Transfer Heathrow to Gatwick

[SCDH]

What is the fastest and most reliable way to get from Heathrow to Gatwick? We will have 3 hours from the time our plane lands at Heathrow until our next flight takes off from Gatwick. We will have to collect our bags, go through customs, and take our bags with us to Gatwick. We are considering hiring a limo service--any suggestions?

 

Thanks!

Eileen

[ab0si]

My suggestion is don't try it. Three hours in BA's minimum transfer time.

 

The bus takes 1 to 1 1/2 hours (plus waiting time).

 

A private car would be faster, of course, because you won't need to wait for the scheduled departure time. Also, there is additional time getting to the bus pick-up point (15 minutes at Terminal 1,2,3; longer at 4; pick-up right at the terminal if flying into 5).

 

The actual transfer time varies tremendously depending on the day of the week and time of day. At rush hour, the motorway does an excellent imitation of a long, thin parking lot.

 

It is not unusual to spend an hour between getting off the plane and exiting customs (walking, more walking, passport control, waiting for luggage, customs). then there is checking your baggage in at Gatwick and going through security and being at the gate no later than 20 minutes before scheduled departure.

[scottbee]

What is the fastest and most reliable way to get from Heathrow to Gatwick? We will have 3 hours from the time our plane lands at Heathrow until our next flight takes off from Gatwick. We will have to collect our bags, go through customs, and take our bags with us to Gatwick. We are considering hiring a limo service--any suggestions?

 

Thanks!

Eileen

 

That's cutting it very close. If you can avoid it, I would. Are you flights already booked?

[Globaliser]

What is the fastest and most reliable way to get from Heathrow to Gatwick? We will have 3 hours from the time our plane lands at Heathrow until our next flight takes off from Gatwick.

First question: Are you doing this connection on one ticket, or two separate tickets?

 

Second question: What day of the week, and what time?

 

Third question: Which airlines?

 

The normal recommendation is to use the National Express coach transfer. But three hours is right on the published Minimum Connection Time, so you may have quite a lot of risk, especially if there is even a minor inbound delay. You may be able to tolerate more risk if you are connecting on one ticket, because you're protected against misconnection (you'll be reaccommodated on another flight). But if you're travelling on two separate tickets, the amount of risk you can take may depend on the identity of the second airline, and the likely approach they'd take to you missing the first flight.

[NorbertsNiece]

Hi Globaliser,

Finding your posts a source of useful information. Thanks :)

Just a quickie. The 3 hour flight connection time.... is that the time for passengers in transit at the same airport as well?

[Globaliser]

The 3 hour flight connection time.... is that the time for passengers in transit at the same airport as well?

Thanks, NorbertsNiece! The exchange of good information is what CC forums are all about, and I hope that I contribute my bit as well as taking from the boards.

 

The three hour Minimum Connection Time is for inter-airport connections only. For connections within one airport, it'll be much less than that, although the exact time for any particular connection depends on arrival and departure terminals and airlines, as well as whether each flight is domestic or international. But, to give one example, I believe that the MCT for a T5-T5 connection at Heathrow is now 60 minutes.

 

Just a note about what "Minimum Connection Time" is. Technically, it applies only to true connections, ie connections made when both sides of the connection are written on a single ticket. It is the minimum time that must be allowed for such a connection; it's "illegal" for a connection to be booked with a shorter connection time than that, and most booking systems will now automatically reject any attempt to book an "illegal" connection. But it does not guarantee that you will make the connection. With that connection time, there is still a significant risk that you will miss the connection. However, if you have booked a connection on a single ticket and you have at least the minimum connection time between flights, then the airline is contractually obliged to reaccommodate you on the following flight, as well as to provide the care that the contract and any applicable regulations require.

 

For these reasons, there are many cases in which people would be well advised to choose a connection which gives you significantly longer than the published MCT. That includes, in particular, time critical travel such as flying to a cruise, particularly if you are going to arrive on the same day as the ship sails, or if there is relatively infrequent service on the second sector of the journey so that you could be very disrupted by misconnecting.

[handfordr]

The normal recommendation is to use the National Express coach transfer.

 

National Express now have a rival on the Heathrow - Gatwick run, this is Dot 2 Dot who run 16 seat minibuses every 20 minutes. The big plus against National Express is that Dot 2 Dot run terminal to terminal, National Express only pickup from the Central Bus Station (10 minutes walk from Terminals 1,2,3) and Terminal 5. If you are using Terminal 4 especially this will save you around 20-25 minutes at least.

