Gatwick Express returns for spring to support airport recovery

Gatwick Express will resume a non-stop service from Sunday 3 April to support the recovery of Gatwick Airport and the South East economy.

Services were first suspended on 30 March 2020 as the pandemic took hold and passenger numbers at the airport tumbled. Numbers have now increased and are expected to surge still further with the removal of all travel restrictions on 18 March.

Stephen MacCallaugh, General Manager, Gatwick Express, said:

“We’re absolutely delighted to bring back our non-stop Gatwick Express service from Sunday 3 April as we look forward to a busier summer season including for international travel.

“With more passengers now returning to Gatwick by rail and the South Terminal reopening, now is the time to get our service running again to support the airport and the economic recovery in the South East.”

Gatwick Airport railway station is also being rebuilt to improve accessibility, reduce passenger congestion and cut delays for commuters and leisure travellers using the Brighton Mainline. It will be finished next year.

Emma Rees, Head of Real Estate and Surface Access, London Gatwick Airport, said:

“The return of Gatwick Express is great news and we’re really looking forward to the completion of the upgraded railway station. People are flying from Gatwick in ever-increasing numbers and excellent rail links which have a dedicated service specifically for airport passengers are a vital element of our recovery and our link into central London and beyond.”

The service is timetabled to run seven days a week but weekend engineering work will affect this and passengers are urged to check ahead at nationalrail.co.uk.

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Notes to editors

Gatwick Express services were suspended on 30 March 2020 as the pandemic took hold and passenger numbers at the airport tumbled. They resumed on weekdays only on 12 December 2021 before being curtailed again two weeks later due to Christmas engineering work and then the impact of the Omicron variant of Covid.

Passengers at the airport are now returning in greater numbers which will increase still further with the opening of the South Terminal. Gatwick Express will now return to support the recovery of the airport and South East economy.

From 3 April 2022 Gatwick Express will operate with two Gatwick Express services running non-stop between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria. The service previously ran with four trains an hour but the ongoing upgrade of Gatwick Airport station means there are not enough platforms available to accommodate them all.

• The service is timetabled to run seven days a week but weekend engineering work will affect this and passengers are urged to check ahead at nationalrail.co.uk.
• Mondays to Saturdays inclusive, all Gatwick Express trains will be timetabled to run non-stop between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport, then will run through non-stop to Brighton.
• As in the past, peak-time weekday services will also call additionally at Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, Hassocks and Preston Park.
• On Sundays, trains will run between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria only.

Gatwick’s importance to the economy

• Pre-Covid, Gatwick was the single biggest driver of economic growth in the region, delivering £2.7 billion of economic activity and 71,000 direct and indirect jobs 
• As a gateway to the UK for 5.5 million overseas visitors each year before the pandemic, it was estimated that visitors through Gatwick spent 9.7million nights in the South East including seaside towns such as Brighton, bringing a significant economic boost to local hotels, visitor attractions, restaurants and shops
• Gatwick Airport station is being rebuilt to improve accessibility, reduce congestion and cut delays for commuters and leisure travellers alike using the route
• The station upgrade will improve accessibility and the punctuality of trains passing through as well as create space for more passengers
• The project is being managed by Network Rail in partnership with the Department for Transport and Govia Thameslink Railway. Gatwick Airport Ltd and Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership are co-funding the project with £37 million and £10 million respectively. The project is being delivered by Costain.