Heathrow and Gatwick are roughly 45–65km apart depending on the terminals at each end, and there's no direct rail link between them — anyone needing to get from one to the other is choosing between a coach and a car. It's a more common journey than the general "airport transfer" guides suggest: connecting flights split across the two airports, positioning for an early departure, or simply landing at one and needing to be collected near the other.
Why there's no simple train option
Getting between the two by public transport means going via central London — typically Heathrow Express or the Elizabeth line into town, then a second train out to Gatwick — which adds a change, a second ticket, and a walk between stations partway through. It's rarely quicker than the direct road route once you count the connection, and it gets noticeably harder with luggage.
The direct road route
By road, the journey is a single leg via the M25, with no interchange and no second station to navigate. Journey time varies a fair amount with traffic — direct coach services quote journey times from around 50 minutes up to a little over an hour depending on the specific route and terminals, and a car will land somewhere in a similar range outside peak traffic. The M25 around this stretch is one of the more congested sections of London's orbital motorway at rush hour, so the honest answer is: quick outside peak times, considerably slower during the Monday–Friday commute or a Friday evening getaway rush.
Taxi vs coach
National Express runs a direct coach between the two airports, which is the established budget option for a solo traveller with manageable luggage — it's worth knowing about even if you end up choosing a taxi. It's priced per person, runs at set times rather than on demand, and has a luggage allowance to check before you travel.
A taxi differs on the same points that come up in every airport comparison on this site:
- Per-vehicle, not per-person. For two or more travellers, or a family, the taxi total is very often close to or below the equivalent coach fares for the whole group.
- No fixed departure time. You're not waiting for the next scheduled service or working backwards from a coach timetable — the car comes when you need it.
- Door-to-terminal, not station-to-terminal. No walk with cases between a coach stop and the actual terminal doors at either end.
- Adjusts to your actual landing time. A car booked against your flight number waits for the flight you're actually on, not the one you were scheduled to be on — see our waiting time guide for how that's handled.
Why this route is worth pre-booking rather than chancing on the day
Unlike a short city hop, this is a fixed-distance, motorway-heavy journey where the price is genuinely predictable in advance — which makes it one of the better candidates on the site for booking ahead rather than trying to arrange something once you've landed. If you're connecting between flights, that predictability matters even more: you want the car confirmed and your flight number attached before you're standing in an arrivals hall with limited time to make your next departure. Our long-distance taxi guide explains how pricing works on routes like this one, where the per-mile rate tapers down compared with a short local journey.
Timing it around a connection
If you're using this route to connect between two flights rather than starting or ending your trip in London, build in a wider buffer than you think you need. Between clearing one airport (collecting bags, if you weren't through-checked), the M25 leg, and check-in and security at the second airport, a tight same-day connection between Heathrow and Gatwick is one of the easier ways to miss a flight through avoidable time pressure rather than any transport failure. Treat the drive time as the minimum, not the plan.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How long does it take to get from Heathrow to Gatwick by taxi? A: Journey time is typically a little under to a little over an hour depending on traffic and the specific terminals — expect it to run longer during weekday rush hour or a Friday evening getaway.
Q: Is it cheaper to take the coach or a taxi between the two airports? A: For one traveller, the coach is usually cheaper on a per-person basis; for two or more people, or a family with luggage, a taxi's per-vehicle price is often comparable or lower for the whole group.
Q: Is there a direct train between Heathrow and Gatwick? A: No — there's no through rail service, so the train option means going via central London with a change, which typically takes longer than the direct road route.
Q: How much time should I allow if I'm connecting between a flight into one airport and out of the other? A: Build in a wider buffer than the drive time alone — collecting bags, the M25 leg, and check-in and security at the second airport can all add up, so treat this as one of the tighter connections to plan carefully rather than cut close.
Q: Should I book this journey in advance? A: Yes — it's a well-defined, predictable route where a pre-booked car with a confirmed fare estimate removes the uncertainty of arranging transport on arrival, especially useful if you're on a tight connection.