 

Lots of variables but crudely its 45-75 minutes from flight arrival to exiting customs/baggage. The journey time itself by a vehicle takes 50 minutes, i.e. the time of a taxi).

Between 15:30 and 19:00 traffic congestion delays are to be expected on the Heathrow - Gatwick direction.

 

A prebooked taxi will be about 75 GBP and should have you to Gatwick in about 2 hours after landing unless you are travelling late afternoon/early evening. I wouldn't contemplate National Express unless you are using Terminal 5, where the bus runs direct to Gatwick without stops. National Express for 2 people is about 40 GBP and Dot 2 Dot, 50 GBP so a taxi isn't that extortianate.

[gr'aunt]

But three hours is right on the published Minimum Connection Time, so you may have quite a lot of risk, especially if there is even a minor inbound delay. You may be able to tolerate more risk if you are connecting on one ticket, because you're protected against misconnection (you'll be reaccommodated on another flight). But if you're travelling on two separate tickets, the amount of risk you can take may depend on the identity of the second airline, and the likely approach they'd take to you missing the first flight.

 

Hi Globaliser- You seem to know quite a bit about Heathrow, so I hope you can help me. I know the quote above is referring to somebody trying to go from Heathrow to Gatwick, so my question is slightly different. On May 23rd, I arrive at Heathrow (Terminal 3) from Los Angeles on Virgin Atlantic. The flight is scheduled to land at 12:05 pm (1205). I am then scheduled to depart for Rome from Terminal 5 on British Airways at 3:40 pm (1540). So assuming the planets and stars are aligned properly and the flight is reasonably on time, it looks like there is about 3 1/2 hours between flights. So here is my question:

 

Will I need to obtain my luggage and go through customs in Terminal 3, then exit and catch a tram to Terminal 5 and stand in line to check luggage, then go through security again? And if so, do I have a ghosts chance that I'll make the 3:40 flight to Rome? Or is there a way that the luggage (and me) can be transferred between terminals without going through customs? I'm unclear if I'm considered "leaving the airport" and thus subject to customs search if I'm changing from international to domestic terminal.

 

My TA called both Virgin Atlantic and British Airways...Virgin Atlantic said the airport agent in Los Angeles would possibly:eek: check my luggage all the way through to Rome. (We are doing the return-British Airways from Istanbul to London, Virgin Atlantic from London to Los Angeles). British Airways said they would NOT check the luggage from Istanbul to Los Angeles, so we know we'll have to retrieve the luggage in Heathrow on the return flight...but we have a longer layover of 4 hours.

 

Of course, I'm concerned that if my luggage is "checked through" from LAX to Rome (and has to go on 2 different carriers, VA & BA), that it will still be riding a carousel in Heathrow as I'm landing in Rome. I'd really rather get my luggage from the Virgin Atlantic flight and check it onto the British Airways flight. That was my thinking when I booked these flights. But now, of course, I'm freaking out and wondering what have I done!!!

 

If there is anyone else out there who has done something similar to what I've described, please let me know how it worked out for you.

 

Thank you in advance-Gr'aunt

[Globaliser]

On May 23rd' date=' I arrive at Heathrow (Terminal 3) from Los Angeles on Virgin Atlantic. The flight is scheduled to land at 12:05 pm (1205). I am then scheduled to depart for Rome from Terminal 5 on British Airways at 3:40 pm (1540). So assuming the planets and stars are aligned properly and the flight is reasonably on time, it looks like there is about 3 1/2 hours between flights. So here is my question:

 

Will I need to obtain my luggage and go through customs in Terminal 3, then exit and catch a tram to Terminal 5 and stand in line to check luggage, then go through security again? And if so, do I have a ghosts chance that I'll make the 3:40 flight to Rome? Or is there a way that the luggage (and me) can be transferred between terminals without going through customs? I'm unclear if I'm considered "leaving the airport" and thus subject to customs search if I'm changing from international to domestic terminal.[/quote']First of all, you're not changing from an international to a domestic terminal. London -> Rome is an international flight!

 

But the key to your question is whether you are booked on one ticket covering LA -> London -> Rome, or whether there are two separate tickets.

