When are the first and last trains to Gatwick and Heathrow airports?
Whether you’re avoiding all the snow and cold and planning to spend Christmas overseas or you just need to fly somewhere, people will still need to get trains to the airports over the holidays.
For Londoners and people nearby, they’ll likely need to get to Gatwick or Heathrow.
But, do trains run to these all day long? To avoid any late disasters or expensive last-minute taxis, here’s what you need to know…
Do trains run to Gatwick Airport all day?
The good news is there’s not really a last train to Gatwick Airport.
The trains run from different stations in London all day.
However, after 1:14am, the trains get less frequent for a few hours.
You can take the 1:14am from London Bridge, pulling in at Gatwick Airport for 1:56am.
Then, the next train is at 1:52am. The next trains after this time only come once an hour – at 2:53am and 3:53am.
Trains from other parts of London then kick back into gear around 4am.
You can start taking a train from Blackfriars from 4:10am. Trains from Victoria start up again from 4:30am.
It’s always advisable to check before planning travel as timetables can change.
Do trains run to Heathrow all day?
There are a few ways to get to Heathrow when you’re in London.
A Heathrow Express train to Heathrow Airport from London Paddington stops at all three Heathrow airport train stations and takes 15 to 21 minutes, depending on the destination terminal.
Trains run every 15 minutes, seven days a week from 5am (6am on Sundays) to 11:30pm.
A slower and cheaper TfL Rail train – the Elizabeth Line – also runs from London Paddington to all three terminal stations, stopping in West London stations along the way.
Another way to get to Heathrow is to take the Piccadilly line.
The first Piccadilly line to Heathrow terminals 2,3, 4 or 5 Mondays to Fridays at 5:02am.
The last one leaves 12:56am Monday to Thursday.
On Friday, the last train leaves at 3:41am. On Saturdays, the last one is 3:51am. The last train on a Sunday is 12:02am.
Will there be strikes over Christmas?
One thing which will affect any plans are the next round of train strikes, which will take place throughout December 2022 and into January 2023.
There will be mass walkouts across the different unions throughout the next few weeks so expect disruption.
The Heathrow Express has provided a list of service disruptions online. Tfl won’t be striking so the Piccadilly line services to Heathrow should still be running, but these could be busier than normal and impacted by any strike action on parts of the line connecting to Network Rail.
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