What route from St Pancras to Gatwick?

[suzanneparis]

Hello I have bought a ticket 'valid for this service only' from Leicester to Gatwick airport this coming Friday at 08:32.

However, whilst my ticket gives a time and seat reservation from Leicester to St P it doesn't for the rest of the journey merely saying something about using a suitable service.

Can I go by ANY route?
If I can then my options seem to be:
1. Go downstairs at St P and get the Brighton train - advantage no changes.
2. Tube to Victoria then Southern to Gat
3. Tube to Victoria then Gat Express??
4. Go downstairs at St P and get a train to London Bridge (do they all go there?) then a train to Gat.

Thanks for any help.

 

[gazthomas]

Hi, 1 and 2 are fine, 3 is not an option I think (waits to be corrected profusely) and I would counter against 4 due to issues ongoing at London Bridge.

 

[Hadders]

Any of the options is allowed, even the Gatwick Express (as it is unreservable).

If you go for option 4 you will have to get the Underground to London Bridge as there are no National Rail trains from St Pancras calling there.

If it were me I'd nip downstairs to the Thameslink platforms and get on a direct train. The trains are every 15 minutes (so you'll probably get a train ahead of your suggested connection), it's only one change and it avoids the need to cart luggage around on the underground.

 

[suzanneparis]

Thank you Gazthomas for such a quick and helpful reply.

Additional question. Trains from the depths of St P to Gatwick without changing. I think I am right in saying that not all of them go to Brighton. Do you have any idea of the other destinations?

Thanks again.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Thank you Hadders. Any ideas on my new subquestion above?

All the best

 

[PermitToTravel]

Three Bridges or Brighton

 

[suzanneparis]

Thank you PermitToTravel.

All the best

 

[button_boxer]

I believe the direct Gatwick services from St Pan will all be destination either Brighton or Three Bridges, the trains that go via Gatwick to other places originate further south (Victoria or London Bridge).

 

[Hadders]

Your train from Leicester is due into St Pancras at 0956. There are trains from 'downstairs' at:

1010 to Three Bridges (arrive Gatwick 1112) You should make this comfortably if you arrive on time.
1024 to Brighton (arrive Gatwick 1124)

Don't get a Sutton or Sevenoaks service as these don't go to the airport. The departure boards on the platforms and the announcements are pretty clear in my experience.

Incidentally, the suggested connecting service for the 0832 from Leicester is to go to London Bridge by Underground and then get a train to Gatwick from there. Given the issues at London Bridge presently the last thing journey planners should be doing is suggesting that passengers go via London Bridge when there are perfectly suitable alternatives available. A case of the industry shooting itself in the foot!

 

[bb21]

Always use the Thameslink service if available (Option 1) imo.

You will not get there quicker with other options, especially if you have luggage in tow.

 

[Hadders]

And you get a superior view as you go across the Thames at Blackfriars with option 1.

 

[sheff1]

Always use the Thameslink service if available (Option 1) imo.

You will not get there quicker with other options, especially if you have luggage in tow.

Normally I would agree with this, but the current Thameslink diversions mean that I find it quicker to go via Victoria. The only issue is that the barriers at the Gatwick Express platforms do not accept through tickets but the staff have always let me through without any hassle.

 

[bb21]

Normally I would agree with this, but the current Thameslink diversions mean that I find it quicker to go via Victoria. The only issue is that the barriers at the Gatwick Express platforms do not accept through tickets but the staff have always let me through without any hassle.

I still don't think it would be faster to go to Victoria for someone who is not absolutely certain where everything is. Basically I look at it on the basis of starting from the bottom of the escalators at EMT, taking the Thameslink option means an average of 3 minutes getting to the Thameslink platform, a 7-minute wait plus the one-hour journey to Gatwick, so 70 minutes typically.

To change at Victoria, one has to get to the Victoria Line platform and wait for a train, say that takes the best part of 10 minutes (longer if a detour via the Northern ticket hall is required in order to use the lifts), then about 8-9 minutes for the actual journey to Victoria, another 3 minutes to get out the LU station if you are quick, an average of 7 minutes waiting for the Gat Ex, and then 30 minutes travel time to Gatwick Airport. So that gives me a total of about an hour.

This is fine of course if one knows where one is going and is travelling light, but to an unfamiliar passenger an extra interchange at a major station will likely add a few minutes to the journey in order to get their bearings right. Throw in the need to head for awkward lifts you very quickly see the 10-minute advantage disappear. On top of that you lose the peace of mind one has with a simple upstairs-downstairs interchange.

