London Blackfriars to Gatwick Airport Trains From £14.50*

Getting from London Blackfriars to Gatwick Airport with Thameslink takes thirty-five to fifty-two minutes.

On your journey, you’ll throttle through London before heading south towards Gatwick Airport, which is around halfway between London and the South Coast.

Thameslink provides a vital north-south rail connection across London and the wider south, linking essential destinations such as Luton, Brighton, and Cambridge to the capital. The service passes through central London, making stops at major stations, including London Bridge, London Blackfriars, and City Thameslink.

Departing from London Blackfriars

London Blackfriars can be found on Queen Victoria Street, on the north bank of the River Thames, just off Blackfriars Bridge. It’s an easy station to reach, as it's a London Underground station serving the Circle and District lines, and it’s close to other prominent train stations like London Bridge and Waterloo.

There are also local taxi services outside the main entrance, and local buses stop nearby.

Thameslink is the main operator at this station, offering train services to popular destinations like Brighton, Sevenoaks, Cambridge, and Dartford. Additionally, Southeastern provides a limited service from London Blackfriars.

Main stops

There are usually two Thameslink services from London Blackfriars to Gatwick Airport. One service takes around thirty-two minutes and goes to Brighton, and another, which takes fifty-two minutes, heads to Horsham.

The train to Brighton stops at London Bridge and East Croydon before reaching Gatwick Airport. Meanwhile, with the longer service heading to Horsham, there are usually six stops: London Bridge, East Croydon, Coulsdon South, Merstham, Redhill, and Horley.

These routes may change, however, due to scheduling adjustments, adverse weather conditions, construction work, train faults, or a combination of these factors. So, it’s best to check before you travel to make sure.

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Arriving at Gatwick Airport

It doesn’t take long to get from London Blackfriars, and before you know it, you’ll be at Gatwick Airport ready for your holidays, business trip, or school trip.

The train station is located in the South Terminal, so it’s only a short walk to both departures and arrivals. However, if you’re flying from the North Terminal, a shuttle bus is available to take you, which conveniently departs every few minutes and takes only a couple of minutes.

If you’d prefer to stay in a hotel near the airport before your flight, then there are a host of hotels right beside the airport. These hotels run the gamut from Sofitel and Radisson to Premier Inn and Travelodge.

A variety of UK train operators run services through Gatwick Airport, including Gatwick Express, Thameslink, Great Western Railway, and Southern, providing train services to destinations like Bedford, London Victoria, Cambridge, and London Bridge.

Thameslink train classes

• Standard Class: Offering a comfortable seat, dedicated luggage spaces, live on-screen train information, and free Wi-Fi on some trains.

• First Class: Providing more comfortable and spacious seating, quieter carriages, power outlets, free Wi-Fi on some trains and an improved travel experience.

Thameslink train travel advice

• Luggage: Two larger bags not exceeding 90 x 70 x 30 centimetres and an item of hand luggage are permitted on board.

• Pets: Dogs, cats, and other small animals can travel without a fee. Dogs are required to be leashed, and other animals should be in carriers. A maximum of two pets is allowed per passenger.

• Bicycles: Bikes can be stored free of charge, but space is limited. There is no need to pre-book. Folding e-bike and manual scooter allowed, e-scooter, e-unicycle, e-skateboard, and hoverboard banned.

• Children: Children under the age of 5 can travel without charge, while those between 5 and 15 years old get a 50% discount on their tickets. The Family & Friends Railcard provides up to a one-third reduction on family ticket prices.

• Passenger assist: Helped with carrying luggage and accessing the platform, offered ramps and transportation, and gave help and guidance on tickets.