Gatwick is on the far side of London from Buckinghamshire, so it is a longer trip than Heathrow or Luton: around 70–85 minutes by car from Gerrards Cross, and anything from about 55 minutes to well over an hour and a half from other towns in the south of the county. Once on the motorway, the route runs anticlockwise round the M25 to the M23. This guide covers the drive from each town, which terminal you need, the rail alternative and what the airport charges at the kerb.
- Towns nearest the M25, such as Denham, Iver and Slough, are quickest to Gatwick; the Chalfonts, Penn and Little Chalfont take the longest.
- British Airways uses the South Terminal and easyJet the North, with a free shuttle between them that takes about two minutes.
- The forecourt drop-off costs £10 for 10 minutes, then £1 a minute to a 30-minute maximum, while the Long Stay car parks give two hours free.
How long does Gatwick take from towns in Buckinghamshire?
These are the times we plan with from each town in normal traffic, taken from our local airport transfer pages. The spread comes from where you join the M25: Denham, Iver and Slough are close to it, while villages up the A413 and A404 add time before the motorway starts.
| From | To Gatwick |
|---|---|
| Denham | 55–80 min |
| Slough | 55–80 min |
| Iver | 55–85 min |
| Gerrards Cross | 70–85 min |
| Amersham | 70–90 min |
| Stoke Poges | 72–87 min |
| Farnham Common and Fulmer | 75–90 min |
| Beaconsfield | 78–93 min |
| Chalfont St Peter, Seer Green and Penn | 80–95 min |
| Chalfont St Giles | 82–97 min |
| Little Chalfont | 85–100 min |
The M25 between the M40 and the M23 is where the variation happens. It is worth planning to the top of your range on a weekday morning or a Friday afternoon at the start of school holidays. Families in the Chalfonts have a separate guide: the Chalfonts to Gatwick options.
North Terminal or South Terminal?
It depends on the airline, and it is worth knowing before you set off because each terminal has its own drop-off area. According to Gatwick's terminal finder (correct as of September 2026):
- South Terminal: British Airways.
- North Terminal: easyJet and Emirates.
- Either, for TUI: flight numbers beginning TOM leave from the North Terminal, and those beginning BY from the South Terminal.
If you do end up at the wrong one, the free inter-terminal shuttle takes about two minutes, and the railway station is at the South Terminal, around five minutes' walk from departures and arrivals (Gatwick Airport). For anything else, check your booking or the airline.
What does it cost to drop off at Gatwick?
The forecourt drop-off zones at both terminals charge a minimum of £10, which covers 10 minutes, then £1 for each extra minute up to 20 more minutes. The maximum stay is 30 minutes, with a daily cap of £30. There are no barriers: you pay online or on 0330 174 4503 by midnight the day after, or you may receive a Parking Charge Notice (Gatwick drop-off, correct as of September 2026). An AutoPay account avoids forgetting.
If a friend or relative is driving you and wants to avoid the charge, Gatwick's Long Stay car parks give up to two hours free with a free shuttle bus to the terminals; the same two free hours apply when collecting someone. With a GX Executive transfer, the drop-off is handled by the driver within a fixed fare agreed before you travel. Our drop-off charges guide compares Gatwick with the other airports.
Can you get to Gatwick by train from Buckinghamshire?
Yes, but not directly. Chiltern Railways and the Metropolitan line both run into north-west London, so the rail journey crosses the capital. In TfL Journey Planner searches for a weekday in September 2026, Gerrards Cross station to Gatwick took 87 to 100 minutes. The usual routes were Chiltern to Marylebone, then the Bakerloo and Victoria lines to London Victoria for a Southern or Gatwick Express train, or the Jubilee line to London Bridge for Thameslink.
Gatwick Express runs non-stop from Victoria twice an hour in about 30 minutes, and Thameslink trains serve London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon and St Pancras International (Gatwick Airport). Oyster and contactless work between London and Gatwick, but not for journeys starting outside London such as Gerrards Cross, so buy a ticket for the whole trip. The rail route is only faster than the car when the M25 is badly held up, and it involves two changes with luggage.
What time should you leave for a Gatwick flight?
Plan backwards from the time you want to be in the terminal, then add the top of your town's journey range and a margin for the M25. Two examples from Gerrards Cross:
- 07:00 flight to Europe from the North Terminal: aim to arrive by 05:00, so a pickup at around 03:20. The roads are clear at that hour, which is why it often feels quicker than the estimate.
- 11:00 long-haul flight from the South Terminal, weekday: aim for 08:00 at the airport, so leave by about 06:15 to cover the morning peak.
Check your airline's own advice on arrival times; our guide to when to leave for the airport from South Bucks explains the method in full, and beating the summer rush covers the busiest weekends.
Is it better to drive and park, or book a transfer?
For a short trip with a compliant car, parking can make sense. For a week or two away, the maths usually tilts the other way, because Gatwick parking is charged for every day the car sits there, and a lift from a friend means two return trips round the M25 for them. There is also the tiredness factor: driving 70 minutes or more after a long-haul flight is not much fun. Our parking vs taxi comparison sets out the numbers to check.
A transfer takes all of that away. The driver follows your inbound flight, waits in arrivals, and free waiting is included on international arrivals. For a group, a Mercedes-Benz V-Class seats seven and the Ford Tourneo eight, so nobody needs a second car.
Booking a Gatwick transfer
Get a fixed quote on the Gatwick airport transfers page, or start from your town: Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield, Denham or Stoke Poges. Weighing Gatwick against a closer airport? The airport comparison guide puts all seven side by side.