So yes, perhaps it would have been more appropriate for me to qualify my statement with the given circumstances of the OP, but I don't think it would be quicker for someone like the OP to go via Victoria, even with the Thameslink detours in south London atm. (Maybe only in circumstances where they just missed a Thameslink departure, and then time it perfectly with Gat Ex departures and travel light.)

 

[yorkie]

2. Tube to Victoria then Southern to Gat
3. Tube to Victoria then Gat Express??

Unless you have loads of luggage and/or easily get lost (in which case, see post by bb21 above) I'd take options 2 & 3 (it's the same Company and has been since 2008), which is a train on Southern's Gatwick Express route. You will easily get the front coach to yourself as these trains are incredibly lightly loaded and carry around a lot of fresh air.

 

[maniacmartin]

Going via Victoria will usually be quickest. However I will echo the advice above to just take Thameslink if you have heavy luggage

 

[khib70]

Reading this thread with interest as I will be flying into Gatwick at 0620 on !st May and returning to Edinburgh on a Gatwick-Edinburgh 1st class advance specifying the 0930 KGX-EDB. My itinerary suggests the 0805 Gat Ex, but obviously I can use any reasonable connection. I'm not thrilled about doing Vic-KGX on the tube with luggage in the peak. Would I be best taking the first available Thameslink to St Pancras instead? I assume customs and baggage reclaim will take about an hour, so I should make the connection at KGX?

Any advice or tips would be appreciated! TIA

 

[philjo]

Personally I would use Thameslink at that time.
The entrance into Victoria Underground station is often restricted at peak hours due to overcrowding - there are times that it is not possible to enter & the crowds build up in the main station concourse (some of my colleague who need to travel via Victoria sometimes get delayed by at least 30 minutes due to this).
I travel through Victoria underground 1-2 times a week about 9am and more often than not I can exit but they are not letting passengers in.

 

[tsr]

Personally I would use Thameslink at that time.
The entrance into Victoria Underground station is often restricted at peak hours due to overcrowding - there are times that it is not possible to enter & the crowds build up in the main station concourse (some of my colleague who need to travel via Victoria sometimes get delayed by at least 30 minutes due to this).
I travel through Victoria underground 1-2 times a week about 9am and more often than not I can exit but they are not letting passengers in.

Obviously, if there is particularly severe overcrowding, it may be best to go to St James's Park and get a Circle Line service from there (the long way to St Pancras, or change at Blackfriars and probably get the Thameslink service you would have taken anyway )! But neither of those (barring the interchange at Blackfriars) would be easy with lots of luggage in the peak hours.

 

[James Wake]

Reading this thread with interest as I will be flying into Gatwick at 0620 on !st May and returning to Edinburgh on a Gatwick-Edinburgh 1st class advance specifying the 0930 KGX-EDB. My itinerary suggests the 0805 Gat Ex, but obviously I can use any reasonable connection. I'm not thrilled about doing Vic-KGX on the tube with luggage in the peak. Would I be best taking the first available Thameslink to St Pancras instead? I assume customs and baggage reclaim will take about an hour, so I should make the connection at KGX?

Any advice or tips would be appreciated! TIA

You have a good number of Thameslink connections available from Gatwick, 4 in fact that mean you should make the 0930 off Kings Cross.
0642 arrives at 0735
0702 arrives at 0803
0739 arrives at 0831 (this train is often rather busy)
0801 arrives at 0900 (likewise the above)

 

[Stats]

as these [Gatwick Express] trains are incredibly lightly loaded and carry around a lot of fresh air.

Ah, a RailUK myth.

 

[PermitToTravel]

That has been the case every time I've used them (though I wouldn't rank that as a benefit worth dragging a suitcase through the tube for)

 

[Deerfold]

For ease, with not much of a time penalty, then I'd do Thameslink every time (after a quick check there's no problems on the route).

 

[londiscape]

You have a good number of Thameslink connections available from Gatwick, 4 in fact that mean you should make the 0930 off Kings Cross.
0642 arrives at 0735
0702 arrives at 0803
0739 arrives at 0831 (this train is often rather busy)
0801 arrives at 0900 (likewise the above)

If it were me, I would be looking to get the first possible Thameslink after landing at LGW - 0642 if lucky - and get to St P/Kings X where between them there's a wide range of catering outlets for breakfast/coffee/somewhere to sit and read paper.

