Although going on holiday can be an exciting experience, it can also be a very stressful one too, especially when it comes to planning how exactly you’re going to get to and from the airport. Your dad is busy that weekend, taxis are expensive, and there’s certainly no way you’re going to pay the airport’s outrageous parking fees.
There is one more option you can take though: the bus! It’s cheap, easy and you’ll be able to relax for the whole journey, rather than worrying how much the journey’s going to cost you. You won’t have to fumble around for change on the day either, as you book your tickets in advance. Plus, the further in advance you book your bus ticket, the cheaper it will be – it pays to be prepared.
Where can you get a bus from though? There are several different routes you can take, so here are all the different ways you can get to Gatwick Airport via easyBus.
From Waterloo
Getting to Gatwick Airport from Waterloo is one of the easiest options you can take whether you live in London or not, as the station is so simple to get to. Plus, the easyBus service that runs from here is direct, so it only takes around an hour to arrive at the airport. To find the pickup point, simply exit the station via its main entrance onto York Road. Stick to the left and continue down York Road for about 200 meters. The pick up point will be directly in front of you, not far from the London Eye.
Buses run every 15 and 20 minutes, so you shouldn’t be waiting long to begin your journey to the airport.
From Earl’s Court
If you’re attending an event near Earl’s Court, staying in one of the many hotels it has to offer or simply live closer to this part of London, you can get a similar direct bus service from here instead. The whole journey takes around one hour and five minutes, and can take you to either the North or South terminal. Seeing as there are no stops, you can sit back and relax. In fact, easyBus runs the only direct service from Gatwick North to London.
Buses run between 3 am and 11 pm from London, so no matter what time your flight is, you should be able to find a service that suits you. The pick-up point is located about 200 meters west of West Brompton Underground Station, and 500 meters from Earl’s Court Underground’s Warwick Road exit. Just look for bus stop BB outside the Hotel Ibis.
From Victoria
The service operating between Victoria Coach Station and Gatwick South Terminal is a stopping service, so you can be picked up from either Vauxhall Park, Stockwell or Streatham, in addition to the coach station. Instead of an easyBus bus, this time you should be on the lookout for a National Express coach, thanks to a partnership between the two firms.
Victoria Coach Station is just a short walk from Victoria Underground Station. To find it, leave the main exit, which is located on Buckingham Palace Road. Head towards Eccleston Street and you’ll see the bus station is located on the right-hand side of the road, on the corner of Buckingham Palace Road and Elizabeth Street. You’ll be looking for an A3 or O25 National Express coach in either Bay 8 or Bay 9.
If you’d prefer to be picked up at Vauxhall Park Bus Stations, exit Vauxhall Underground tube station and turn left towards Bondway, continuing down the road. Keep walking until you see Parry Street on your left, turn onto it, before turning right onto South Lambeth Road. You should see both bus stops directly in front of you – you need stop V.
Stockwell Bus Stations, on the other hand, can be found by taking a short walk from Stockwell Underground Station. Exit the station and head north-east on Claphead Road towards Binfield Road. Stick to the left and turn onto South Lambeth Road. There are bus stops just up ahead, and you should head to stop A.
If you’re being picked up in Streatham, you’ll want to head to Streatham High Road. To get there from Streatham Train Station, exit it and head north on Streatham High Road towards Station Approach. Bus stop O should be located to your left, but you’ll need bus stop NA. To get there, simply cross the road directly across from O. The walk from the station should take you around 11 minutes in total, so make sure you leave enough time to find the bus stop.
Depending on which stop you’re getting on, it should take you around an hour and a half or less to get to Gatwick using this route, but journey lengths differ according to which time you’re travelling, so check before you book.
It really is easy to get to Gatwick from London via bus, especially as there are so many different routes to choose from. When booking your travel arrangements, don’t forget to try and arrive at the airport at least two hours before your flight, to allow for any complications you might endure. It’s worth remembering that your easyBus ticket can be used on the next available bus, up to 60 minutes either side of your booked time, should your flight be running earlier or later than expected.
(Image source: wikipedia.org)