Gatwick Express airport train service to restart in April

Nonstop service has been suspended for much of pandemic

Gatwick Express services are set to resume (Getty Images)

The Gatwick Express, offering nonstop trains from London to the West Sussex airport, will finally resume services from 3 April.

Two trains an hour will run from London Victoria – a reduction from the former schedule of four hourly services, due to ongoing works to improve Gatwick airport station.

The current timetable sets out that trains will run seven days a week, although this might be disrupted on weekends due to engineering works.

The direct train was first suspended at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020.

Operations briefly restarted on weekdays from 12 December, but were paused again just two weeks later as the Omicron variant saw Covid-19 cases soar and UK restrictions step up again to stem the spread.

Gatwick Express managing director Stephen MacCallaugh said: “We’re absolutely delighted to bring back our nonstop Gatwick Express service from Sunday 3 April as we look forward to a busier summer season including for international travel.

“With more passengers now returning to Gatwick by rail and the South Terminal reopening, now is the time to get our service running again to support the airport and the economic recovery in the southeast.”

The Gatwick Express whizzes passengers to the airport in just 30 minutes.

However, there are a number of alternative train options to reach Gatwick from the UK capital.

“Gatwick Airport has the best rail connections of any airport in Britain, linking passengers to 120 train stations directly and over 700 within just one change,” states the airport’s website.

Southern provides services across London and the southeast, including from London Victoria, London Bridge, Clapham Junction, Brighton, Southampton, Eastbourne and Portsmouth.

Thameslink connects Gatwick to the south coast from Brighton, as well as from London Bridge, St Pancras International, Farringdon and Bedford. Thameslink also provides a direct train to Luton Airport Parkway.

Great Western Railway runs an hourly service between Gatwick Airport and Reading, via Redhill, Reigate and Guildford.