 

If you have one ticket covering both flights, you are entitled to have your bags through-checked and transferred automatically at Heathrow. If you can, this is what I would do. You can then use the airside flight connections route, which works pretty well between Terminal 3 and Terminal 5. You just need to follow the signs for Flight Connections Terminal 5 (initially, this will be mixed in with other terminals, but you need to keep following the signs for Terminal 5). You will be taken to a bus stop, from where the transfer bus will take you to Terminal 5. You then go up a level into the immigration hall and flight connections centre. Do not go to immigration. You will probably need to pick up your BA boarding pass at the transfer desk here - it's at the far right hand side of the hall when you have your back to the airfield. Then you pass "conformance" where your boarding pass is scanned to log your presence and to make sure that you have enough time to get to your onward flight's gate. A minimum of 35 minutes is applied at this point - if you are too late, you are sent back to be re-booked onto another flight. Then you go upstairs and through security screening, which is the only real formality. You will then be free to roam the shops and restaurants until you need to go to your gate.

 

If you have two separate tickets, then as I understand Virgin Atlantic's policies they will not through-check to another flight. (This would be the same even if the second flight was another Virgin flight.) Your bags will only be tagged to London (the bag tags will say LHR). So you will have to follow the arrivals route, which will take you to the immigration hall where you clear immigration. Then go downstairs and collect your bags and clear Customs. Once outside Customs, follow the signs for Trains, which will take you through the underground tunnel system to the Heathrow Express platforms. Go to the platform for trains to Terminal 5 (I think they all go from platform 1), and wait for the next train. There is one every 15 minutes. This is a free transfer in Express Class (standard class); you will probably not be allowed into the First Class carriages even if you try. It takes about 5 minutes to get to the Terminal 5 station. When you get off, go to the lifts (elevators) and take any one. I think you'll find that there are no call buttons to push outside and no buttons to push inside. The first stop is departures/check-in. Once you get there, go to a kiosk to check-in and print your boarding pass, then go to a bag drop desk to drop your bags. Once done, go to security (you'll pass through a similar conformance point - same deadline here: 35 minutes) and then you'll be in the same shops/restaurants area.

 

You would be very unlucky to have any time problems if you have 3:35 between flights. You'd need to have a significant inbound delay followed by a delay in delivering baggage. So you should be fine.

 

One thing to watch: If you are on a separate ticket for your BA flight, you will be subject to the standard BA baggage allowance, which is one piece per person, weighing no more than 23 kg. There is an excess weight charge for any piece between 23 kg and 32 kg (absolute maximum single bag weight). There is a per piece extra charge for any bags above one, and an excess weight charge on top of that if that is over 23 kg. If you check in separately for the BA flight, you will be unlikely to get away with not paying anything that is due (and the check-in agents' machines are set up so that they will not move your bag into the baggage system until the bag has been weighed or the fee overridden with a proper reason). You can get a discount on the extra piece charges by paying in advance (eg through online check-in), but IIRC not on the excess weight charge. So if you are going to have to pay an extra piece charge, it may be worth your while checking-in online and paying that charge before you arrive at Heathrow. You do not have to print your own boarding pass if you check-in online if (like me) you have a horror of taking bits of paper to the airport.

(We are doing the return-British Airways from Istanbul to London' date=' Virgin Atlantic from London to Los Angeles). British Airways said they would NOT check the luggage from Istanbul to Los Angeles, so we know we'll have to retrieve the luggage in Heathrow on the return flight...but we have a longer layover of 4 hours.[/quote']Again, the key is whether you are on one ticket or two. If you are on two separate tickets, this information is correct. If your travel from Istanbul to LA is written on one ticket, then BA should through-check your bags all the way to LA so that you can do an airside connection at Heathrow. The same position applies for excess baggage (and weight) on the BA sector.

Of course' date=' I'm concerned that if my luggage is "checked through" from LAX to Rome (and has to go on 2 different carriers, VA & BA), that it will still be riding a carousel in Heathrow as I'm landing in Rome. I'd really rather get my luggage from the Virgin Atlantic flight and check it onto the British Airways flight. That was my thinking when I booked these flights.[/quote']There are pros and cons, but personally I would rather the airline through-checked it. The chances of the bag being mishandled are so small that IMHO it is not worth the substantial extra time and effort expended in choosing to collect the bag and re-check it. And, after all, it could get mishandled even if you only check it to London.

