Time to get to Buses at Gatwick North Terminal?

[stevensfo]

Hi,

I don't think I've been to Gatwick for many decades.

I'll arrive from Italy (Easyjet) on a Saturday in July at 08.30 with checked in baggage and then I want to get a coach to Oxford. They are 08.20, 09.20, 10.20 etc from the North Terminal.

Do you think I could make the 09.20 coach or would I be taking the risk of missing it? Not sure how the tickets work these days so I'm assuming they're for a specific time and I have to book online first.

Thanks,

Steve

[JMN2]

9.20 will give you ample time.

[PinkDalek]

I’d imagine 50 minutes is cutting it fine, with checked in baggage, and would depend on delays in the flight, obviously, baggage handling etc.

Those departures times are mentioned within the linked pdf here https://airline.oxfordbus.co.uk/gatwick/ I don’t think a single is departure time specific but best to check on the site.

EasyBus may be cheaper http://www.easybus.com/en/london-gatwic ... ort-oxford but also seem to depart at 20 minutes past. They say to allow one hour from the scheduled landing.

[Watis]

As JMN2 says, ample time . . . providing:

- your flight arrives on time or is early.

- you are not delayed at passport control

- the hold baggage is sent to the reclaim carousels promptly.

- you aren't stopped for checking in the Customs hall.

As a rule of thumb I reckon it takes an hour from landing to leaving the environs of an airport, although that includes being picked up and taken to wherever my car is parked.

Watis

[UncleIan]

Hi,
I'll arrive from Italy (Easyjet) on a Saturday in July at 08.30 with checked in baggage and then I want to get a coach to Oxford. They are 08.20, 09.20, 10.20 etc from the North Terminal.

Do you think I could make the 09.20 coach or would I be taking the risk of missing it? Not sure how the tickets work these days so I'm assuming they're for a specific time and I have to book online first.

In theory, all things being equal, you may or may not make it. 50 minutes? Last few times I've flown into a UK airport with checked baggage I've been out through customs with my bag in about half an hour or less. Which in theory gives you a spare 20 minutes. Wouldn't take many flight or baggage delays to screw that up.

BUT

Looking at the website for The Airline Oxford, which I assume you're taking...

If your flight is delayed or you are unable to make your exact booked service for any reason, don't worry.[snip] For travel from the airport to Oxford, airline e-tickets may be used on any earlier or later equivalent service due to depart up to 24 hours before or after the service specified on the e-ticket. In both of these instances however, no seat is guaranteed and the person named on the e-ticket will have to provide photographic ID.

From https://airline.oxfordbus.co.uk/buy-tic ... cket-info/

So, I think you're good.

Ian

[PinkDalek]

… In theory, all things being equal, you may or may not make it. 50 minutes? Last few times I've flown into a UK airport with checked baggage I've been out through customs with my bag in about half an hour or less. Which in theory gives you a spare 20 minutes. ...

I'm not disagreeing but it might depend on which UK airport. I haven't delved deeper but found this https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news ... -airports/ from 2014.

Back then Air travellers coming into the UK picked up their suitcases quickest at Manchester Airport – waiting 16 minutes 15 seconds. In contrast, those arriving at London Gatwick, according to the experiences of travellers passing through, hung around the longest, for 33 minutes 21 seconds.. That was to pick up their baggage from the carousel.

Then there's always the chance of the queue for the next coach being full but at least one might be placed at the front for the one after.

Curiously, National Express also seem to depart for Oxford at twenty past.

[Slarti]

9.20 will give you ample time.

My experience, from about 18 months back, was that any fixed time ticket would be a risk. It took us nearly an hour to get from the plane to baggage reclaim, let alone to the buses at the front of the terminal. And our plane was on time.

If your plane is late, there is a delay at passport control, the luggage takes its time, you'll be stuffed.

Surely they do flexible tickets?

Slarti

[UncleIan]

9.20 will give you ample time.

Surely they do flexible tickets?

My quote from the terms suggests basically yes, you've got a 24 hour window to use your booked ticket, though if you reserve a seat that is only on your specified ticket time.

[Slarti]

9.20 will give you ample time.

Surely they do flexible tickets?

My quote from the terms suggests basically yes, you've got a 24 hour window to use your booked ticket, though if you reserve a seat that is only on your specified ticket time.

Yes, I didn't see that until after I'd posted.

I think that unless immigration control has improved at Gatwick North Terminal, an hour from plane to bus is optimistic.

Slarti

[stevensfo]

Thanks to everyone for the amazingly helpful advice.

Just as I suspected; I'll book the 10.20 bus to be on the safe side.

I also forgot about Passport Control in the UK. I just hope it's faster than Luton!

Steve

[Watis]

Thanks to everyone for the amazingly helpful advice.

Just as I suspected; I'll book the 10.20 bus to be on the safe side.

I also forgot about Passport Control in the UK. I just hope it's faster than Luton!

Steve

It can be fast, if you have a chipped EU passport and use the ePassport gates.

Watis

[JMN2]

Thanks to everyone for the amazingly helpful advice.

Just as I suspected; I'll book the 10.20 bus to be on the safe side.

I also forgot about Passport Control in the UK. I just hope it's faster than Luton!

Steve

I did the same mistake at Schiphol once, took the later connection. The flight was late, walked through the whole terminal in 5 minutes, watched the connection that I was sure I would miss board in good time, then spent 4 hours waiting for my safe connection to Newcastle. Had a few Geordies on the plane suffering from delirium tremens.

[Ashfordian]

Thanks to everyone for the amazingly helpful advice.

Just as I suspected; I'll book the 10.20 bus to be on the safe side.

I also forgot about Passport Control in the UK. I just hope it's faster than Luton!

Steve

I fly into Gatwick at least twice a year and every time I've cleared passport way before my baggage is out. They are notorious for slow baggage delivery.

The 10:20 bus is a sensible decision

[Mike88]

The arrangement assumes the plane will land on time. Earlier this month my EasyJet plane from Barcelona was 5.5 hrs late so by the time I arrived at Gatwick - 4am - there was no suitable public transport available for my onward journey to Southampton meaning an expensive and very short stay at the Sofitel in the North terminal. At the same time my plane was late travellers heading to Bristol were boarding an EasyJet plane that had been delayed for over 24 hrs so my advice would be to make contingency plans in the event of the plane being delayed.

I should also mention that the plane parked on the outskirts of the airport requiring a bus to transport us to the terminal building. That process took around 20 minutes. Baggage was very quick but at that time of the morning there were no other planes around.