Last Updated on 22 November, 2023
There are plenty of transport options from Gatwick to central London. You can take the Thameslink train or Gatwick Express train but note that you cannot use the normal train ticket on the Gatwick Express train.
That requires a separate ticket. You also have options for Uber, Coaches, or the Southern train line. Below are tips for getting from Gatwick Airport to Knightsbridge in addition.
Gatwick Express / Thameslink and Tube/Bus
The first option is a combination of Gatwick Express and the inner-city bus service or tube. Grab the Gatwick Express from Gatwick Airport and stay on for 2 stops until Victoria station. From Victoria, you can choose whether you would like to take a bus to Knightsbridge or a tube train.
- Option 1: Grab the number 52 bus from the Victoria Station bus stop H. Stay on the bus for 5 stops until Knightsbridge Station / Harrods at stop KE. Walk the remaining 5 minutes to Knightsbridge.
- Option 2: From Victoria Station, look for the Victoria (blue) line. Take the northbound train and travel for 1 stop until Green Park, then swap platforms for the Piccadilly (purple) Line westbound. Stay on for 2 stops until you reach Knightsbridge.
- Option 3: From Victoria Station platforms to the Circle or District Lines and stay on for 2 stops until South Kensington, leave the underground via the Thurloe Street exit and walk the remaining 13 minutes to Knightsbridge.
- Option 4: Take Thameslink Train from Gatwick to Blackfriars station. From Blackfriars station you then take the underground District/Circle lines to Sloane Square or South Kensington Station and from there its a short walk to Knightsbridge.
Gatwick Express trains require getting a specific ticket, and in order to travel on the London Underground system, you can use an Oyster Card, buy a paper underground ticket or travel pass or use a contactless payment card. If you use the last option, the system will simply calculate your fare and take the payment from your bank account at the end of the day.
Coach / Bus
There are coach services operating from Gatwick Airport that can take you into Victoria Coach station. From there, the directions are the same as above, from Victoria station onwards. The price is also likely to be very similar as coach tickets start at around £5 and the bus or tube from Victoria will add around £2-£3. However, Thameslink trains are more frequent than coaches, and thus may be the better alternative in most cases.
Black Cab / Uber
The black cab option from Gatwick costs around £100, accounting for traffic and the time of day and can take around 52 minutes. Black cabs can be booked through the Gett app, but they are one of the least affordable transport options. In this situation, Uber offers the more affordable alternative to the black cab, with prices around £90 for the same length trip.
Car Rental
It is of course possible to rent a car from Gatwick airport and the airport does provide access to car rental companies but this alternative is likely to be more expensive than it would first appear, primarily owing to the fact that parking spaces in central London are very expensive it can be incredibly difficult to manoeuvre a car through the densely packed city. If you are looking to stay in London, even for a longer period of time, public transport provides a far more affordable and hassle-free transport alternative.