[gr'aunt]

Thank you Globaliser-I got your message on the Airline Forum. I do have two separate tickets. I just got off the phone (again) with both Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. Again, conflicting information. This time it was VA who told me I have to collect my luggage in Heathrow and go through all the steps again for the BA flight. The BA customer service agent I just spoke with told me that it depends on the mood of the VA agent at LAX; that my luggage CAN be checked through to Rome if the agent wants to do it. I will bring candy and flowers to LAX and hope that the agent likes both:D

 

Now, to those who are reading this and wonder WHY I booked two seperate flights--it's all about money! Originally, I reserved 2 business class R/T tickets on United/Lufthansa. Then, my DH said I should see how much it would cost for Premium Economy seats on VA. Well, VA doesn't go to Rome, so I figured we could go to London, and then change airlines to go to Rome. I thought since I would have had to make a connecting flight in Frankfurt or Zurich anyway on United/Lufthansa, so what's the difference if I make a switch in London? (Well, now I know there's a BIG difference between switching planes and switching airlines:mad:). The difference in PRICE was $4000.

 

So, Globaliser, please indulge me and confirm that my understanding is correct if I am unable to book our luggage through to Rome. Upon arrival at Heathrow, we A) follow the route to the Immigration Hall, B) clear Immigration and then go downstairs to collect our luggage, C) clear Customs with our luggage, D) follow the signs for Trains which will take us through an underground tunnel system to the Heathrow Express Platforms, E) find the platform for Trains to Terminal 5, possibly on platform 1, F) use the free Express Class to Terminal 5 (will this be a marked car??) G) exit the Train and go to the elevator, H) take the elevator to Departure/Check-In, I) check in at a kiosk and print our boarding passes, J) take our check-in luggage to the bag drop desk, K) go through the line for security, and finally L) find our gate and take a deep breath! IF ANY of this is incorrect, please advise as I want to print this and take it with me!

 

Per your comments about weight restrictions between the two airlines, I will follow the most restrictive rules for each airline so that my carry-on and check-in will conform to both. I have printed the baggage allowances for both VA and BA, and am using them as my packing bible. A digital scale saved our behinds the last time we flew VA in 2004..we will use it again to weigh everything that go's into the suitcases. We will definately be doing laundry on our 3 week land and sea vacation!

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I really appreciate it.

Gr'aunt aka Debra

[Globaliser]

I just got off the phone (again) with both Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. Again' date=' conflicting information. This time it was VA who told me I have to collect my luggage in Heathrow and go through all the steps again for the BA flight. The BA customer service agent I just spoke with told me that it depends on the mood of the VA agent at LAX; that my luggage CAN be checked through to Rome if the agent wants to do it.[/quote']It's always the case that (a) through-checking depends on the rules and policies of the first carrier; and (b) through-checking when more than one ticket is involved is at the discretion of the first carrier.

 

So I don't think you've been given inconsistent information this time. The Virgin rep's information this time is consistent with what I believe to be VS policy. The BA rep's information is definitely correct; whether the bag will be through-checked depends on the VS check-in desk. It can be done. It's just a matter of whether VS will do it for you.

Upon arrival at Heathrow' date=' we A) follow the route to the Immigration Hall, B) clear Immigration and then go downstairs to collect our luggage, C) clear Customs with our luggage, D) follow the signs for Trains which will take us through an underground tunnel system to the Heathrow Express Platforms, E) find the platform for Trains to Terminal 5, possibly on platform 1, F) use the free Express Class to Terminal 5 (will this be a marked car??) G) exit the Train and go to the elevator, H) take the elevator to Departure/Check-In, I) check in at a kiosk and print our boarding passes, J) take our check-in luggage to the bag drop desk, K) go through the line for security, and finally L) find our gate and take a deep breath![/quote']This is correct.

 

Most of the train will be Express Class. Just get on anywhere that's not First Class. Anyway, I wouldn't worry too much about it. You'll either be politely stopped from boarding First Class if you're trying to do it by accident. If you succeed in doing it by accident, it'll be because there are no members of staff to stop you. And we're only talking about a few minutes' worth of train ride.

 

A word of advice about going to the gate at T5. Don't go to the gate any earlier than you need to. The times that are posted on signs all over T5 showing how long it takes to get to the gate are an over-estimate of the time needed. So there's no need make a more generous allowance than those signs suggest. There are plenty of shops, restaurants and cafes in the main building to keep you happy. If you are allocated a B gate (in the satellite building), there are some cafes over there but the choice is not as good as in the main building.

