Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Gatwick North Short Stay Parking

24 replies

PoomberChat · 21/09/2023 15:43

I have booked the Gatwick North Short Stay car park as I am travelling solo with my 2 year old and thought it would be easier. I am bringing the usual bag, pram, travel cot... AND my partners bike.. so I didn't want anywhere with transfers where I'd have to load it all on and off buses. BUT.... sudden panic... Can you pick up a trolley in the car park, or is it just in the terminal, which looks to be the case online. But that makes no sense to me?!!? When you're coming back from arrivals, surely you don't have to unload all your bags off the trolley at the terminal doors and carry it back to car park? Just wondering if anyone has had any experience of getting a whole load of luggage, and a 2 year old, from the Gatwick North car park... into the terminal. Thank-you!

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 21/09/2023 19:01

Luggage trollies at Gatwick also require a pound coin or a one euro coin in order to be used.

Do you really need to also bring along the travel cot and your partners bike?.

underneaththeash · 21/09/2023 23:16

I'm not sure where my post went - but we visited Mont St Michel in the summer. It's beautiful and in the summer it has a light show which is spectacular.
I would get a ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo (overnight - but get a cabin), the it's close to Mont St Michel. I'd spend the first evening in Cancale which is famous for the Oyster market. Then it's 50km to Mont St Michel along the coast.

It will be more fun to plan it yourself rather than a tour. In that area of france English is widely spoken. If you're struggling - look at the route from cancale to Mont St Michel and the hoels along it.

underneaththeash · 21/09/2023 23:17

I'm sorry I put that in the wrong section

newname12345 · 22/09/2023 05:33

Definitely get trolleys in the car park. Good luck though with a trolley with that amount of stuff on it and a two year old.

BarbaraofSeville · 22/09/2023 05:53

My God that sounds challenging, almost like that puzzle where you have to get a wolf, a goat and some flowers across a bridge and you can only move one thing at a time and you can't leave the other things unattended because the wolf will eat the goat and the goat will eat the flowers.

But I do think they usually have trolleys in car parks because, like you say, people bring them from the terminal. I arrived at another airport yesterday and definitely saw some that looked like they'd been abandoned, but prepare in case you need a coin.

On the website it looks like a multistorey car park, so my tip would be to forget trying to look for a space on the way up (unless it looks like there are loads spare) and drive straight up to the roof where there should be plenty of space to get your trolley set next to the car, so you can load all the things on while DC is still in the car.

But then what if there are no trolleys there and we are back to the puzzle only it's a load of luggage, a 2 YO and a trolley. Is there anyone who can come with you to drop off and go home on public transport? Will the 2 YO be able to walk into the terminal without running off so you don't have to push a trolley and a pushchair?

asecretslob · 22/09/2023 07:01

@underneaththeash well that's sold me on going there !

whatchagonnado · 22/09/2023 07:07

Why do you have to take your partners bike? It sounds challenging enough even without it.
Could you partner arrange for it to be sent separately- Parcelforce or something similar?

Turmerictolly · 22/09/2023 07:13

Sorry to say it I've never seen any luggage trolleys at Gatwick car parks. On arrival you can use a trolley to take you to the bus waiting point. You load everything on the transit bus (check they take bikes as they can get very crowded). When you get off the bus, you unload everything and take it to your car. Or you could just leave everything in the bus shelter bar your dd, find your car and then drive it to the bus shelter to load up.

AIstolemylunch · 22/09/2023 07:17

No bus involved if it's North Terminal short stay car park as they are just in front of the terminal. However, you have to cross the large road in front of the terminal. Is it carpark 5 or 6 or does it have a name? Eg short stay carpark 5?

I'm not sure I've seen trolleys hanging around in them but as others have said, logically there must be? I've always just been pulling wheelie suitcases and seen other people do that.

This sounds challenging.

eurochick · 22/09/2023 07:18

There's no bus waiting point for short stay. You just walk to the terminal.

I've used Gatwick short stay many times and can't remember seeing trollies. I rarely use a trolley though so I might just have not noticed!

That's a lot of luggage! Do you really need the travel cot for a two year old? And taking the bike is bonkers.

eurochick · 22/09/2023 07:20

AIstolemylunch · 22/09/2023 07:17

No bus involved if it's North Terminal short stay car park as they are just in front of the terminal. However, you have to cross the large road in front of the terminal. Is it carpark 5 or 6 or does it have a name? Eg short stay carpark 5?

I'm not sure I've seen trolleys hanging around in them but as others have said, logically there must be? I've always just been pulling wheelie suitcases and seen other people do that.

This sounds challenging.

You don't book any particular numbered car park. You just find one with spaces. They are all over the road from the terminal.

AIstolemylunch · 22/09/2023 07:22

You could park, and then go find a trolley with 2y old in buggy? But you're still going to need to push troleey and drag pushchair with child in it at same time, not sure how practical this is.

AIstolemylunch · 22/09/2023 07:24

I know. OP said she has booked one. There are 2 and the first one (number 5) is easier so I was going to recommend that one but I don't know if, when you book, you get allocated one or the other. like you, I just drive in and go into the first one, which is number 5 I think.

