This is the one journey on the list that catches people out for a different reason. Heathrow and Gatwick are only 40 miles apart, close enough that people assume it's a quick hop, then discover there's no direct train linking the two. Everything runs through the M25 instead, and that motorway has a reputation for a good reason.
A taxi between the two airports usually takes 50 minutes to an hour when the M25 is behaving itself. Add rush hour into the mix and that can stretch to an hour and a half. It's not a long journey by UK standards, but it's one worth timing carefully if you've got a connecting flight to catch.
Why There's No Simple Train Between Heathrow and Gatwick
People searching for a train option between these two airports usually give up after a few minutes of scrolling. There isn't a direct rail line. The realistic train route means going into central London first, changing stations, then coming back out south to Gatwick, which can easily eat two hours once you count the walk between platforms and the wait for connections.
National Express runs coaches directly between the two airports along the M25, and that's genuinely the budget option here, not the train. Coaches take roughly 50 minutes to an hour and a quarter depending on traffic, run frequently through the day, and fares start from around £15 if booked ahead. For one traveller with light luggage and no time pressure, that's hard to argue with on price.
Where it gets less appealing is with bags. You're waiting at a coach stop, loading your own case into the hold, and hoping the M25 doesn't decide to have one of its bad days, since congestion here runs heaviest clockwise in the morning and anti-clockwise in the evening.
Heathrow and Gatwick Drop-Off Charges to Know Before You Travel
Both ends of this route now charge for pulling up outside the terminal, and the two airports don't charge the same amount.
At Heathrow, it's £7 to enter any terminal forecourt, with a ten-minute limit before the charge increases. Cameras log your plate on the way in, there's no barrier, and payment is due online by midnight the next day. Blue Badge holders get this waived, but it needs registering in advance.
Gatwick charges more. It's £10 for the first ten minutes at either North or South Terminal, rising by £1 a minute after that up to a maximum of £30 if you stay the full half hour. Same barrierless camera system, same online payment window.
Both airports have a free workaround if someone's dropping you off rather than booking a transfer. Heathrow's Long Stay car park gives the first thirty minutes free with a shuttle every fifteen minutes. Gatwick's Long Stay car parks go further, offering a full two hours free with a shuttle bus running from both terminals. Either one avoids the forecourt charge entirely, at the cost of a short bus ride.
Book a taxi for this route and both charges get folded into the fare automatically. You're not stopping to register a card or checking a clock once you're through security.
Public Transport Versus a Private Transfer for This Route
Coaches win on price for solo travellers who aren't in a hurry. That's worth saying honestly rather than pushing a taxi as the only sensible option. If your connection has a decent gap and you're travelling light, National Express does the job for a fraction of a private fare.
Where the coach struggles is with connecting flights that leave little margin for error. Coaches share the M25 with everyone else, and a bad accident or roadworks can turn a 50 minute journey into something closer to two hours. If you've got a tight connection window, that's a real risk to take on public transport, since a delayed coach doesn't hold your gate.
A private transfer tracks your inbound flight, adjusts the pickup automatically if you land late, and takes the most sensible route based on live traffic rather than a fixed timetable. For anyone with less than a two hour gap between flights, that flexibility usually matters more than the price difference.
When It's Worth Booking a Private Transfer Between the Airports
Connecting passengers are the clearest case for private hire here. If you're switching from a long-haul arrival at Heathrow to a short-haul departure from Gatwick, or the other way round, losing time to a slow coach or a missed connection isn't worth the saving. A driver who tracks your flight and adjusts pickup accordingly removes that risk almost entirely.
Groups and families benefit too, for the same reasons as any other route. Splitting a fixed taxi fare across four or five people, rather than buying that many coach tickets and managing bags at a bus stop, often works out close in price and considerably less stressful.
Business travellers moving between the two airports for meetings, rather than flights, tend to prefer the privacy and the ability to work during the ride, something a shared coach can't really offer.
Choosing the Right Vehicle for a Short Transfer
Because this journey is shorter than most of the routes on this site, vehicle choice comes down more to luggage and group size than comfort over distance.
A saloon car covers one or two passengers with standard luggage easily and keeps the fare at the lower end. Estate cars add boot space for families without stepping up to a larger, pricier vehicle.
Groups transferring together, whether that's a family of five or a group of colleagues heading to the same connecting flight, usually do better in an MPV or eight-seater. One fare split several ways almost always beats individual coach tickets once everyone's luggage and time is factored in.
Business travellers who want a quieter, more private ride for this short hop tend to book an executive car, particularly useful if there's a call to take or an email that can't wait until landing.
Booking a Heathrow to Gatwick Transfer
Booking takes a few minutes online. Enter your arrival terminal at Heathrow, your departure terminal at Gatwick, and your flight details, and you'll get a fixed fare before you confirm.
Flight tracking runs automatically in the background, so a delayed inbound flight shifts your pickup time without you needing to call anyone. That matters more on this route than most, given how many passengers use it specifically to make a connection.
Thirty minutes of free waiting time is included as standard, and drivers meet you in arrivals with a name board, so there's no hunting around a terminal you may not know well, especially useful if this is your first time using either airport.
If the plan is a tight connection between Heathrow and Gatwick, or simply getting between the two without wrestling a suitcase onto a coach, book the transfer, confirm your flight details, and let the driver deal with the M25.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a taxi from Heathrow to Gatwick take?
Usually 50 minutes to an hour on the M25 and M23. At peak times, or if there is an incident on the M25, allow up to an hour and a half.
How far apart are Heathrow and Gatwick?
About 40 miles by road. There is no direct train, so the M25 is the most direct way between the two.
How much time should I leave between flights?
For separate tickets, leave at least four hours between landing at one airport and departing from the other. That covers passport control, baggage, the drive, a fresh check-in and security.
Is the coach cheaper than a taxi between the airports?
For one person travelling light, yes. National Express coaches run between the two airports with advance fares from around £15. For a family or a tight connection, a private transfer is usually the safer choice.
Do you charge extra if my inbound flight is late?
No. We track your flight and adjust the pickup. Thirty minutes of waiting time after landing is included.
Which terminals do you cover?
All of them: Heathrow Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5, and Gatwick North and South. Tell us both terminals when you book.
