board77

I'm needing some help from people in/around London who somewhat know the trains/tube.

I'm trying to get to Gatwick Airport from Swindon on Friday March 6th and I need to arrive by 12:30.

The route that gets me to the airport at 12:25 is Swindon -> Paddington, Paddington -> Farringdon, Farringdon -> Gatwick. Okay but it's trying to tell me that there's a 37 minute journey between Paddington and Farringdon.



Those are both zone 1 stations. How the hell would it take that long?

I'm getting the same thing for a return journey on March 10th. I get into Gatwick around 21:15 so need a train around 21:45. One leaves from Gatwick -> Victoria at 22:05. I'm then told it will take 47 minutes to get from Victoria to Paddington. Again, what the heck? Both are zone one stations.

This just doesn't seem right.

I've been from Farringdon to Gatwick a couple of times. (You'll know I hope it's a mainline route not an underground route so you need to go from the Farringdon tube stop to the Farringdon mainline stop when you get there, not a long walk.)

The trains to Gatwick are frequent coming from Coventry I believe in the Midlands down to Brighton on the South Coast It's an OK trip but I've never gone from Paddington to Farringdon. So I don't know if it's quoting too long a time or is just being cautious. Better to over-estimate the time needed than to under-estimate it.

During the evening at least (as that's the one I'm more concerned about as that's trickier with trains not running all night long) the route is taking the Gatwick express to Victoria station. That should be an overground train. Then it says to take the Underground from Victoria to Paddington, then get catch a train to Swindon.

So perhaps walking time is being factored in? But I thought at least at Paddington, the underground stop isn't that far a walk at all from when you get off the train. I'm not sure if I've ever been to Victoria station.

Ugh, I wish we lived closer to Gatwick. Getting back home that night isn't going to be that fun...and probably stressful as well as it looks like I won't have loads of time between stops. And I'm sure there will be hardly any if at all information people out and about.

Take a taxi for the middle bit (Paddington -> Farringdon). Or just take a taxi from Paddington to Gatwick or Gatwick to Paddington. For the coming back bit, since it's so late, you can at least tell the taxi driver what time your train is at so that they can try to get you there on time. No chance of being able to ask that if you're taking the tube

Only problem with Gatwick -> Paddington that is according to Google maps, it's a 32 mile journey that also goes through a few toll zones. I think that would be a frightening bill at the end!

Good point - maybe just farringdon to Gatwick then, at least for the return journey. Otherwise, you're gonna have a long night

I don't know why you'd go to Farringdon at all. I think the issue there is there is a long walk at Paddington to get to the Hammersmith and City LIne, which goes to Farringdon.

If it were me, I'd take the Circle line from Paddington to Victoria and then the Gatwick Express to Gatwick Airport.

About 15 minutes on the tube and 30 minutes from Victoria to Gatwick. The express train runs every 15 minutes from Victoria.

37 minute journey, well....maybe if you're on the Circle line. Aaah good ol' bumpy Circle....stopping randomly here and there for 5 minutes.

Did it list a suggested line to take as well? Just because of the lovely reliability of the Circle line I think I'd go with Hammersmith and City, maybe. Though I never took that one very often....so perhaps it's just as slow. The transport for London journey planner is giving 14-15 minute ride between those two stops, anyway. Victoria to Paddington is listed around 15 minutes as well. Though it seems there's engineering works going on around there....perhaps that's being figured in.

Anyway, I was just playing with some times. I have some peculiar addiction to travel planning.

Gatwick 21:50 - 22:20 Victoria

Victoria Underground Victoria Line > to Oxford Circus (4 minutes average)

Oxford Circus Bakerloo Line > Paddington (9 minutes average)

Paddington 23:30 - 00:43 Swindon


edit: And whilst I was arranging this lovely little post about 5 more posts snuck in. Oh well.

A taxi from London to Gatwick would be very expensive.

Don't go via London. Go via Reading. It's significantly cheaper off-peak or an advance booking, just the one change, and you don't have to cross the UK's busiest city!

Dep Swindon 09:41 (the train to Paddington)
Arr Reading 10:09
Dep Reading 10:34
Arr Gatwick 11:50 (the train to Gatwick)


Given the time you're going back, you *will* have to go via London. Don't take the Gatwick Express to get to London though - it's more expensive and only ten or so minutes quicker. Take the regular train. And yes, the Circle Line (Westbound) from Victoria to Paddington is the easiest.

I decided to go with the Reading route as it's the easiest...it's just a tad annoying it gets me there an hour too early. Check in doesn't open until 12:55 and the flight doesn't leave until 14:55. I'm going to be spending a heck of a lot of time waiting at the airport unfortunately.

When searching for a train home, the option that costs £11 includes the Gatwick Express and the underground. I'm not sure how that ticket works, especially the underground part.

I really, really need to guilt Iavas into picking me up somehow.

Dep Swindon 10:41 (the train to Paddington)
Arr Reading 11:11
Dep Reading 11:34
Arr Gatwick 12:50 (the train to Gatwick)

Thanks, I missed that one.

Well let's hope you don't!