London Banter - View Single Post

Martin Rich · September 3rd 07, 08:29 AM posted to uk.transport.london

On Sun, 2 Sep 2007 14:56 +0100 (BST), (Colin
Rosenstiel) wrote:

In article ,
(Martin Rich) wrote:

Going from Leeds to Gatwick I'd second the advice to take a Thameslink
train from Kings Cross to Gatwick, rather than to get the tube frrom
Kings Cross to Victoria. Two hours from arriving at Gatwick station
to the plane taking off should be sufficient, but it's not generous.

The airlines advise three hours nowadays.

Checking the Gatwick Airport website turns up guidelines of two hours
for European flights, three hours for long-haul (the flight that I
caught with just an hour to spare was European and I would reiterate
that I don't recommend the experience)

Starting at King's Cross you would more likely than not get to Gatwick
sooner via Victoria but only if you pay the Gatwick Express premium. You
will definitely get to Brighton quicker that way but the fast trains on
Southern don't stop at Gatwick in order to prop up Gatwick Express
revenues.

From Kings Cross to Gatwick by Thameslink is perhaps five minutes'
walk along Pentonville Road from the main Kings Cross station to the
Thameslink station, then a 45 minute train ride. Via Victoria and the
Gatwick Express it's down some stairs and an escalator at Kings Cross,
around 10 minutes on the tube, up another escalator at Victoria, and a
30 minute train ride to Gatwick.

Adding up the times, Victoria and Gatwick Express does look slightly
quicker, and the National Rail journey planner suggests that Gatwick
Express is quicker if you specify 'first train of the day' from Leeds.
Still, there's not much in it and I would be inclined to take the
Thameslink option simply because it entails only one change of train.

Martin