Gatwick express - help please!?

Question

i have to travel to gatwick airport from london victoria. i want to get a train (but NOT a gatwick express - i have heard that they are more expensive and that you need a certain ticket)

How can i tell whether my train is a gatwick express or just a train caling at the airport and then carrying on? also, do i need to expressly say when i buy my ticket whether i want gatwick express or not?

Thanks!!

Answer 1

If you get on a train that departs on 00/15/30/45 after the hour, you've got a Gatwick express.  All other departure times are Southern.  Not bad for a bloody Yank. eh?

Answer 2

The Yank is correct, but being a Yank he misses one vital point. The Gatwick Express trains are totally different from the Southern Railways, First Capital Connect and Great Western trains which also serve the airport. They coloured bright red, and also look completely different, but  won't go into those differences. They are labelled 'Gatwick Express' From Victoria you catch a Southern  Railways train - coloured green and labelled 'Southern' Buy your ticket from the ticket office and just ask for the airport. A cheap day single by Southern is £9.50, a standard open single on the GatEx is £16.50, so you are right in deciding not to use the latter service. It's probably why the Government is thinking of doing away with it  and giving the paths to Southern to improve their London/South Coast services - there are so many 'normal' trains that a dedicated service is really unnecessary.

Answer 3

You're right Gatwick Express is more expensive than the other operator from Victoria 'Southern'. Their trains take only 4 to 7 minutes longer than the Gatwick Express and depart from Platforms 15 to 19 generally at 02, 17, 32 and 47 past each hour. At the ticket office just ask for a 'Southern' ticket to Gatwick