LGW · Traveller guide
Gatwick North Terminal: arrivals, pick-up and getting to London
The North Terminal has no railway station of its own. Trains leave from the South Terminal, reached by a free two-minute shuttle. This guide covers how pick-up works at the North Terminal, what Gatwick charges, the train route and the drive into London.
After you land
What happens after you land
After you leave the aircraft, follow the signs to passport control. Gatwick says you can use the ePassport gates if you are over 10 with a biometric passport from the UK, EU, EEA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea or the USA, or if you are a Registered Traveller. Children aged 10 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult.
Then collect your bags: oversized luggage is usually delivered beside the main belt for your flight. Choose the green channel if you have nothing to declare, or the red channel if you have goods to declare. Cash over €10,000 must be declared.
Gatwick's own airline list for the North Terminal includes easyJet, Emirates, Eurowings, JetBlue, Icelandair, Gulf Air and China Eastern. TUI flights with numbers starting TOM use the North Terminal. Airlines can change terminal, so check your booking.
Meeting and collection
How collection works at the North Terminal
Gatwick does not name a meeting landmark: passengers are met inside the arrivals area of each terminal, where there are coffee shops and free Wi-Fi. If a chauffeur is meeting you, they will be there with a name board.
The airport's official advice is that all pick-ups should take place in the Short Stay car parks. The express pick-up bay for the North Terminal is in Car Park 6, on Level 4, and you stay with your vehicle. Gatwick's red routes do not allow stopping, unloading, waiting or parking.
The airport's own charges
These are the airport's published figures, read on 28 October 2026. They change, so use the link on each line to confirm before you rely on them.
Drop-off zones, both terminals
Official page, checked 28 October 2026£10 for the first 10 minutes, then £1 a minute up to 20 minutes; maximum £30 a day; maximum stay 30 minutes
Pay by midnight the next day. Other private hire operators add the drop-off charge to the fare.
Short Stay car park (for pick-ups)
Official page, checked 28 October 2026Up to 30 minutes £8.00; 31 to 60 minutes £14.00
The express bay is charged at standard Short Stay rates.
Waiting area for licensed taxi and private hire drivers
Official page, checked 28 October 2026At the South Terminal: up to 2 hours £2.00; 2 to 4 hours £4.00; 4 to 24 hours £20.00
Gatwick describes it as giving quick access to both terminals.
Getting to London
From North Terminal to central London
Typical driving times without traffic, then the train options. Allow more time at rush hour and on Friday afternoons.
By car, without traffic
| To | Time | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Mayfair | about 1 hr 10 min | 40 miles |
| Westminster | about 1 hr 10 min | 30 miles |
| The City (Bank) | about 1 hr 10 min | 30 miles |
| Canary Wharf | about 1 hr 5 min | 46 miles |
| King's Cross | about 1 hr 20 min | 32 miles |
Our estimates from OpenStreetMap road data at normal free-flow speeds, rounded to the nearest five minutes. They are not a promise: traffic, roadworks and the time of day change them.
Loading the journey map…
By train, coach and Tube
Free shuttle, then Gatwick Express
about 2 minutes by shuttle, then 30 minutes to Victoria
The shuttle runs every few minutes, 24 hours a day, and takes luggage trolleys. Gatwick Express leaves the South Terminal twice an hour.
Official pageSouthern and Thameslink
30 to 45 minutes to London in total
From the South Terminal station. Thameslink serves London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon and St Pancras.
Official pageRight now
Weather at Gatwick
The latest report and the next twelve hours, in plain English. Strong wind, low cloud or fog can slow flights, so it is a good moment to check your flight status.
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Good to know
Assistance and useful tips
Assistance
Book assistance through your airline or travel agent, at least 48 hours ahead where you can. You can still ask at an Assisted Travel desk or help point without a booking. Assisted Travel reception areas are in the drop-off zones of both terminals.
Useful to know
- The hotels linked to the North Terminal are Premier Inn and the Sofitel.
- Join the network 'Free Gatwick Wi-Fi' and click the button to get online.
- The Gatwick Hoppa hotel shuttle stops at North Terminal Bus Stop 11 on Furlong Way, about five minutes' walk from the main arrivals level.
Questions
North Terminal FAQs
Is there a train station at Gatwick North Terminal?
Where does my chauffeur meet me at the North Terminal?
How long does it take to drive from the North Terminal to central London?
Is the drop-off charge the same at both terminals?
Sources
Where this information comes from
Checked on 28 October 2026against the airport's own pages, TfL, rail operators and GOV.UK. Airports change terminals, charges and timetables, so confirm anything important with them before you travel.
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