Gatwick to London Bridge

When is the train the better choice?

When you are travelling alone or as a couple, with luggage you can carry on and off a crowded train, arriving at the South Terminal during the day, and heading for somewhere within walking distance of London Bridge station. In those conditions, the train is quicker and cheaper.

When is the car the better choice?

With three or more people, several large cases, young children or someone who needs help. When you land at the North Terminal and would have to take the shuttle to the station with bags. When you arrive very early, very late, or on a weekend when the line is closed for engineering work and buses replace trains. And when your destination is not London Bridge itself but somewhere a second journey away, such as Bermondsey, Rotherhithe or Peckham.

How long does the drive take?

About 71 minutes off-peak and up to 103 minutes in the weekday rush. The route runs up the M23 and the A23 through Croydon, Streatham and Brixton to the Elephant and Castle, and then along Borough High Street to London Bridge. The slowest sections are the A23 through south London and the Elephant and Castle junction.

At night, when the roads are clear, the drive is closer to an hour.

Where does the car drop you?

For the station, at St Thomas Street or Tooley Street, depending on the entrance you want. For the hotels around the Shard and along the river, at the hotel’s own entrance. For Guy’s Hospital, at the entrance on Great Maze Pond or St Thomas Street. For homes and hotels in Bermondsey and along Shad Thames, as close to the door as the narrow streets allow.

Arriving for a meeting at More London or Tooley Street?

The offices at More London, along the river between London Bridge and Tower Bridge, and those on Tooley Street house law firms, accountants and professional services companies with many international visitors. The estate’s walkways are pedestrian, so the chauffeur will stop on Tooley Street at the point nearest your building. For a morning meeting after an early flight, the car often reaches Tooley Street in around 70 minutes, and in less if you land before 06:30.

Staying near the Tower of London?

Several hotels sit around Tower Hill and St Katharine Docks, just across Tower Bridge from London Bridge. The car can approach over Tower Bridge from the south, which makes it a natural extension of this route. Tower Bridge closes briefly when it lifts for ships, which the chauffeur can check in advance, and the roads around the Tower are busy with coaches in the daytime. The chauffeur will stop at the hotel entrance.

Going on to Rotherhithe or Canada Water?

For addresses east of London Bridge, in Bermondsey, Rotherhithe and around Canada Water, the car continues along Jamaica Road or Lower Road rather than stopping at the station. These areas are outside the Congestion Charging Zone and a second journey away from London Bridge by rail, so the car is usually the easier choice from Gatwick with luggage.

Coming to Guy’s or St Thomas’ for treatment?

Patients arriving at Gatwick for treatment at Guy’s, St Thomas’ or the specialist centres nearby often prefer a car, especially after a flight and with luggage. Tell us the entrance and any mobility needs, and the chauffeur will allow extra time and help with bags. If an appointment is on the day you land, leave a generous margin.

What if the trains are not running?

The line from Gatwick to London Bridge is closed on some weekends and bank holidays for planned engineering work, and disrupted occasionally by faults. Check the planned works for your date. On those days, a car booked in advance avoids replacement buses and crowded alternative routes.

Where will the chauffeur meet you?

In the arrivals hall of your terminal, North or South, holding a board with your name. The chauffeur follows your flight and adjusts to delays, then walks you to the short stay car park.

Does the Congestion Charge apply?

Yes, for London Bridge addresses during charging hours: the area around the station and the Shard is inside the zone. The £18 charge is part of your fixed price when it applies. Bermondsey east of Tower Bridge Road is outside the zone. For the return to Gatwick, Gatwick’s £10 drop-off charge is included.