Three hours from central London to Gatwick flight

[sparkysdream]

Is it cutting things too fine? Trying to squeeze in a matinee that finishes at 4pm to getting an internal flight at 7.05pm. Google suggests the journey is about an hour, train from Charing Cross and Thames Link to Gatwick but that is if each step goes to plan, and Easy Jet advice is to arrive two hours before departure.

Depends on what the stakes are if you miss the flight.

it wouldn’t be for me, as I hate rushing around and find it antithetical to a holiday.

you could get a day like today where there is major disruption
/ catastrophe on the overground.

If you are game then I’d either: work out other options like uber to Gatwick if the trains or other public transport are no good. Gatwick is a good 1h15 from central London by car notwithstanding unusual traffic; alternatively, If Heathrow or city airport was an option, I’d be much more relaxed about that and would choose that option instead.

I'd get the Gatwick Express from Victoria, it's only about 30 minutes and quite frequent.

You can pay to go through the fast track security channel, that might help. Usually not much in the way of queues there; it's certainly a lot quicker than going through the normal channel.

I regularly fly from Gatwick having come from either Central London or King’s Cross and I would have no problem doing that. I would

• make sure you leave as soon as it ends, no dicking around
• know your route to the station as much as you can
• dobt plan to stop for snacks until you get to the airport
• pay for fast track security (last week I got through security in under 3 minutes with it. Worth it!) (you need to book a few hours before you’ll be going through)

Honestly you’ll be fine

https://www.gatwickairport.com/premium-services/fast-track-security.html www.gatwickairport.com/premium-services/fast-track-security.html]]]]

Loads of time! ESP if checked in already and have boarding passes on phone and no checked luggage.
North term will add 10 mins to the journey though but on the plus side it’s usually less busy.

I think it is doable but in your position I would not be enjoying the afternoon at all as my mind would be on making the flight.

Is it Ambassador’s theatre?

I think it’s technically possible.

Get seats on the end of the row. Out of the theatre as soon as it ends, don’t stay for the clapping. If you’re not on the end of a row you’ll be caught up in the crowd leaving and that’ll take an age to get out!

5 minutes walk to Leicester Square station. Northern line, change at Embankment, district line to Blackfriars. That journey should take 15-20 minutes.

Train from Blackfriars at 16.29, arrives Gatwick 17.04. Pre-buy the ticket so it’s already on your phone to scan at the ticket barrier at Blackfriars.

Shuttle from South terminal to North - allow 15 minutes. It only takes a couple of minutes on the shuttle, but the time allows for getting off train, waiting, getting on and off shuttle.

Check in online in advance. Pre-book fast-track security queue.

So technically you could be through security by 17.45 which is just enough. But that relies on everything running on time.

To me, it’s not worth the risk. If the train is delayed and you miss the flight, the travel insurance may well question why you didn’t take an earlier train!

Sounds doable based on what @IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece says. The last few times I've flown, I've started to think that arriving 2 hours before is way over the top as we've usually been able to drop off luggage, got through security, browse the shops, pick up a Boots meal deal and still have well over an hour before take off.

The 'gate closes 40 mins before take off' rule seems nonsense too as I think I've had one flight out of dozens over the years when they've achieved anywhere near that and that was a half empty flight that was the last one before the afternoon siesta from a Spanish airport so I can see how they got everyone through quickly so they could have a leisurely afternoon break. Most of the time there's still a queue to go through the boarding pass check until about 10 mins before take off.

We still generally stick to 2 hours because it gives a contingency in case of motorway queue/flat tyre and long queues at the airport, but if I wasn't driving to the airport that obviously wouldn't apply. Only possible sticking points I can see is that if they won't allow you to take rucksacks into the theatre and make you check them and it takes time to get them back (there should be information in your booking) or that the performance ends later than 4, how sure are you about this? But it does sound like you have plenty of time to catch a 4.30 pm train and there's a spare one after that which would likely get you there on time too.

I wouldn't do that. Far too much danger of it all going tits up. It's too tight.

Do you have luggage to check? I’ve just flown international. While travel there was a breeze as well as security, there was a delay with bag check, as some of the machines seemed to be giving trouble by not recognising the bags. It was quite stressful.

I always aim to arrive 3 hours ahead of an international flight; there is so much that can go wrong like delayed trains etc.

I once took a Gatwick train from London Bridge in the evening rush - to test this route. Compared to Gatwick Express it was markedly slower (and delayed), but I left enough time. I said to myself - never agsin, only Gatwick Express.

Oh goodness, thanks for all the opinions. I’m still torn. Maybe the biggest unknown is getting out of the theatre quickly/ potential for the show to overrun. How common is a show overrunning\ starting a bit late?

I’d happily do this - obviously, there could be an issue with the trains but that’s always the case. You don’t have to check anything in and it’s an internal flight so it’s only really security to contend with and Gatwick seems to have improved a lot in recent years. My brother and his family flew at the weekend, so prime summer holiday time, and there were hardly any queues. You won’t have time to dawdle but it’s a pretty easy journey.

Don’t do it. Too many variables and that train service is notoriously unreliable.

Is the Gatwick Express more reliable? Timings are similar, it just involved a tube change that I thought might be an extra step for going wrong.

If the trains are running as everyone has said it should be easy, but it takes so little for Thameslink to fall over and not function I’m not sure I could relax and enjoy the show. Victoria is a good backup (or possibly even preferable with Gatwick Express) and it’s a very quick hop from embankment on the district/circle line. If I was going to do this I’d be out of the theatre very fast and using Google maps to give me the best route to Gatwick so that you’re up to date on which trains are running. But if there is an issue at East Croydon which catches both train lines you’re knackered as there is no quick back up. Car journey is at least an hour.

It’s fine. There is a choice of trains to LGW. Gatwick Express is quickest but costs most. Plenty of Thameslinks and Southern only make 2/3 stops and take about 45 minutes. Which theatre , as it could easily take as long to get to a mainline London station at that time,

The Gatwick Express uses the same rails so if the problem is signals, points, another broken down train or an obstruction on the line, no train is getting there.
Southern and Thameslink seem to have additional problems with lack of staff and/or lack of trains.

Pretty much the only difference with Gatwick Express is it doesn't stop at East Croydon. And costs loads more.

Theatre shows rarely run late.

I'd do it.

Pretty much the only difference with Gatwick Express is it doesn't stop at East Croydon. And costs loads more.

Theatre shows rarely run late.

I'd do it.

It’s the service I use to get into London and it doesn’t appear any less reliable than any other, I certainly haven’t found it to be the case. Thing is @sparkysdream you just have no scope for anything to go wrong at any point whichever train service you choose. Why subject yourself to such stress when you don’t have to?

You don’t have to change tubes to get to Victoria. It’s less than 5 mins walk from the Trafalgar theatre to Embankment then just 3 stops. I would do it.

😂 indeed. They’re all unreliable. It’s a service I use often too, Thameslink. Though I prefer Victoria express when it works.

You can get a premier inn by Gatwick for about 125 or B and Bs at nearby HORLEY from about 60.