Taxi from Gatwick Airport to Forest Row RH18

A short cross-country run

From Gatwick, the driver heads east on the A264 past Copthorne and Felbridge into East Grinstead, then south on the A22 through the town and down into Forest Row. It is about 12 miles. Alternatively, the driver may take the B2028 and B2110 through Turners Hill and the lanes, which can be quicker when East Grinstead is busy.

On a normal day, the drive takes 20 to 25 minutes. The A22 through East Grinstead, and the junction where it meets the A264, are the main slow points during rush hour and the afternoon school run. The village itself is quiet most of the time.

Around the village and the forest

RH18 covers Forest Row village, with the High Street, Hartfield Road and the roads around the village green, and the surrounding hamlets: Ashurst Wood, Weir Wood towards the reservoir, and the edge of Ashdown Forest around Chelwood Gate and Coleman's Hatch. Many properties on the edge of the forest have names rather than numbers and are reached by private tracks. Add the property name and any directions or a what3words reference when you book, and the driver will find you first time.

Forest Row is also home to Emerson College and Michael Hall School, both well known in the Steiner community, and visitors from overseas often fly in for courses, conferences and school events. Give us the building or campus entrance and the driver will take you there.

Why there is no simple train

Forest Row lost its railway in the 1960s; the old line is now the Forest Way, a walking and cycling path to East Grinstead. The nearest station is East Grinstead, three miles away, on a branch line from London that does not connect directly to Gatwick. A rail journey usually means changing at East Croydon and then taking a bus or taxi from East Grinstead. Metrobus services link East Grinstead with Crawley via Gatwick, but with luggage and changes it is a slow trip. The car is by far the easiest option.

Short journeys and the minimum fare

The fixed fare on short runs covers more than the miles. Your driver still has to get to Gatwick, park in the short-stay car park, meet you in arrivals and wait while you clear passport control and collect bags. Airport charges apply too. That is why short trips have a sensible minimum fare. In return, you get a price agreed in advance, not a meter running while you wait at the carousel.

Gatwick drop-off charges for the trip out

If a neighbour is taking you to Gatwick for your next flight, they should know about the forecourt charge. Since January 2026, the drop-off zones outside North and South Terminal have cost £10 for the first ten minutes, then £1 a minute up to a thirty-minute maximum. Cameras log the plate, and payment is due online by midnight the next day. The free Long Stay car park allows two hours with a shuttle bus. Blue Badge holders are exempt. With us, the fixed fare covers it.

Meet and greet

The driver follows your flight and is waiting in the arrivals hall holding a sign with your name. After you collect your bags, they will walk you to the car and help with your luggage. Delays move the pickup time automatically, at no cost to you.

Leaving Forest Row for a flight

The same fixed fare applies in reverse. Because you are so close, you can leave later than people from London: around two hours before a short-haul flight and two and a half hours before long-haul is usually enough.

Families heading home from holiday

Most of our Forest Row bookings are families coming home from holiday. If that is you, choose the car for the luggage: an estate takes four large cases, and an MPV takes a family of six with their bags. Child seats are free, so give us the ages of the children when you book.

Frequently asked questions