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Gatwick Airport updated the fees of the drop-off zones in March of 2023. This increase in fees is being reasoned with the introduction of number plate reading cameras. Apart from this, there is a £5.00 drop-off charge for any car that enters the area. Meeting with the global trends these fees must be paid online after the vehicle has left the drop-off zone.
There are some exemptions in place for commuters regularly using the Gatwick South Terminal through a local commuter plan. It is also available for Blue Badge holders. Meet & Greet parking has also been added to the drop-off zones to avoid the common problem of unwanted penalty letters.
Let’s learn more about this change in the fee structure which applies to all other automobiles.
Drop-Off – Gatwick North Terminal
One can drop off the passengers in the lower-level forecourt area. The lower-level forecourt area lies in the middle of Gatwick North Terminal’s multi-level parking and the Sofitel. Enter the North Terminal from either London Road or Airport Way and just follow the signs.
Drop off the passengers in the drop-off area and also unload the luggage. Post that, exit the Airport by following the exit signs.
As we discussed before, Gatwick Airport has transitioned to online payment of drop-off fees. This fee needs to be paid online before midnight of the following day or on the same day, whichever day comes first before the vehicle’s exit. If one pays £60 within the grace period, i.e. 14 days, then the parking fine decreases to £100.
Free Drop Off – Gatwick North Terminal
If one is fine with a five-minute free shuttle bus ride then one can still use Gatwick North. Just find a free parking space in the Long Stay North car park after getting a ticket at the gate.
These free shuttles come for pick up every 10-12 mins and stay for a little while. Being mindful of this and keeping enough padding for check-in and onboarding on the bus is the ideal thing to do. One can simply exit with the same ticket if one has been in the parking for less than two hours.
Drop-Off – Gatwick South Terminal
Entering the South Terminal from Airport Way, just follow the signs on the road to reach the drop-off zone. The drop-off zone is outside the terminal gate. Drop of the passengers in the drop-off area and also unload the luggage. Post that, exit the Airport by following the exit signs.
The fee needs to be paid online before midnight of the following day. If one pays £60 within the grace period,i.e. 14 days, then the parking fine decreases to £100.
Drop-off fees – Gatwick South Terminal
- One can claim the first ten minutes at the drop-off point as free
- Post that it is £25 for the first 20 minutes followed by a fee of £1/min
- For visitors, there is a 30-minute limit.
Free Drop Off – Gatwick South Terminal
If one is fine with a 7-12 minute free shuttle bus ride then one can still use Gatwick South. Just find a free parking space in the Long Stay car park after getting a ticket at the gate.
These free shuttles come frequently but stay for a little while. Being mindful of this and keeping enough padding for check-in and onboarding on the bus is the ideal thing to do. One can simply exit with the same ticket if one has been in the parking for less than two hours.
Everything About Gatwick Short Stay Car Parks
Both the South and North Terminals at Gatwick Airport have Short-Stay Car Parks. If you’re dropping off or picking up people, you can leave your vehicle here. Below is a breakdown of the costs per hour and per day at this location:
Directions To Short Stay Car Parks
Car park 3 (orange) at Gatwick South Terminal is located at Westway, Horley, RH6 0LL. GPS navigation systems can be inaccurate, therefore it’s best to follow the road signs as well. You can also check out the South Terminal short-stay parking directions:
- Exit the M23 at Junction 9 and follow the signs for Gatwick Airport on the roundabout if coming from London or Brighton.
- Turn left at the first roundabout (J9a) and follow signs to the South Terminal, which may be found on the left side.
- To get to the Short Stay parking lot, follow the signs.
- To access the Short Stay parking lots, take the right lane and go to the barriers just ahead.
Departures Rd, Horley, Gatwick RH6 0PJ is where you’ll find short-term parking for the North Terminal (car park 5) of the airport. Alternatively, you might consult the following set of driving directions:
- Exit the M23 at Junction 9 and follow the Gatwick Airport signs on the roundabout to get there from London or Brighton.
- Follow the North Terminal signs at the first roundabout (J9a).
- Take the first exit marked “North Terminal” from the next roundabout.
- As you reach the Short Stay parking lots ahead, keep to the left lane and look for the barriers marking the entrance.
It is merely a short walk from the parking garages to the airport terminals. Both the South and North Terminals are clearly marked with signs.
How to get to Gatwick Airport?
There are two ways to reach Gatwick Airport:
By train: There are trains running between London Victoria Station and Gatwick Airport. Trains run every 15 minutes during peak hours (6 am – 9 pm), and every 20 minutes at other times. The journey takes about 40 minutes.
The Gatwick Express is a railway service between London and Brighton operated by Southern, which runs every 15 minutes during the day (with one train per hour at night) and takes 40–50 minutes to reach its destination. The service operates from 05:00 until 00:30 on weekdays and from 06:00 until 23:30 on weekends and bank holidays. It uses Class 387 electric multiple units built by Bombardier Transportation.
There are two stations serving Gatwick; Gatwick Central station serves the airport terminal area while Gatwick South station serves the southern part of the airport. Both stations have ticket offices open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with automated announcements in both English and French. There are also self-service ticket machines available for use outside these times.
By car: If you’re driving, there are several routes into the city. From the M25 motorway, take the A23 southbound towards Brighton. At the roundabout after the A24, turn left onto the A2/A2028. Continue along the A2 until it ends at junction 12 of the M25. Turn right onto the A2119 and follow signs for Gatwick Airport.
There are three local bus routes that serve Gatwick Airport. Route 909 connects Gatwick Airport with Eastbourne via Shoreham-by-Sea, Hastings, and Battle, running every 30 minutes throughout the day. Route 910 links Gatwick Airport with Worthing, running every 20 minutes throughout the day.
Finally, route 912 connects Gatwick Airport with Bognor Regis, Chichester, Portsmouth, and Fareham, running every 20 minutes during peak periods only. All buses run along the A27 road.
What Are The Best Ways To Get Around London?
London has an extensive public transport system, which includes buses, trams, underground trains, overground trains, boats, ferries, and even bicycles. It’s easy to use, cheap and efficient.
Buses
Bus services operate throughout the day and night, with many routes operating 24 hours a day. Most bus stops have timetables available showing when the next service will arrive.
Trams
TfL runs five tram lines around central London, including the famous Circle Line. These trams travel through some of the most popular areas of London, such as Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Covent Garden, and Waterloo Bridge.
Underground
London Underground is one of the world’s oldest metro systems. The network consists of four tube lines – the Bakerloo line, Central line, District line, and Hammersmith & City line. All stations have ticket barriers and announcements in English.
Overground
Overground rail services connect London with towns and cities across England. They’re known as the ‘Surrey Lines’ because they were built by the Southern Railway company. Services include those to Reading, Portsmouth, Southampton, Winchester, Bournemouth, Weymouth, Poole, Dorset, Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Shrewsbury, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, Derby, Chester, Crewe, Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast, Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Kilkenny, Killarney, Ennis, Athlone, Portlaoise, Longford, Letterkenny, Omagh, Dundalk, Newry, Armagh, Londonderry, Coleraine, etc.
Ferries
Ferry services link the Isle of Dogs in east London with Rotherhithe in Southwark. Ferries leave regularly from Tower Gateway Pier, near Tower Bridge, and from Woolwich Arsenal Pier.
Cycling
Cycle paths crisscross London, making it easy to cycle to work, school, college or university, shopping centers, museums, and theatres. Many companies offer bike hire schemes.
Taxi
Taxis are plentiful in London. Fares start at £3.40, then rise according to the number of passengers traveling. Taxi ranks are located all over town.
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