London Gatwick Airport has only a single runway, but is one of the best single-strip airfields in the world to that end. It has flights to over 200 destinations in more than 90 countries; boasting of a whooping 35 million travellers a year. Located 28 kilometres south of London, it has a great connectively through road and rail, and according to BBC News larger expansion plans are underway. It consists of two busy terminals – North and South, and both have their fair share of shops, cafés, bureaux de change, cloak rooms, lounges and help desks.

Gatwick Airport

Arrivals

On flight arrivals, you have to pass through the customary immigration check or passport control counters, following which you can proceed to baggage claim, before you pass through customs check. The arrival halls are well equipped with an array of shops, restaurants, currency exchanges, and accommodation support, which will guide you to the Gatwick airport hotels if necessary, like The Holiday Inn Express Gatwick Crawley.

Departures

Check-in desks for departures are found on the third-floor in both the terminals. Before you proceed to the departure lounges, you have to pass through security control and emigration like any other airport, so better think twice before trying to take one of your top tactical pens onboard. Like the arrival halls, departure lounges are also filled with shops, cafés, bars, and currency exchange. You will not find commuting an issue if you stay in the Gatwick airport hotels.

Gatwick North Terminal

Oyster Cards at the Airport

The Visitor Oyster Card is a prepaid smart-card that you can use for all modes of public transport in London. If you are planning to stay in town for more than a day, it is a worthwhile investment. If you have not pre-ordered it online, you can still procure it from the Concierge outlets in Gatwick North or South Terminals, after your customs check. You also have the option of buying one at the Skybreak Service Centre at the Gatwick Airport rail stations. As an alternative to public transport, you can rent a car at one of the terminals and also find a hotel with parking near Gatwick Airport, provided you have a valid driving permit or an international driving license.

Travelling to London by Train

There are numerous trains running to London that start from the airport train station. The Gatwick Express offers possibly the fastest route to Central London. The non-stop trains run every 15-minutes from the Airport’s South Terminal, directly stopping at London Victoria Station, after an approximate journey of 30-minutes. If you plan to go to London for sightseeing, consider dropping off your luggage at Gatwick airport hotels.

Travelling by Coach

National Express has frequent services bus between airport station and Victoria Coach Station, with a coach frequency every 30-minutes. Journey duration varies depending on the route. However, it should not take you more than an hour and half in total. Along the way, some coaches stop at Wallington, Hooley, Streatham, Mitcham London Road, Mitcham Junction, Stockwell and Pimlico.

When you are getting to airport, you are obviously in a hurry to catch your plane, so since nobody is a perfect driver, minor defaults are bound to occur from time to time. You get points for every single default and these points add up to some extent, fines and penalties follow. If you plan getting past a ticket, you would need a help of an experienced lawyer.