City to Gatwick in 1 hour
Discussion
Hello, I´m in need of a little help!
I´m currently away traveling and will be arriving in London City Airport on the 4th May at 17:20, there are two of us and we have one large bag each to collect and get through customs.
Our following flight leaves london Gatwick at 19:35, I imagine the latest we can push it to check in with luggage would be 19:00 at best.
It´s a Thurday evening and we need to try and make the transfer in under an hour. Train seems like our quickest bet but will possibly still be tight, a taxi driver has said it´s not going to happen due to Blackfriars area?
Any adivce? Would like to make this flight otherwise its 90 pounds down the drain and a night in London.
Any help appreciated!
I´m currently away traveling and will be arriving in London City Airport on the 4th May at 17:20, there are two of us and we have one large bag each to collect and get through customs.
Our following flight leaves london Gatwick at 19:35, I imagine the latest we can push it to check in with luggage would be 19:00 at best.
It´s a Thurday evening and we need to try and make the transfer in under an hour. Train seems like our quickest bet but will possibly still be tight, a taxi driver has said it´s not going to happen due to Blackfriars area?
Any adivce? Would like to make this flight otherwise its 90 pounds down the drain and a night in London.
Any help appreciated!
I've no idea on doing it by taxi but I suspect you'd never make it through London traffic quick enough. Looking at the TFL website City Airport to Victoria takes around 35-40 minutes depending on connections. The Gatwick Express from Victoria to Gatwick takes around 30 minutes. Much will depend on how fast you can get out of City Airport (customs, baggage, etc.) but I think you'll really be pushing it to get to Gatwick check in for 19:00. Who are you flying with from Gatwick, 35 minutes for checking in with luggage seems unlikely?
Good luck, I think you're going to need it.
Good luck, I think you're going to need it.
t.It takes me more than an hour to drive from Haywards Heath (near LGW) to LCY and that's leaving at 4.30am with very light traffic.
If I am getting public transport then If the trains from London Bridge are favourable then I can be in Haywards Heath in about 1 3/4 hours after landing. Knock 15 minutes off that for LGW and it's still a fair bit over budgeted time. Good luck!
If I am getting public transport then If the trains from London Bridge are favourable then I can be in Haywards Heath in about 1 3/4 hours after landing. Knock 15 minutes off that for LGW and it's still a fair bit over budgeted time. Good luck!
Yeah that's gonna be very tight! TFL suggests the quickest route to Victoria is 35 mins. Your main problem is going to be waiting for baggage and hoping the Gatwick Express train times are favourable.
Plus you've got to hope that you're not sat on the tarmac long at LCY.
Helicopter?
Plus you've got to hope that you're not sat on the tarmac long at LCY.
Helicopter?
Edited by hyperblue on Sunday 3rd April 20:30
hyperblue said:
TFL suggests the quickest route to Victoria is 35 mins.
Not on the 4th of May according to NRE, Train leaving every few minutes from 17:12 onwards, all of them 70 minutes to Victoria with two changes. Add on the Gatwick express and you're looking at close to two hours total travelling time end to end, assuming the two changes go off smoothly.
Edited by Marf on Sunday 3rd April 20:40
I have some possible good news for you. I recently arrived into London City at 07:35 on a Monday morning with luggage to collect, and was sitting at my desk at East Croydon by 08:30, that was without pushing on for time, just the way it happened.
All dependent on train connections, but Croydon to Gatwick is not much more than 15 mins.
London City -> Canning Town (DLR), Canning Town to London Bridge (Jubilee Line), London Bridge to Gatwick (Mainline).
It will be a push, but if luck on your side with luggage collection, and possibly an early landing, you could do it.
All dependent on train connections, but Croydon to Gatwick is not much more than 15 mins.
London City -> Canning Town (DLR), Canning Town to London Bridge (Jubilee Line), London Bridge to Gatwick (Mainline).
It will be a push, but if luck on your side with luggage collection, and possibly an early landing, you could do it.
http://www.firstcityair.co.uk/
Seriously though, for a few people it might be quite reasonable, and it will be the fastest way.
Seriously though, for a few people it might be quite reasonable, and it will be the fastest way.