 

Are you flying business class on BA as well? If so, you'll be entitled to use the lounges. If you're in the main building, it's probably best to head for the lounge in the Galleries South complex (the Galleries North lounge is really best for domestic departures). If you are allocated a B gate, there's another Club lounge in the satellite. And it has never taken me more than 8 minutes to get from the Galleries Club lounge in the South complex in the main building to the furthest B gate, so don't panic.

 

Funny to think I'm going to be there again tomorrow! :)

Per your comments about weight restrictions between the two airlines' date=' I will follow the most restrictive rules for each airline so that my carry-on and check-in will conform to both.[/quote']I don't know what your baggage allowance would be on VS - are you flying business (Upper Class) or just premium economy?

 

At any rate, don't get too bothered about the extra piece charge on BA. It's only £35 one way for the piece, or £28 if you pay it in advance. You might well think that's worthwhile. It's not like the swingeing per kg charges that many other airlines work to. Obviously, it's nice not to have to pay anything more, but this isn't going to break the bank.

[gr'aunt]

Thanks a million Globalizer. I take it you must work at Heathrow? Pardon my ignorance, but what in the heck is a HOHO bus?

[Globaliser]

No, just a passenger!

 

HOHO stands for "hop-on, hop-off" - sightseeing buses which are a selfish and inconsiderate menace to those who live in the cities where they operate.

[voyager70]

No, just a passenger!

 

HOHO stands for "hop-on, hop-off" - sightseeing buses which are a selfish and inconsiderate menace to those who live in the cities where they operate.

 

Just curious - why do you feel this way? Have you had bad experiences/problems with the HOHO buses in London? I've never used one but I know they are wildly popular in NYC and many EU cities as well.

[gr'aunt]

No, just a passenger!

 

HOHO stands for "hop-on, hop-off" - sightseeing buses which are a selfish and inconsiderate menace to those who live in the cities where they operate.

 

Should have known...hah! While brushing teeth last night after asking this question, I thought "H"..."O"...Hop on, Hop off! DUH!!!

Thanks again for all of your help:)

[lord of the seas]

Should have known...hah! While brushing teeth last night after asking this question' date=' I thought "H"..."O"...Hop on, Hop off! DUH!!!

Thanks again for all of your help:)[/quote']

 

Try brushing your teeth more often,this might help.:)

[SCDH]

Thank you for the information. We will have one ticket--Los Angeles to Venice on British Air. BA assured us that 3 hours is enough time. We will arrive at Heathrow around 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 30. If we miss the connecting flight from Gatwick, the next one is seven hours later and gets to Venice at 11:00 p.m. The flight from Heathrow to Venice leaves before our plane arrives, so we have to fly to Venice from Gatwick. We would rather try to make the connection than intentionally wait around for 10 hours. We're flying business class and can use the lounge, but we don't want to arrive in Venice at 11:00 p.m. if at all possible.

Eileen

[Globaliser]

Just curious - why do you feel this way? Have you had bad experiences/problems with the HOHO buses in London? I've never used one but I know they are wildly popular in NYC and many EU cities as well.

I'd bet that anywhere they're "wildly popular", they're only "wildly popular" with the tourists who use them. But London is not a theme park for tourists, and tourists should be sensitive to the fact that London is a primarily a living, working city to which tourists are peripheral add-ons who can get in the way of Londoners and be a nuisance.

 

I have run-ins with HOHO buses in London just about every weekend during tourist season. Generally, you learn to live with it. But I do wish they didn't exist, and I did have a particularly bad experience a couple of weeks ago with a particularly stupid and inconsiderate driver. Physical violence is not in my nature, but this came close.

[Globaliser]

We would rather try to make the connection than intentionally wait around for 10 hours. We're flying business class and can use the lounge, but we don't want to arrive in Venice at 11:00 p.m. if at all possible.

I agree with the strategy, as you have a good backup plan and you are protected against misconnection. And at worst, the British Airways lounge at Gatwick is not a bad place to while away a few hours. I personally prefer upstairs to downstairs. And if you were to misconnect (or even if you don't, but get to Gatwick in good time for your flight), you can avail yourself of the shower facilities to freshen up, which will certainly make you feel a lot better after the overnight flight.