New overnight rail and bus services are being introduced to serve London Gatwick for the summer peak period.
Two overnight rail trials will operate during the peak season. GTR will run Gatwick Express services between London Victoria and Gatwick on Saturdays and Mondays from 18 July to 7 September, with departures starting from Victoria at 03:40 and from Gatwick at 04:35.
Great Western Railway (GWR) will also operate overnight services between Gatwick and Reading in the early hours of Saturdays and Mondays from 6 June to 12 September.
Gatwick has also increased its bus network, with eight 24/7 Metrobus routes now serving communities across Sussex and Surrey, including the introduction of the 500 service to Eastbourne.
The airport said the services are designed to support early morning flights and late arrivals, while also providing additional options for airport staff and local residents.
London Gatwick already runs trains to London every four minutes on average from its on-site station and is connected by more than 100 local bus and long-distance coach destinations.
A further 14 long-distance coach services operate around the clock, linking the airport with destinations including Manchester, Birmingham, Oxford and Swansea.
The airport has partnered with transport operators to expand services as it targets 52% of passenger journeys to and from the airport by public transport by 2030, as part of its Decade of Change sustainability strategy.
GTR Chief Customer Officer Louis Rambaud said: “We are pleased to be supporting Gatwick Airport during the busy summer holiday period.
“We know people want to make the most of their time away by getting the first flight out of London and the last flight back home again, so – to accommodate this – we are trialling two new overnight services from mid-July to provide even more options for people choosing to travel to the airport by train.”
Great Western Railway Managing Director Mark Hopwood added: “This trial allows us to test demand for extended operating hours to Gatwick and gather real-world data on how passengers use these services.
“Improving sustainable connectivity to airports is important to support the growth in air travel and we’re pleased to work with Gatwick Airport and Network Rail to explore what’s possible.”
