Gatwick is Surrey's airport in everything but postcode. From Reigate, Redhill, Dorking, Banstead, Epsom or Leatherhead, it's a short run down the M23 — usually shorter than the journey some Londoners make to get out of the city.
This guide covers the road geography, where the trains genuinely compete, and where to find a fixed price for your town.
The M25 junctions that decide the journey
Two junctions do most of the work:
- Junction 8 (Reigate Hill) serves Reigate, Redhill, Banstead, Tadworth and, via the A217, Sutton.
- Junction 9 (Leatherhead) serves Leatherhead, Ashtead, Bookham, Dorking and the Epsom side.
From either, it's a straight run onto the M23 and down to the airport. That's why fixed Gatwick prices from this part of Surrey are the lowest on our list — the KT20 (Tadworth) fare is the cheapest Gatwick transfer we price anywhere.
The mirror image matters too: Heathrow from Surrey means going the other way round the M25, which is a considerably longer journey. If you have a genuine choice of airport, the price difference from here is real.
Fixed Gatwick prices by town
Each page shows the fixed price for that postcode by vehicle and direction:
- Closest: Redhill & Reigate, Banstead & Tadworth, Dorking
- Mole Valley and Epsom: Leatherhead & Ashtead, Epsom
- Elmbridge: Esher & Cobham, Walton & Weybridge, Chessington
- South London edge: Sutton & Cheam, Croydon, Carshalton & Wallington
Where the train genuinely competes
Be honest about this: Redhill has direct Gatwick trains, and so do Croydon and Sutton's line towards the coast. For one person travelling light in the middle of the day, the train is quick and cheap, and no transfer will beat it on price.
The case for a car is about the parts of the journey a timetable doesn't cover:
- Very early departures, before a useful train service starts. A 6.30am flight needs you at the airport around 4.30am.
- Late arrivals, when the last connection home has gone or involves a long wait.
- Getting to the station in the first place. From Dorking, Bookham, Tadworth or a village outside town, a "train journey" starts with a drive or a taxi anyway.
- Groups and families, where one vehicle replaces four or five tickets.
- Hold luggage, especially a case each plus a pushchair.
What to plan for
- Unlit rural roads. Around Dorking, the Horsleys and Walton-on-the-Hill, a full address with gate or driveway detail makes a 4am pickup far easier.
- M25 works and closures, which are common overnight and can add time on exactly the journeys booked for pre-dawn departures.
- The right terminal. Gatwick's North and South terminals are separate buildings connected by a shuttle — tell us which one you need. Our Gatwick airport guide covers the layout.
- When to leave. Gatwick recommends arriving at least two hours before departure; our guide to how early to arrive at the airport turns that into a pickup time.
Parking versus a return transfer
For a short trip, driving and parking can compare well, particularly from a town this close. Over a week or two, the sums usually change — long-stay parking is charged per day, while a return transfer is charged twice, however long you're away. Our airport parking versus transfer guide sets out the break-even method rather than assuming an answer.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How far is Gatwick from Reigate or Redhill? A: It's a short run south on the M23 from M25 junction 8 — the closest of the four main London airports to both towns by a wide margin.
Q: Which Surrey town has the lowest Gatwick transfer price? A: On our fixed price list, Tadworth (KT20) has the lowest Gatwick fare, with Reigate, Redhill and Banstead close behind.
Q: Is the train from Surrey to Gatwick cheaper than a transfer? A: For one person travelling light from a town with direct trains, usually yes. A transfer tends to win for groups, hold luggage, early departures and late arrivals.
Q: Is Gatwick or Heathrow easier from Surrey? A: Gatwick, for most of the county. Heathrow means travelling the other way round the M25, which is a longer journey and a higher fixed price from these postcodes.
Q: Can you collect from a village address very early in the morning? A: Yes. Give your full address with any access details, since many roads in the Surrey Hills are unlit and hard to find in the dark.
See fixed Gatwick prices for your town or get an estimate for your journey.