Gatwick to Westminster

Why is the second half of the drive so slow?

Because the A23 becomes an ordinary London high road once it leaves the motorway at Hooley. It passes through Coulsdon, Purley, Croydon’s outskirts, Norbury, Streatham and Brixton, with shopping streets, bus stops and junctions every few hundred metres. On a weekday morning, that section alone can take as long as the rest of the journey.

Chauffeurs know the pinch points: Purley Cross, Streatham High Road and the approach to Brixton. When they are especially slow, a chauffeur may leave the A23 and use the A3 through Wandsworth instead, arriving at Westminster from the west along the river.

Which bridge brings you into Westminster?

It depends on your address. For Whitehall, Victoria Street and St James’s, the car usually crosses at Vauxhall Bridge or Lambeth Bridge. For the hotels on the South Bank and around County Hall, the car does not need to cross at all and approaches along Kennington Road. For Pimlico, Vauxhall Bridge is the natural crossing.

Tell us the exact address or hotel, and the chauffeur will plan the crossing and the final approach, including any security restrictions around government buildings.

How long should you allow at different times?

An early morning arrival, before 07:00, is quick, and the drive can take under an hour. From 07:30 to 09:30 on a weekday, allow an hour and a half or more. Midday is usually about 70 to 80 minutes. In the evening, traffic into London is lighter than traffic out, so an evening arrival is often easier than a departure at the same hour.

On summer Saturdays, the A23 carries a lot of holiday traffic in both directions, and the M23 can queue near the airport.

Car or train from Gatwick?

The Gatwick Express and Southern trains run from the station at Gatwick’s South Terminal to Victoria, a short journey from Westminster by Underground or on foot for addresses nearby. For a single traveller with light luggage, the train is quicker than the car at busy times, and we would say so.

The car wins with luggage, children or several travellers, for addresses away from Victoria, and for very early or late arrivals. It also removes the transfer from Victoria, which with cases on a busy concourse is not trivial.

Which terminal are you arriving at?

Gatwick has two, the North and South terminals, connected by a free shuttle. Tell us which one your airline uses. The chauffeur will wait in the right arrivals hall with a board showing your name and walk you to the short stay car park beside it. If your flight moves terminals at short notice, a message is enough; the chauffeur will cross to the other one.

Heading to a conference at the QEII Centre?

The Queen Elizabeth II Centre, opposite Westminster Abbey, hosts large conferences and government events, and many delegates fly into Gatwick for them. The centre’s entrance faces Broad Sanctuary, where stopping is limited, particularly on busy event mornings. Tell us the event and your arrival time, and the chauffeur will agree a set-down point close to the entrance, often on a nearby side street, and allow for the extra security around Parliament Square. For delegates arriving on several flights, we can coordinate the cars.

Does the Congestion Charge apply?

For most Westminster addresses, yes, during charging hours. An arrival inside the zone between 07:00 and 18:00 on a weekday, or between 12:00 and 18:00 at weekends and on bank holidays, incurs the £18 daily charge. The hotels on the South Bank are inside the zone too. The charge is included in your fixed price whenever it applies.

What about the return journey to Gatwick?

Leaving Westminster for Gatwick, allow about three hours before a long-haul flight and two and a half before a short-haul one on a weekday afternoon, when the A23 southbound is at its slowest. Gatwick’s £10 drop-off charge is included, and the chauffeur sets you down at the right terminal’s departures kerb.

What does the fixed price cover?

The journey, parking at Gatwick while the chauffeur waits for you, any waiting caused by a delayed flight, and the Congestion Charge when it applies. It does not change if the A23 is slow or the chauffeur takes a longer route to avoid traffic.