London-Gatwick airport 8 hour layover- things to do?

[ct54cruise]

My wife and I will be flying from NYC to Barcelona for a Mediterranean cruise. We have one stop at the London-Gatwick airport with an eight hour layover. Is that enough time to leave the airport and see anything in the London area or not? On google maps, it shows an express train from Gatwick Airport Station to Victoria Station in London? Are the trains timely and reliable? Or are there any sites near the airport that would be interesting to see?

[FlyerTalker]

The Gatwick Express is reliable service. Only you can decide if the cost and effort is worth the trip into London. You will have to pass through UK immigration and customs to leave the airport. And the same on the return.

 

If you stay in the Gatwick area and want to get out of the airport, Ye Olde Six Bells is an excellent pub with good food and drink. I've walked it from the Holiday Inn - 10 minutes if you cut through past the church, but you would likely want a cab or Uber. Also know that North Terminal at LGW is rambling, so give yourself plenty of time to negotiate getting to your gate, plus all immigration and security processes.

[navybankerteacher]

After at least an hour to clear customs and immigration, and an hour to get anywhere in London, plus allowing an hour to get back to Gatwick the necessary two hours before flight time - you will have perhaps two hours in London. I would only bother with clearing UK customs and immigration if I had a day room at a convenient hotel/motel to catch a nap after what was probably an overnight flight.

[sailing canary]

I'm a bit puzzled as to your 8 hour layover. There are flights from Gatwick fairly regularly not to mention that there are direct flights from New York to Barcelona.

Why pick one that causes problems?:confused:

[ct54cruise]

Thanks for the last couple of posts with the suggestions about the time frames to travel to London and leave/return customs/security at the airport. It sounds like the timing might be too close for much time in London. The Gatwick area sounds more plausible.

Also, regarding picking the 1-stop flight. Direct roundtrip flights are reasonably priced at less than $1000, however we needed a 1-way flight. From NYC to Barcelona, 1-way direct flights are close to $2500, 1-way 1 stop flights are between $650-$750. Enough of a difference to do a stop.

[FlyerTalker]

Thanks for the last couple of posts with the suggestions about the time frames to travel to London and leave/return customs/security at the airport. It sounds like the timing might be too close for much time in London. The Gatwick area sounds more plausible.

Also, regarding picking the 1-stop flight. Direct roundtrip flights are reasonably priced at less than $1000, however we needed a 1-way flight. From NYC to Barcelona, 1-way direct flights are close to $2500, 1-way 1 stop flights are between $650-$750. Enough of a difference to do a stop.

Be careful with your nomenclature. "Direct" is NOT a synonym for "non-stop". They have distinctly different meanings.

[Enforcer]

Hi,

 

I would check with your carrier to see if it is allowed to leave the airport, you may encounter problems with UK immigration as well as security issues.

 

Pete

[FlyerTalker]

I would check with your carrier to see if it is allowed to leave the airport, you may encounter problems with UK immigration as well as security issues

Any such issue would not be with the airline but with the UK immigration authorities. Assuming you are a US citizen without issues on your immigration history, you should be able to have visa-free entry into the UK for the day. On times like this when doing a "several hour" entry, a simple explanation and showing your onward boarding pass usually satisfies the official.

 

Now, don't try doing this at SVO (Moscow)!!

[snowskier]

Yotel is an interesting option. I have used it and liked the ability to kick back, have some privacy, clean private bathroom, bed to take a snooze, workstation / area.

 

Google Yotel or Yotel Gatwick --

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

It is not enough time to really see anything of worth in London. 8 hrs hanging about an airport is tough but Gatwick has a lot of facilities.

[Enforcer]

Any such issue would not be with the airline but with the UK immigration authorities. Assuming you are a US citizen without issues on your immigration history, you should be able to have visa-free entry into the UK for the day. On times like this when doing a "several hour" entry, a simple explanation and showing your onward boarding pass usually satisfies the official.

 

Now, don't try doing this at SVO (Moscow)!!

 

Hi,

 

The airline is a very good place to start, they may see this as taking two separate flights instead of flights from one location to another, albeit with a stop over, so they may charge the OP for two flights which may cost much more. The airline may not allow this as the manifest that they have to submit will show the OP as a transit passenger, if they do allow the OP to leave the airport they will have to collect their luggage and cart it about with them. The OP will then have to check in for their onward flight.

The OP will certainly become of interest to immigration as this type of incident will be highly suspicious to them and they could spend hours waiting for them to clear immigration, they could also be investigated by customs as this could be seen as the actions of drug mules.

So ultimately the best place to start is with the airline.

 

Hope this helps

 

Pete

[FlyerTalker]

Dear Pete,

 

Your post has far too many falacies for me to try to debunk. As in just about every line. The airline does NOT control if you wish to leave the airport, they do NOT separate out luggage that belongs to certain travelers, they do not change connections into stopovers on their own and much more.

 

Maybe if the passenger is coming in from Beirut or Kabul will immigration give it a second look - not to a USA citizen with a clean record. My most recent arrival at LHR clearly made that point to me....some folks from third-world countries were at windows for 5-10 minutes and then shunted to secondary. Didn't see any USA passports being delayed.

 

But, if that's what you believe....good on you and have a nice day.

[Enforcer]

Dear Pete,

 

Your post has far too many falacies for me to try to debunk. As in just about every line. The airline does NOT control if you wish to leave the airport, they do NOT separate out luggage that belongs to certain travelers, they do not change connections into stopovers on their own and much more.

 

Maybe if the passenger is coming in from Beirut or Kabul will immigration give it a second look - not to a USA citizen with a clean record. My most recent arrival at LHR clearly made that point to me....some folks from third-world countries were at windows for 5-10 minutes and then shunted to secondary. Didn't see any USA passports being delayed.

 

But, if that's what you believe....good on you and have a nice day.

 

 

Dear Mr Flyertalker,

 

You seem to be a bit "touchy", a trait which is quite prevalent with "US Citizens" who seem to think that because they are "US Citizens" they have a god given right to do and act as they want, unfortunately this isn't the case and maybe you will learn something if you didn't have such a dire attitude.

 

For your information, airlines submit a manifest that shows the status of the passenger, how many etc. they have to show which will be landed by immigration and those who are transiting to other countries. the status of the Opening Poster will be "transit"

 

If you wish me to explain further about the UK Border Force and UK Customs and Excise I will, but obviously I will have to do it in small bites so that you can understand.

 

By the way there are some nasty people that come from the United States who will have a "clean record"

 

Please don't hesitate to ask for any further information.

 

Pete

[BS Criusers]

flying on Norwegian air can you tell me about luggage and carry on bags