Who is your onward flight with out of LGW? With BA, check in closes 45 minutes before departure at LGW. With easyjet it is 40 minutes for LGW. They stick to this - arrive one minute late and you don't get on, so you also need to arrive with no-one ahead of you in the check in queue.
Check in close varies by airline - some have an even earlier close.
Don't even consider a road journey. LCY is fairly close to the Blackwall tunnel - the whole area in the east end near the Blackwall tunnel grinds to a halt every weekday evening.
If you want to try the rail connection: DLR to Canning Town, Jubilee to London Br and train from there. Train from London Br to LGW is 29 minutes, and about every 15 minutes. If the tfl planner is sending you to Victoria it shouldn't - there is work at Victoria tube station which means there is a chance you'll be stuck in crowds there. (Not to mention, the train from London Br to LGW is faster than the Gatwick Express and about half the price). The train out of London Br will be hideously crowded of course..
On the positive, immigration and baggage collection at LCY are usually very swift, and the DLR station is right by the terminal. Not quite a fair comparison (because I did it hand baggage only), but I recently did touchdown to moving DLR train in nine minutes.
I'd estimate you have a less than 50% chance of making this connection. Will you have any way of buying and collecting your rail ticket in advance? Ticket queues at London Br can be fairly large at peak times - and there is often a ticket inspection at the station gateline at Gatwick. The ticket buying element can also chew into your precious transfer minutes. Any delay at any of the various interfaces in your transfer and you've lost.
Check in close varies by airline - some have an even earlier close.
Don't even consider a road journey. LCY is fairly close to the Blackwall tunnel - the whole area in the east end near the Blackwall tunnel grinds to a halt every weekday evening.
If you want to try the rail connection: DLR to Canning Town, Jubilee to London Br and train from there. Train from London Br to LGW is 29 minutes, and about every 15 minutes. If the tfl planner is sending you to Victoria it shouldn't - there is work at Victoria tube station which means there is a chance you'll be stuck in crowds there. (Not to mention, the train from London Br to LGW is faster than the Gatwick Express and about half the price). The train out of London Br will be hideously crowded of course..
On the positive, immigration and baggage collection at LCY are usually very swift, and the DLR station is right by the terminal. Not quite a fair comparison (because I did it hand baggage only), but I recently did touchdown to moving DLR train in nine minutes.
I'd estimate you have a less than 50% chance of making this connection. Will you have any way of buying and collecting your rail ticket in advance? Ticket queues at London Br can be fairly large at peak times - and there is often a ticket inspection at the station gateline at Gatwick. The ticket buying element can also chew into your precious transfer minutes. Any delay at any of the various interfaces in your transfer and you've lost.
I don't think you'll make it sadly - too may potential pitfalls at a busy time of day.
If you at least book a hotel room now it should be cheaper than rack-rate on the day.
Presumably your flights are fixed and very unchangable ?
From a quick furtle I guess you are inbound from Geneva and outbound to Jersey ?
Assuming this; Blue Islands ( http://sutra144.airkiosk.com/cgi-bin/airkiosk/I7/8... ) are now offering flights from LCY to Jersey which seems to fit your schedule but which may not have been shown as scheduled when you made the original booking perhaps ? Before you discount this out of hand, this would save any worry and the hotel and train costs etc.
For future reference, they do also do Geneva to Jersey, just not on the day you require.
HTH.
If you at least book a hotel room now it should be cheaper than rack-rate on the day.
Presumably your flights are fixed and very unchangable ?
From a quick furtle I guess you are inbound from Geneva and outbound to Jersey ?
Assuming this; Blue Islands ( http://sutra144.airkiosk.com/cgi-bin/airkiosk/I7/8... ) are now offering flights from LCY to Jersey which seems to fit your schedule but which may not have been shown as scheduled when you made the original booking perhaps ? Before you discount this out of hand, this would save any worry and the hotel and train costs etc.
For future reference, they do also do Geneva to Jersey, just not on the day you require.
HTH.
I've seen the Gatwick Express mentioned on this post so it's worth pointing out London Bridge is much quicker to get to from LCY. The regular stopping services that go from LBG to the South coast will stop at East Croydon and then LGW. The journey takes approx 30 minutes which is the same as the Gatwick Express from Victoria.
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