Travelling from New Zealand to London later in the year, need to get to
Chatham upon arrival, and have the choice of flying to either Heathrow
or Gatwick. Gatwick arguably easier as just up to Victoria and out, but

True. You'd just be walking from one side of the station to the other,
possibly via a ticket machine or the ticket office.

Heathrow to Victoria isn't so bad though. You can change at Hammermith or
Barons Court (and probably Acton Town though you get more trains at the
other two) from Piccadilly to District Line just by walking to the other
side of the island platform. Victoria end will have a short flight of steps
or two to ground level but you wont be walking substantially more than you
would be from one side of Victoria to the other.

probably more expensive than LUL from Heathrow Terminal 4 to Victoria
then surface rail.

Well the Heathrow Express would make the Heathrow option more expensive but
assuming use of the Underground a single ticket from Heathrow to Victoria is
£3.80 and then Victoria to Chatham will be around £10 or £11 so call it £15.
Don't know if you can book the through journey from Heathrow and possibly
save a little time and perhaps a little money. Gatwick to Chatham would be
around £19 avoiding the Gatwick Express as that costs more. There may be
return tickets available that would save money but I'd imagine if anything
they would narrow the difference.

Time-wise looks about the same.

I'd think so. Going to take a couple of hours either way. Don't know how
the relative efficiency of the terminals at Heathrow and Gatwick will effect
that calculation.

Any thoughts?

At worst going via Gatwick is going to cost you about £5 more there and back
again (if you are returning!). I should imagine that is pretty
insignificant compared to the cost of flights from New Zealand and may even
be absorbed by price differences between flights.

I'd have thought the decision should be based on the cost and time of the
flights to either Gatwick or Heathrow.

Any cross-country way to get from Gatwick to Chatham avoiding going into
town?

Not unless you want to make three or four changes and it would probably take
longer and not save any money either.


G.