Can You Use an Oyster Card to Gatwick?

Yes. Oyster pay as you go (PAYG) and contactless cards or devices can be used between London and Gatwick Airport on Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink trains. Oyster PAYG is standard class only.

Can you use a contactless bank card at Gatwick station?

Yes. You can touch in and out with a contactless debit or credit card or a mobile device to travel between London and the Gatwick train station, subject to the same fares and daily caps as Oyster PAYG. As with an Oyster Card, PAYG may not be the cheapest option for your journey because contactless PAYG is based on single fares.

Pay as you go caps: TfL's 2026 fares list for stations beyond Zone 9 shows these adult caps for travel between Gatwick Airport and Zones 1–6: £40.80 daily peak, £24.10 daily off-peak and £129.40 Monday to Sunday. The caps don't cover Gatwick Express journeys. TfL's railcard fares list shows a £16.05 daily off-peak cap for railcard fares on the same route.

Southern and Gatwick Express note that PAYG is based on single fares, so it may not always cost less than a paper return. Eligible Railcards can be linked to an Oyster card for discounts on eligible off-peak fares and daily caps. Railcard discounts are not available with contactless.

If your card was issued outside the UK, your card provider may charge a foreign transaction fee on each journey. Check with your provider.

How much does a London to Gatwick train cost?

Pay as you go fares in this section are from TfL's single fare finder, checked on 28 September 2026. They are adult fares and may change.

Pay as you go (Oyster or contactless)

Peak times: Monday to Friday, 06:30 to 09:30. The evening peak (16:00 to 19:00, Monday to Friday) applies only when you're travelling from or via a London station. Journeys from Gatwick into London at those times are off-peak.

From London Victoria, paying by Oyster or contactless, Gatwick Express costs £4.80 more than Southern at peak times (£24.00 vs £19.20, 25% more) and £13.30 more off-peak (£24.00 vs £10.70, about 124% more), based on TfL's single fare finder on 28 September 2026. Gatwick Express journeys aren't included in pay as you go caps or Travelcards.

Paper and e-tickets

Paper and e-ticket prices vary by ticket type and when you buy. You can check current prices on National Rail Enquiries or the train operator's website.

Gatwick Express sells Anytime and Off-Peak tickets. According to its website, booking online gives a 10% discount on selected tickets. It also offers Web Duo (25% off for two people travelling together), GroupSave and £2 child tickets at Off-Peak times.

Regulated rail fares in England (standard class Anytime, Off-Peak and Season tickets) are frozen until March 2027, according to National Rail.

Coach, taxi and ride-hailing prices vary with demand and traffic, so they aren't listed here. This article doesn't cover every way to travel to Gatwick.

How long does the train take?

Gatwick Airport gives a journey time of about 30 to 45 minutes to London by train. Gatwick Express runs non-stop to London Victoria, and its website gives a time of "as little as 31 minutes". Times vary by service and London station, so check a journey planner for your date and time.

Where do Gatwick trains stop in London?

• From Victoria: Victoria, District and Circle lines.

• From London Bridge: Northern and Jubilee lines.

From King's Cross St Pancras: Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines. When Oyster may cost more

PAYG is based on single fares, so a paper return, an advance online ticket or a group ticket may cost less for some journeys. Southern and Gatwick Express both say this on their websites. Group discounts don't apply to PAYG. Eligible Railcards linked to an Oyster card provide one-third off eligible off-peak fares and off-peak daily caps. Railcard discounts aren't available with contactless.

Refunds on Oyster pay as you go credit

According to TfL (checked 28 September 2026):

• Oyster pay as you go credit: apply online through your TfL account. If you have £10 or less, you can also get a refund at any Tube station ticket machine. Your Oyster card is cancelled once the refund is processed.

• Visitor Oyster card: you can keep it for a future visit, give it to someone else, or get a refund of the credit by phone (0343 222 1234, charges may apply) or by post to TfL Customer Services. The £10.50 card fee isn't refunded.

• Oyster card deposit or fee: if you got your Oyster card before 23 February 2020, you can get your £5 refunded when you no longer need the card. If you got it between 23 February 2020 and 4 September 2022, the £5 is refunded automatically as pay as you go credit after a year, when you make a journey with the card (you must collect it within six months). If you got it on or after 4 September 2022, the fee isn’t refundable.

If you bought a paper ticket from a train company or a site such as Trainline, you need to contact them for a refund.

FAQs

Can you use Oyster to Gatwick Airport? Yes, on Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink trains.

How much is an Oyster fare to Gatwick? From London Victoria, according to TfL's single fare finder on 28 September 2026: £10.70 off-peak or £19.20 peak on Southern, or £24.00 at any time on Gatwick Express. The fares from London Bridge and St Pancras International are the same (£19.20 peak, £10.70 off-peak).

How far is the station from the terminals? The station is at the South Terminal, about a five-minute walk. A free shuttle takes about two minutes to reach the North Terminal.

What fare zone is Gatwick Airport in? It isn't in any TfL fare zone. It's beyond Zone 9, and TfL publishes its fares separately.

How long is the train from London to Gatwick? About 30 to 45 minutes, according to Gatwick Airport, depending on the service.