Getting to Gatwick

[cazzie]

We are going from Gatwick and it's our first time from this airport. We had planned to hire a car there and back which would save car parking, I was wondering what do you think re the motorways on a Friday morning? We would have to get there about 10:30 which means we would be travelling during the peak traffic.

We normally go from Birmingham but because of the seat pitch we decided to go from Gatwick but are having trouble deciding the best way to get there. I don't want to go on the train as it involves a couple of changes one in London (worried about getting lost going to the tube) and another option is the coach but to be honest I don't fancy hanging around for a couple of hours waiting especially coming back. Lastly we could travel on the Thursday evening and stay in a hotel but am not sure on this as Dh doesn't get home until 7'ish and it would be quite late when we started out.

Any opinions would be gratefully received.

 

[Aceman88888]

Gatwick is not the easiest airport on a weekday and it's like Russian Roulette trying to predict what you will come up against. Its difficult to judge as you dont say where you are travelling from or what dates as school holidays etc can make a big difference. here's a few points though:

1. M25 anticlockwise around Heathrow is currently contraflow and will be for a few months yet due to widening works and the new T5 access roads. There is also a camera controlled 40mph limit.

2. If travelling from the north this one issue will give you tailbacks up to the M40 junction and often farther.

3. Approx travel times from Heathrow junctions to Gatwick are at present 40 mins but can be 90 mins once schools are back.

4. I would suggest an overnight hotel stay, and if DH can't finish a bit earlier to go on holiday, then pull a sickie ;-)

 

[cazzie]

We are travelling on the 2nd Sept and have to get to the south terminal I think. We will be coming down from the M42 (B'ham) and I am not sure which motorways we will use as I have to get a route plan. It's looking pretty much like the night before.

 

[Aceman88888]

Well I do the M40 and M25 regually with work and at present Bham Airport to Gatwick takes about 2 hours 40 mins, accidents permitting considering the roadworks. As you are travelling before the end of the school holidays this should be an accurate estimate. However I would allow 3.5 hours especially if you have to park & transfer and allow 3 hours before flight departure so you would need to leave home at 7am if I've read it right.

I've got to do a similar trip 16 days later but will be splitting my journey with an overnight stop as I need to be at the airport at 9am which would mean a 5.30 start with two screaming kids!....excitedly of course!

Also consider that if you've got to drive when you get there, an overnight stay before the flight will allow you to be more measured behind the wheel!

 

[gilld]

We almost always do an overnight at La Meridian or Hilton at Gatwick even though we're only 90 mins from Gatwick. Leaving early in the morning just makes the travelling day so long and you can never be sure how long it will take with roadworks, accidents etc.

We also have a chauffeur driven car take and collect us, as we both feel driving after an overnight transatlantic flight is unsafe. Another couple of hundred pounds is very little on the cost of the holiday.

You won't have any trouble arriving at the hotel late in the evening, just inform them in advance so they don't release your room thinking you're a "no show".

 

[Amyrlin]

I think I would do an overnight if I were you if you can. I am travelling from Northamptonshire on the 1st and need tio be there at a simiar time (just a bit earlier). I hate driving in rush hour traffic so am going to leave at about 3 am to try anf finnish the journey before rush hour starts in earnest. I I could I would stay the night before at a hotel, but can't due to work

 

[florry]

Don't attempt the M25 at that time of morning especially on a Friday.
How about getting to Bedford from B/ham ? the train goes directly from Bedfor to Gatwick and straight into the terminal
We get on at St Albans and it's so easy.

 

[Goofyish]

We travelled down on a Friday afternoon to Gatwick. We left home at 3:30pm and went down the M40. All was clear until just after High Wycombe when it started to slow. Once on the M25 we never got out of 2 gear until the Gatwick exit!

I would always go down the day before our flight - it only takes one little accident or breakdown to turn the M25 into a carpark!

 

[natalielongstaff]

i agree with tim on this one.....go down the night before !!

 

[kevin harrison]

Go the day before if you possibly can, it makes the whole travelling process a lot easier.

We fly on the Friday, but will be driving down to Gatwick from Nottingham on Thursday dinner, it makes for a great journey - no rush, stress, and we stop as many times as we want without any panic setting in. Also your holiday starts a day earlier.

 

[wils]

I agree with many of the above posters. We travelled down the morning of a flight (from Heathrow) when we were travelling to Portugal for a Wedding and got caught up in tail backs caused by an accident. There is nothing worse than been stuck helpless in your car as the clock ticks down knowing you still have to park the car etc.

We ended up running into the airport and being send to check in at First Class because we were so late - needless to say when we got into the departure lounge the display showed a flight delay which ended up being 90 minutes!!!

Add to that the lottery which is the M25 (even without roadworks) and I would recommend a short journey on the day of your flight is a far more relaxed start to your trip!

Jo

 

[cazzie]

Thanks everyone, I am going to look for a hotel with car parking and I think we are both agreed that maybe it would be better to go on the Thursday evening.

 

[wilma-bride]

Cazzie

If you don't mind being a couple of miles from Gatwick, we stayed at the Gatwick Manor last year. They do (like most places) an overnight stay and car parking deal. Think is it cost us £120 last year for one night and 15 days parking.

Their breakfast is lovely too and there is a Brewers Fayre type restaurant right next to it.

 

[cazzie]

Thanks for the info Wilma, I have booked the Quality Gatwick I was going for the Europa but read a few negative comments so I booked this one and decided if its awful then so be it.