Oxford Bus the airline: The Best Way to Get from London Heathrow to Gatwick and Vice Versa

On my recent trip to Africa, I had to get from London Gatwick Airport where my Air China flight from Beijing arrived to London Heathrow Airport where my Eurowings flight to Stuttgart was departing from. After considering numerous options including a National Express bus and stopping in the city center on the way, I ended up taking the airline, a bus operated by Oxford Bus Company.

With the bus ride being affordable, comfortable, and non-stop, it ended up being a great decision and I can only recommend taking the airline bus if you need to travel between the two airports.

Oxford Bus The Airline
Oxford Bus the airline.

the airline Connects London Heathrow and Gatwick Hourly, National Express Does So More Frequently

If you need to get from Heathrow to Gatwick or vice-versa non-stop, you have two options. You can either take a National Express bus or the airline bus. Both take about an hour (the exact duration depends on the time of the day and traffic conditions) and both operate the segment as part of longer routes.

While National Express buses run on the route multiple times per hour during the day, the airline runs once an hour for the best part of the day. You can check the schedule of the former here and of the latter here.

Both companies stop at Heathrow’s Central Bus Station serving Terminals 2 and 3, as well as at Terminal 5. Some National Express buses also stop at Terminal 4. All the airline buses, on the other hand, skip Terminal 4 but stop at Compass Centre on the north side of the airport, which is within walkable distance of some hotels including Hyatt Place London Heathrow Airport and Holiday Inn London Heathrow Bath Road.

At London Gatwick, both companies serve both North Terminal and South Terminal.

London Heathrow to London Gatwick
The bus ride takes about an hour.

the airline Is Considerably Cheaper Than National Express

Without a doubt the main advantage the airline has over National Express is the cheaper fare.

It costs 15 GBP one-way between the two airports for adults. Fixed-date return tickets can be booked for 18 GBP and flexible return tickets for 20 GBP. Child fare is half of the adult fare. Tickets can be booked online, using the Oxford Bus app, or directly onboard a bus from the driver.

National Express tickets on the same route, for comparison, start at 22 GBP one-way when booked online in advance. Last minute, however, the tickets can cost as much as 29 GBP one-way.

My Experience with the airline: Comfortable Bus and Friendly Staff

Having gotten through immigration and customs around 7AM, I made my way straight to the well-marked the airline bus stop in front of Gatwick’s North Terminal. The bus arrived a couple of minutes later and its driver handled my baggage and sold me a ticket with a smile. We departed exactly on time at 7:05AM and arrived at London Heathrow’s Central Bus Station about five minutes ahead of our 8:20AM scheduled arrival time.

The ride onboard the well-maintained and clean Mercedes bus was comfortable. Especially so considering that the bus was not full and I was able to enjoy a pair of seats by myself.

Each seat offered a small tray table with a cup holder, as well as a seat pocket. Additionally, under the seats in front was a pair of USB-A charging ports, one for each seat.

Oxford Bus The Airline
USB charging ports.

Other Options for Traveling Between London Heathrow and Gatwick Airports

There are other ways to travel between Heathrow and Gatwick. For example, you could take the Underground to Victoria and then the Gatwick Express or a Southern Rail train. That said, they all not only cost more than the airline but also take longer and involve at least one stop.

As such, unless you have a lot of time and want to spend some of it exploring parts of London, taking either the airline or National Express bus is the only real option you should be considering.

Piccadilly Line
Using a combination of trains is one way of getting between Heathrow and Gatwick.

Summary

If you need to get between London Heathrow and Gatwick Airports as easily and cheaply as possible, then I can only recommend taking the airline bus. With there being one bus each hour during the day, you should be able to catch a service that works for you.

That said, if you need to move between the airports as quickly as possible and National Express happens to have a better-timed service, then that is a great option too if you are willing to pay the premium.

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