If flight delayed and you end up on 0739 or 0801 Thameslink, it'll be unpleasant but doable, whereas the Victoria line between Vic and KGX at any time after 0700 is inhumane anyway, and virtually impossible with luggage.

 

[James Wake]

If it were me, I would be looking to get the first possible Thameslink after landing at LGW - 0642 if lucky - and get to St P/Kings X where between them there's a wide range of catering outlets for breakfast/coffee/somewhere to sit and read paper.

If flight delayed and you end up on 0739 or 0801 Thameslink, it'll be unpleasant but doable, whereas the Victoria line between Vic and KGX at any time after 0700 is inhumane anyway, and virtually impossible with luggage.

Very sound advice there, hope the journey goes well, if you can make one of the first two Thameslinks, then you will have plenty of time at Kings Cross or St Pancras to get something to eat or just sit and relax.

 

[khib70]

Thanks everyone. As always on this forum, excellent and useful advice. I'll target the first two Thameslink services I think, and endure the later ones if necessary. The Victoria Line scenario sounds horrific, even though I'll only have one medium sized suitcase. (Unlike many air travellers these days, I tend to leave most of the contents of my house at home).

I'm on a through First Advance - I assume Thameslink has First, which might make even the later services tolerable? Hoping for a nice early arrival on the flight, as like everyone who regularly travels on advances, I have a morbid fear of missing the booked train!

 

[James Wake]

Thanks everyone. As always on this forum, excellent and useful advice. I'll target the first two Thameslink services I think, and endure the later ones if necessary. The Victoria Line scenario sounds horrific, even though I'll only have one medium sized suitcase. (Unlike many air travellers these days, I tend to leave most of the contents of my house at home).

I'm on a through First Advance - I assume Thameslink has First, which might make even the later services tolerable? Hoping for a nice early arrival on the flight, as like everyone who regularly travels on advances, I have a morbid fear of missing the booked train!

On some Thameslink services, it is announced where first class is, there should be one compartment in every 4 coaches, but that doesn't always happen. You should see the seat covers saying first class, on some Southern units on hire to Thameslink, they have declassified one of the compartments (Southern trains normally have two per 4 coaches), but the yellow stripe is still there. If unsure, perhaps tweet Thameslink or ask staff to try and find out for you.

 

[suzanneparis]

Many many thanks to all of you. I think I shall go with the ease of 'going downstairs' at St P and getting either the Three Bridges or Brighton train.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Incidentally, as I am over 60 with a railcard the gate doesn't let you through 'downstairs' at St P and you have to show your ticket and railcard to the staff. Happens every time.

 

[AM9]

Going via Victoria will usually be quickest. However I will echo the advice above to just take Thameslink if you have heavy luggage

Question on same theme.
I will be going to Gatwick from St Albans City tomorrow using Off Peak Returns using Senior railcard and Network railcard. NRE says there are no Thameslink trains through core and to use Northern Line to London Bridge. Would like option of Gatwick Express from Victoria. NRE website says 'Any Permitted'. BRFares does not mention Gatex.
Is Gatex this permitted on this ticket please?

 

[bb21]

Yes, absolutely.

The Network Railcard map no longer makes any distinction between Gatwick Express services (which Network Railcard were not previously valid on) and Southern services.

The bottom of this page agrees with this.

 

[AM9]

Yes, absolutely.

The Network Railcard map no longer makes any distinction between Gatwick Express services (which Network Railcard were not previously valid on) and Southern services.

The bottom of this page agrees with this.

Thanks for that.

 

[infobleep]

Your train from Leicester is due into St Pancras at 0956. There are trains from 'downstairs' at:

1010 to Three Bridges (arrive Gatwick 1112) You should make this comfortably if you arrive on time.
1024 to Brighton (arrive Gatwick 1124)

Don't get a Sutton or Sevenoaks service as these don't go to the airport. The departure boards on the platforms and the announcements are pretty clear in my experience.

Incidentally, the suggested connecting service for the 0832 from Leicester is to go to London Bridge by Underground and then get a train to Gatwick from there. Given the issues at London Bridge presently the last thing journey planners should be doing is suggesting that passengers go via London Bridge when there are perfectly suitable alternatives available. A case of the industry shooting itself in the foot!

The online journey planners do not seem to take into account average passenger numbers when allowing for connections, especially across London. However it would be a very complex thing to introduce.

If you look up how to get between two stations in London, that involve 1 or more changes, on TfL; Google maps and National Rail Enquiries, you will invariably find three different opinions.