East Croydon to Gatwick Airport Trains From £6.80*

Jump on a quick East Croydon to Gatwick Airport train and get to your flight in just 15 minutes with Thameslink.

On the way, leave behind the London suburbs and head into leafy Surrey, past Surrey National Golf Club and a few local towns, before travelling through Horley - the town just north of Gatwick. You'll be at the dedicated airport train station before you know it!

Thameslink operates multiple commuter routes heading to and from London. They travel to places like Peterborough, Bedford and Cambridge, along with large parts of Surrey, Kent, West Sussex and East Sussex.

Departing from East Croydon

East Croydon Station, situated on George Street, offers excellent connectivity with London's public transport network. The London Tram (Tramlink) conveniently stops right outside the station, providing seamless access for travellers. Additionally, there are six adjacent bus stops, ensuring easy transfers and further enhancing the station's accessibility.

From this station, you can reach Brighton on the same line as the Gatwick train. The station also has connections to London Luton Airport, London Victoria, London Bridge, Bedford, Cambridge, Horsham and Wimbledon, as well as countless smaller destinations across Greater London and the South East. Trains are operated by Southern and Thameslink.

Main stops

There are a number of different stopping patterns for trains on this route. The fastest services with both Thameslink and Southern are non-stop between East Croydon and Gatwick Airport. Some Thameslink services stop just at Redhill. Others stop at Horley, Redhill, Merstham and Coulsdon South. Another pattern for Thameslink is to stop at Horley, Redhill and Purley.

Some Southern trains stop at Horley, Redhill, Merstham, Coulsdon South, Purley, Purley Oaks and South Croydon. The other stopping pattern on Southern is Horley, Salfords (Surrey), Earlswood (Surrey), Redhill, Purley and South Croydon.

Arriving at Gatwick Airport

The easiest way to get from East Croydon to Gatwick Airport is by train to Gatwick Airport Station. The train station at Gatwick Airport is located at the South Terminal. If you are flying from here, it's simply a matter of a short walk to either departures or arrivals. Flying from the North Terminal is easy, too, with a free shuttle bus ready to whisk you over there in two minutes.

From Gatwick Airport, you can catch trains to places such as London Victoria, London Bridge, Brighton, Eastbourne, Portsmouth, Bognor Regis, Horsham, Reading, Bedford, Peterborough and Cambridge. Operators running from this station include Gatwick Express and Great Western Railway.

Thameslink train classes

• Standard Class: Buy cheap train tickets in Standard Class and get a comfortable commuter experience. If you see a blue Wi-Fi logo sticker on your train door, you'll be able to connect during your journey.
• First Class: Grab your ticket and head to the front of the train to find the East Croydon to Gatwick Airport First Class seats. They'll give you upgraded seating and a quieter coach.

Thameslink train travel advice

It's always worth checking out the latest ways to buy cheap train tickets. Luckily, we can help! Have a look to see if you are eligible to save with a Railcard. They are available for lots of different groups, including families and two adults who travel together.

• Luggage: There are luggage racks on the train for large suitcases. If you just have a normal bag or a smaller case, it can go in one of the overhead shelves, too.
• Bicycles: If you have a fully folding bike, it can be brought on board at any time, but normal bikes aren't allowed on peak-time trains. At other times, they're fine as long as there is space.
• Children: Little ones under 5 can travel for free on your lap, and those aged 5-15 will only be charged half price. Thameslink also has a ticket offer for kids. An adult with a valid ticket can take up to four kids for £2 each.
• Pets: You can bring two pets on board. They need to be in a carrier unless they are dogs, which can be kept on a lead. Carriers can't be bigger than 85 x 60 x 60 cm.
• Passenger Assist: Thameslink will assist even if you 'turn up and go' by requesting it on arrival at the station. It's better to book in advance if you can, though, which you can do by phone and online.