to City Place" on your outward journey and for a "Single to South Terminal" on your return journey in order to pay the lower £1.70 short hop fare. So it will cost you £3.40 total (£1.70 there and £1.70 back) for the bus rides.

 

[The Snap]

The buses take both cash and contactless. You can chose either method. It is the same price either way. Make sure to ask the driver for a "Single to City Place" on your outward journey and for a "Single to South Terminal" on your return journey in order to pay the lower £1.70 short hop fare. So it will cost you £3.40 total (£1.70 there and £1.70 back) for the bus rides.

Brill, thank you

 

[MrJeeves]

The buses take both cash and contactless. You can chose either method. It is the same price either way. Make sure to ask the driver for a "Single to City Place" on your outward journey and for a "Single to South Terminal" on your return journey in order to pay the lower £1.70 short hop fare. So it will cost you £3.40 total (£1.70 there and £1.70 back) for the bus rides.

Metrobus also do tap-on, tap-off as well with contactless cards, which might be easier for OP (@The Snap).

Typically the drivers just tell you to tap on as opposed to wanting to actually sell you a ticket in my experience of commuting around Crawley for a few months.

I will also say, the bus operation at Gatwick South Terminal is rather slick for anyone commuting to City Place. Bus priority junctions and everything.

 

[Joe Paxton]

Metrobus also do tap-on, tap-off as well with contactless cards, which might be easier for OP (@The Snap).

Typically the drivers just tell you to tap on as opposed to wanting to actually sell you a ticket in my experience of commuting around Crawley for a few months.

I'm unsure of what the standard etiqiette is, if anything, but when I use 'tap-on, tap-off' on a bus, I normally just say as much to the driver when I board (i.e. "just using tap-on, tap-off" or similar).

I will also say, the bus operation at Gatwick South Terminal is rather slick for anyone commuting to City Place. Bus priority junctions and everything.

Lots of (rassuring for the OP) info on the Metrobus website, including this PDF spider map of buses from Gatwick South - basically they want any southbound bus apart from the 4, 5 and 100.

As per the Gatwick Airport website, the locations of the local bus stops at the south terminal are pretty convenient:

In South Terminal, the bus stops are on either side of the A23 and are accessible by lift from South Terminal arrivals (for the northbound stops towards Redhill and Horley) and from the inter-terminal shuttle station, near the train station (for southbound stops). There is also a pedestrian walkway under the road which connects both sides of the road.

Worth noting that these are different from the bus and coach bays for longer distance (NatEx etc) services and for off-airport car parking. I think the signage within the airport to the bus stops for the local Metrobus services is better than it used to be, but be wary of just blindly following signs for 'buses & coaches' as you could miss the Metrobus signs.

(But even if one does end up on the wrong side of the A23 dual carriageway, there's a subway you can use to get to the correct side between the north and southbound bus stops.)

 

[MrJeeves]

I'm unsure of what the standard etiqiette is, if anything, but when I use 'tap-on, tap-off' on a bus, I normally just say as much to the driver when I board (i.e. "just using tap-on, tap-off" or similar).

On these, typically commuter, routes I just tap my card on the Ticketer machine, and then tap off on the second reader mounted on the grab rails. Drivers expect people to be using TOTO or The Key on basically all services around Crawley.

Worth noting that these are different from the bus and coach bays for longer distance (NatEx etc) services and for off-airport car parking. I think the signage within the airport to the bus stops for the local Metrobus services is better than it used to be, but be wary of just blindly following signs for 'buses & coaches' as you could miss the Metrobus signs.

Yes, if you leave the railway station via the one of the two corridor-like exits into the check in area, it's a right turn towards the International Arrivals area, then there's a large sign on the windows you'll be walking towards which direct you to "Southbound local buses". If you leave from the main station concourse, it's just an immediate right turn after you exit the concourse.

You'll walk down a corridor towards the North Terminal shuttle with travelators, but you'll want to dart off to the left just before you get to the shuttle itself. There's two lifts through a door which you can use to get to the bus stops. There's a live departure board at the top of the lifts, as well as one down by the bus stop for good measure.

 

[stadler]

On these, typically commuter, routes I just tap my card on the Ticketer machine, and then tap off on the second reader mounted on the grab rails. Drivers expect people to be using TOTO or The Key on basically all services around Crawley.


Yes, if you leave the railway station via the one of the two corridor-like exits into the check in area, it's a right turn towards the International Arrivals area, then there's a large sign on the windows you'll be walking towards which direct you to "Southbound local buses". If you leave from the main station concourse, it's just an immediate right turn after you exit the concourse.

You'll walk down a corridor towards the North Terminal shuttle with travelators, but you'll want to dart off to the left just before you get to the shuttle itself. There's two lifts through a door which you can use to get to the bus stops. There's a live departure board at the top of the lifts, as well as one down by the bus stop for good measure.

I find it quicker to walk to the end of the monorail island platform and use the stairs at the end. It is not signposted but if you have no luggage then this is easier. This saves waiting around for a lift. Sometimes that can be quite busy with a lot of people.

 

[MrJeeves]

As I was passing through Gatwick, I took the opportunity to grab some pictures of the bus signage. I was headed northbound, or I would have taken some for the walk too!