If you can choose, do that, a sthat side is less busy and easier to get across the road and into the terminal at that end.

LizziesTwin · 22/09/2023 07:26

Wherever you’re going (to see partner?) borrow a travel cot when you get there, it will be possible. You’ll have to have the bike in a bike box and have deflated tyres etc, then it’ll have to go to outsize luggage, this all sounds too much for you to do with a 2 yr old

eurochick · 22/09/2023 07:28

AIstolemylunch · 22/09/2023 07:24

I know. OP said she has booked one. There are 2 and the first one (number 5) is easier so I was going to recommend that one but I don't know if, when you book, you get allocated one or the other. like you, I just drive in and go into the first one, which is number 5 I think.

If you can choose, do that, a sthat side is less busy and easier to get across the road and into the terminal at that end.

I always book and you are not allocated any particular car park.

AIstolemylunch · 22/09/2023 07:34

That's good. Go in the first one and drive right up to the top is my advice then as it sthe least hectic area of parking and the quieter end of departures.

Still don't see how you're going to get everything loaded onto the trolley, once you've gone and got one and push it and the pram across the busy road though.

Original poster
PoomberChat · 22/09/2023 14:04

Haha. I know it does feel like that!!!! 🤪🤯 But that’s so good to know that they will be there. Suddenly occurred to me that it would be a complete nightmare… impossible in fact! If they didn’t have trolley’s there and all my searching, even a call to the car park (!) said they were just in the terminal. But that just made no sense to me!?!?!? Even if I have to go off hunting for one with my little one to bring it back, that’s fine. He’s normally quite good at staying close (🤞🤞🤞 famous last words) and I’m assuming is going to be desperate to move after 3 hours in a car!! 😬 So I think likelihood of getting him in a pram is small. Typically my parents (who are normally a godsend) are away… so it’s a one woman feat, but I can’t be the first person to fly solo with a ridiculous amount of luggage… and going to leave plenty of time… in case I need to just sit on the floor and have a tantrum! 😂 Wish me luck 😁 But thanks for your help. One less thing to worry about x

OP posts:
Original poster
PoomberChat · 22/09/2023 14:08

Haha. I know it does feel like that!!!! 🤪🤯 But that’s so good to know that they will be there. Suddenly occurred to me that it would be a complete nightmare… impossible in fact! If they didn’t have trolley’s there and all my searching, even a call to the car park (!) said they were just in the terminal. But that just made no sense to me!?!?!? Even if I have to go off hunting for one with my little one to bring it back, that’s fine. He’s normally quite good at staying close (🤞🤞🤞 famous last words) and I’m assuming is going to be desperate to move after 3 hours in a car!! 😬 So I think likelihood of getting him in a pram is small. Typically my parents (who are normally a godsend) are away… so it’s a one woman feat, but I can’t be the first person to fly solo with a ridiculous amount of luggage… and going to leave plenty of time… in case I need to just sit on the floor and have a tantrum! 😂 Wish me luck 😁 But thanks for your help. One less thing to worry about x

OP posts:
MaggieFS · 22/09/2023 14:13

I've been there loads but we only have one wheelie case, one back pack and one push chair with child in it per adult so I've never looked for trolleys. I would have thought there would be some, but I really can't remember.

I would do as pp has said and give it plenty of extra time, that way if you need to walk with DC only to get a trolley and come back to the car, you'll be able.

It might be hard, but you'll manage.

TizerorFizz · 22/09/2023 14:26

@PoomberChat I used the North short stay this week. Didn’t see a single trolly. Not by the lifts or anywhere in the car park! - I was in 6. I do think you would have to get one from the terminal and bring it back. However it’s close. Departures are level 4 I think. It’s the busy floor but the lifts work well.

Checking in all your luggage will be fun. I’d try and cut down on the extras. Good luck.

newname12345 · 23/09/2023 08:17

Where the trolleys should be in the car park are in in areas marked out with yellow barriers actually in where cars park. Here's an official photo from google maps and you can see the area in the background with trolleys in it.

Gatwick North Short Stay Parking
TizerorFizz · 23/09/2023 12:43

Except there were no trolleys in there this week. Could have been on other floors of course.

AIstolemylunch · 23/09/2023 13:01

Go in car park 5 (the first one) for the less busy end and yes there's that walkway across isn't there on level 4? That might be safer than walking across the road on the ground floor. I don't think I've ever seen a trolley in either of the short stay carparks 5 or 6 on the 100s of time Ive used them, but then I always go to the top floor so there might have been some hanging around on other floors.

What floor do Uber and non LGW taxis get directed to again to pick people up? Level 2 or 3? Of one of those carparks? That might be a good shout as lots of people getting picked up will dump there trolleys there.

I think generally there are less trolleys in use at airports though as most people have trolley cases. We are a large family and everyone just has one rucksack and pulls a case. I'd push the pushchair when they were little and DP would pull 2 cases.

I still think the bike will screw you over.

If you have an early EJ flight sometimes you can drop luggage the night before?

AttilaTheMeerkat · 23/09/2023 14:22

Also at Gatwick a pound coin or one euro coin is required in order to use the trolley!.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page