Gatwick

[I T S]

We bit off topic, but in a way it's not... Any cranks ever stay the night in Gatwick airport? Say arrive around 1am off a train from London and kip for a 6am flight the next day? Any problems? Is airport open 24/7?

 

[paul1609]

We bit off topic, but in a way it's not... Any cranks ever stay the night in Gatwick airport? Say arrive around 1am off a train from London and kip for a 6am flight the next day? Any problems? Is airport open 24/7?

The airport is open 24/7 as are places like Costa, Neros and Marks and Sparks Simply Food. Ive arrived on a delayed flight and waited for the first train home before. Theres usually a few people staying overnight.

 

[richw]

I've arrived from the last fgw from reading arriving about 1am, and kipped until a 440am check in on several occasions, just used a spare jumper as a pillow.

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[Urban Gateline]

We bit off topic, but in a way it's not... Any cranks ever stay the night in Gatwick airport? Say arrive around 1am off a train from London and kip for a 6am flight the next day? Any problems? Is airport open 24/7?

But why would you do this, when trains run hourly through the night to Gatwick Airport? They run on the hour, every hour in the small hours of the morning from Victoria.

The station itself is quite modern and reasonable, not sure of the types that hang around there though! The Airport will probably stay open but you may get moved on if you are trying to sleep on the seating there!

 

[I T S]

No I mean I arrive at Stansted at 2250 on the Sunday night and fly out from Gatwick on the Monday at 0600 so pointless in spending money on a hotel really... Just kip it out in the airport

 

[richw]

But why would you do this, when trains run hourly through the night to Gatwick Airport? They run on the hour, every hour in the small hours of the morning from Victoria.

The station itself is quite modern and reasonable, not sure of the types that hang around there though! The Airport will probably stay open but you may get moved on if you are trying to sleep on the seating there!

Travelling to gatwick from cornwall, was my reason, for a 440 am check in, travel times were circa 1800 from truro, arrive reading about 2300, dep rdg 2330 arrive gtw 0100 the next departure from cornwall will get you to gtw around 7am

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[4SRKT]

But why would you do this, when trains run hourly through the night to Gatwick Airport? They run on the hour, every hour in the small hours of the morning from Victoria.

Erm, most people in this country do not live in or around London, and personally I'd rather sleep in the terminal at Gatwick than sleep rough in London waiting for a train to meet an early flight. Less likely to be moved on by the Peelers as there are always people dossing down in airports and ferry terminals at night, and less likely to be kidnapped and sold into sex slavery.

 

[dvboy]

I've done it at London Luton having arrived off a train at about 2am, for a 6am flight, check-in opened about 4am and since it was very busy with several flights it was worth getting there early.

Don't count on getting much sleep in the airport.

 

[Weary Walker]

Living in close proximity and knowing/ known a number of employees at Gatwick over the years the approach has been in the past - bona fide passengers - fine, others looking for a free kip - out you go

 

[thameslink2000]

We bit off topic, but in a way it's not... Any cranks ever stay the night in Gatwick airport? Say arrive around 1am off a train from London and kip for a 6am flight the next day? Any problems? Is airport open 24/7?

It is possible to sleep at Gatwick Airport while waiting for an early morning train/flight, I have done it a few times.

 

[Weary Walker]

No guarantee of course but hopefully indicative.

 

[telstarbox]

It can be done - both terminals are open 24 hours, there are plenty of people about, it feels fairly safe and you can get a coffee etc if you want. No guarantee of a decent night's sleep though as there's a fair bit of noise and it's all quite brightly lit!

The Yotel hotel inside the South Terminal offer rooms for just 4 hours which might be more comfortable.

 

[scarby]

I would go for the Yotel hotel option. Have stayed overnight in airports a couple of times. If you just stay up the problem is that the next day is just a write-off.

 

[cle]

Are they still redeveloping/expanding the airport station? I thought at one point two more platforms to the east were planned?

And the new airport operators certainly seem to be investing a lot. It's much better already, especially the North Terminal.

 

[richw]

I would go for the Yotel hotel option. Have stayed overnight in airports a couple of times. If you just stay up the problem is that the next day is just a write-off.

or if you are travelling far enough sleep on the plane!

 

[bangor-toad]

Hi there,
A few years ago when I was young, carefree and irresponsible I manged to miss my last train home after nights out in London a few times.

Rather than hang around Victoria station until the first train home of the morning I'd get down to Gatwick and spend the rest of the night there. It was a fairly comonplace ocuurance with there being a few "worse for wear" people staggering off the train and heading off into the terminal building in search of another drink, something to statisfy the munchies, a coffee or somewhere to crash out for a couple of hours.
Gatwick is a much nicer place to do this compared to any London terminus!

Around 5:30am when the trains started you'd head back down to the platforms to figure out the way home.
Ah, glorious days which I'm now way to sensible to repeat

Jason

 

[tsr]

It's not officially recommended that you kip down at Gatwick, of course. If you do, I recommend you look for the larger shopping area (not Duty Free!), which I seem to remember is on an upper floor of the South Terminal. There are some relatively comfortable seats there, and plenty of them, and it's normally quite quiet late at night, as far as I know. If you decide to sleep near the train station entrance, it's a bit obvious and I have heard about people getting moved on.

 

[thameslink2000]

Hi there,
A few years ago when I was young, carefree and irresponsible I manged to miss my last train home after nights out in London a few times.

Rather than hang around Victoria station until the first train home of the morning I'd get down to Gatwick and spend the rest of the night there. It was a fairly comonplace ocuurance with there being a few "worse for wear" people staggering off the train and heading off into the terminal building in search of another drink, something to statisfy the munchies, a coffee or somewhere to crash out for a couple of hours.
Gatwick is a much nicer place to do this compared to any London terminus!

Around 5:30am when the trains started you'd head back down to the platforms to figure out the way home.
Ah, glorious days which I'm now way to sensible to repeat

Jason

To be honest that is the reason I have had the opportunity to spend some of my previously mentioned nights at Gatwick! Good to know i'm not the only one.

 

[jon0844]

I am not sure it's as nice at night (being very exposed) but St Pancras has places open 24 hours (well, Starbucks is currently closed for refurbishment but I think Costa is still open near the Eurostar terminal) and it's possibly better than going all the way to Gatwick for a rest. You can of course get to Gatwick (or Luton) from there too.

 

[tsr]

I am not sure it's as nice at night (being very exposed) but St Pancras has places open 24 hours (well, Starbucks is currently closed for refurbishment but I think Costa is still open near the Eurostar terminal) and it's possibly better than going all the way to Gatwick for a rest. You can of course get to Gatwick (or Luton) from there too.

I'm told they will almost certainly move on sleeping travellers from St Pancras now. Whether or not this is true, I couldn't say, but it sounds like a bit of a naïve rule to me.