Oyster Card: Gatwick Airport Travel Companion?

Gatwick Airport has accepted Oyster and contactless payments since 2016. Passengers can use Oyster cards on Gatwick Express, Southern, and Thameslink trains to travel between London and Gatwick Airport. Oyster fares to Gatwick range from £8.30 to £21.80, depending on the time of day and train company. Oyster cards can be purchased online or at the railway station at Gatwick's South Terminal.

Oyster card fares to Gatwick

Oyster cards can be used to pay for fares on the Gatwick Express, Southern trains, and Thameslink trains between London and Gatwick Airport. However, it is worth noting that Travelcards are not valid for this journey. While using an Oyster card is convenient, it may not always be the cheapest option.

If you are travelling during peak times, buying a return train ticket might be more cost-effective than using your Oyster card. For example, a return ticket on the Thameslink costs £24.50, compared to two one-way tickets at £13.20 each. Similarly, a single adult fare from Victoria, London Bridge, and St Pancras to Gatwick using an Oyster card costs £17.50 during peak times, while an Anytime Day Single fare without an Oyster card is £13.20 to London Bridge Station and £13.70 to St Pancras.

During off-peak times, using an Oyster card can be more financially advantageous. An Oyster card journey between London and Gatwick can cost as little as £8.30 off-peak, and £9.50 from London Bridge, St Pancras, or Victoria. This is comparable to taking the bus, despite being a much faster mode of transport.

It is important to remember that Oyster fares to Gatwick are not subject to a specific fare cap; your Oyster card will be debited for the fare between Gatwick and London. Additionally, if you have a railcard, make sure to register it when you get an Oyster card to enjoy a 34% discount on tickets for travel outside rush hour.

Oyster card on Gatwick Express

You can use an Oyster card on the Gatwick Express, Southern, or Thameslink to travel between London and Gatwick Airport. The Gatwick Express is the fastest way to get to/from Gatwick Airport, but other train options are nearly as fast.

Oyster fares to Gatwick range from £8.30 to £19.40. For example, London Bridge to Gatwick with an Oyster card costs £8.30 off-peak and £15.10 during peak times. During off-peak times, the cheapest train ticket between London and Gatwick is via Thameslink or Southern (National Rail) using an Oyster card—this costs £9.50 from London Bridge, St Pancras, or Victoria. In contrast, a single adult fare from these stations to Gatwick using Oyster costs £17.50 during peak times and £9.50 off-peak, so long as you don't use the Gatwick Express trains.

If you're travelling between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria, there are two fares in operation. If you travel on the Gatwick Express, you will be charged the more expensive but flexible 'any permitted' fare. If you travel on Southern, you will be charged a lower fare. The fare charged is determined by the gateline you enter or exit through at London Victoria.

You can buy Visitor Oyster Cards in advance at the TFL online shop or from the Visitor Centre at Gatwick. You can buy standard Oyster cards from a machine at the railway station situated at the South Terminal. You can also top up your Oyster card at London Victoria or Gatwick Airport.

Oyster card on Southern trains

Oyster cards are a convenient way to pay for travel on Southern trains and are accepted on all Southern services within London Zones 1-6. You can use the Oyster Pay As You Go (PAYG) option, which automatically deducts the correct fare when you touch in and out at the start and end of your journey. This is a flexible way to buy and use tickets, saving you time and money.

You can also use Oyster cards on the Gatwick Express, Thameslink, and Southern trains between London and Gatwick Airport. However, it is worth noting that buying tickets directly from the Gatwick Express website is usually cheaper than using Oyster. On the Thameslink and Southern services, Oyster may be a more financially attractive option.

If you are travelling between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria, you will be charged different fares depending on whether you travel on the Gatwick Express or Southern trains. The Gatwick Express charges a higher 'any permitted' fare, while Southern trains charge a lower fare. It is important to touch in or out at the correct gateline, as the fare charged depends on the gateline you enter or exit through.

Oyster cards can be purchased in advance online or from ticket machines at various stations, including London Victoria, London Bridge, Blackfriars, and St Pancras. You can also buy them from the railway station at the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport. It is important to note that there is no ticket machine at Gatwick Airport that allows you to cancel your Oyster card or get a refund for any remaining balance.

Southern trains offer a range of ticketing options, including weekly, monthly, and annual train tickets. You can also sign up for the Key Smartcard, which allows you to add tickets and enjoy pay-as-you-go travel. Southern trains also qualify for a 2-for-1 promotion at certain London attractions, but this promotion is not available when using Oyster cards.

Oyster card on Thameslink trains

Oyster cards can be used to pay for fares on Thameslink trains between London and Gatwick Airport. Oyster cards can be used as far south as Gatwick on Thameslink and as far north as Radlett.

If you have a travelcard loaded onto your Oyster card, you will need to touch out and touch back in when changing platforms or travelling in the opposite direction. Oyster cards with PAYG (pay as you go) funds can be used at yellow card readers at the stations.

Thameslink trains from Gatwick go to central London stations such as St Pancras, Blackfriars, London Bridge, and Farringdon. Thameslink tickets purchased from the railways qualify for a 2-for-1 promotion to the London Eye and Tower of London. Thameslink trains do not start at Gatwick and may be full during peak commute hours.

Oyster cards are available for purchase at the railway station situated at the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport. They can also be purchased in advance at the TFL online shop or from the Visitor Centre at Gatwick.

Visitor Oyster cards

A Visitor Oyster card is a smartcard that you can use to pay for travel on public transport in London. It is one of the cheapest ways to pay for single journeys on the bus, Tube, DLR, tram, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers river bus service, London Overground, TfL Rail, and most National Rail services in London.

You can buy a Visitor Oyster card online before you travel to London and have it delivered to your home address. This means you can arrive in London with your travel ticket ready to start exploring the city. The card costs £5 (plus postage) and is pre-loaded with pay-as-you-go credit for you to spend on travel. You can choose how much credit to add to your card: £10, £15, £20, £25, £30, £35, £40, or £50. The credit on your card never expires—it stays there until you use it. If you run out of credit on your card, it's easy to top it up at Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, and most National Rail stations.

You can also buy a Visitor Oyster card from Gatwick Express ticket offices at Gatwick Airport station and on board Eurostar trains travelling to London. If you are not a UK resident, you can buy a Visitor Oyster card before you leave home, or buy a standard Oyster card once you arrive in London at TfL Visitor Centres, transport stations, and Oyster ticket stops.

When using your Visitor Oyster card, simply touch your card flat on a yellow card reader when you enter a station to start a journey. At the end of your journey, touch your card flat on the yellow card reader as you leave the station. This means you'll be charged the correct fare for the journey you've taken. If you don't touch in and out on a yellow card reader, you might be charged a maximum fare, a penalty fare, or be prosecuted. Only touch your Visitor Oyster card on the yellow card reader at the start of your journey. Don't touch out when you get off a bus or tram, or you will be issued with a penalty fare.

Your Visitor Oyster card offers daily capping, which means you can travel as much as you like in a single day, and the amount you pay for your travel is limited (or capped). Pay-as-you-go fares are up to 26% cheaper than buying a paper single ticket.

Frequently asked questions