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freeflystacy

Heathrow to Gatwick connection

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I was wondering if I could get some advice from people familiar with London and the airports. I made a silly purchase of an airline ticket where I will be flying into Heathrow and flying out of Gatwick.

I've researched my options for getting from Heathrow to Gatwick and it seems that the National Express bus is my best/cheapest option. I'm arriving at 10:25 am at Heathrow and leave at 1:50 pm from Gatwick. Is this enough time to clear customs/collect my bag, take the bus, and check in for my flight?

Thanks for your help.

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Being a Us citizen entering the toughest Immigration in the world i do not think you will have enough time to clear Immigration get your bags and get the bus.
Its also a fair walk through the airport just to the bus depot.

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I think it's possible but you' be relying on you getting your bags quick, waved through customs and no congestion on the roads. Even one minor delay of the three you could still do it but everything will have to flow for you. If the transfer is on a weekday at rush hour on the roads chances getting even slimmer, but what other options do you have? Minincab/taxi maybe quicker only because no waiting around to leave or howabout a motorcycle taxi - how light do you travel?
My 1st instinct was go for it you'll make it by the skin of your teeth (is that an expression americans understand?), but please don't blame me if you don't, cutting it very fine..

Let us know how you get on.

Sam (insomniac in London)
but what do I know

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I have flown into/out of both before but never in the manner you are talking about. I can tell you that the hardest part of immigration is simply the long ass lines you might encounter. The brits do it a bit different from the rest of the world for some reason. I have however smoked through immigration on a few occasions but that was in Heathrow, not Gatwick. Gatwick can have lines that zigzag back and forth across the entire floor and extend all the way up to the second level tier of the walkway when some of the International flights arrive. Once through immigration/customs, luggage retrieval is rather normal if not slightly quicker,especially if you've been waiting in a long immigrations line.

Where I think you might run into difficulty is getting from Heathrow to Gatwick in a timely manner,even if you smoke through Immigrations in Heathrow and jumped into a cab. It's typically a +/-40 min drive from one to another in a car but figure on 2-3 hour trip on a bus and the traffic on the M. Best case I think you would get there around 1PM via a car service and still have to check in and clear security which may not be enough time. My advise, see if you can change the Gatwick departure to a later time or plan on rolling the dice once there and hope the stars align for you.
"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
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I did a similar transfer a few months ago (landed Gatwick & had to get to Heathrow)

Directions from Heathrow to Gatwick:

Baggage & customs takes +-45 minutes.

Haul ass to the Underground, catch the Picadilly line (blue) to Acton Town, transfer to the District line (green) to Victoria, catch the Gatwick Express (trains leave every 15 minutes, trip takes 30 minutes)

Total time should be about 2 hours 30 minutes...

Tubemap

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Hope this helps :)

A VERY MERRY UNBIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!
D.S # 125

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I'd agree with the taxi option. It's going to cost you, but your timings sound a bit too tight for anything else.

Wouldn't your bags get sent to gatwick for you to join your connecting flight? Maybe worth checking...

Don't want to be a downer but...Considering the high possibilities of delays, hold ups and congestion over here, the best advice would be to see if you could change your gatwick flight to an hour or so later. I've been on a few flights booked over the web that just gave unreallistic transfer times and consequently missed them.
"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading."

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