Britain’s second-busiest airport gets overnight trains
HOLIDAYMAKERS travelling to and from a major UK airport will now be able to catch overnight trains.
The airport welcomes over 40million passengers a year, making it the second busiest in the country.
Passengers commuting to London Gatwick can now travel on a new overnight rail service as part of a Great Western Rail (GWR) trial.
The service links Gatwick Airport with Reading along the North Downs Line, allowing travelers to arrive in time for early flights, and leave after late-night departures.
Along the North Downs Line, the service calls at Reading, Wokingham, Guildford, Dorking Deepdene, Reigate, Redhill, and Gatwick.
GWR started this overnight service on June 6 as part of a 12-week trial running throughout summer up until mid-September.
The trial aims to test popularity of round-the-clock rail access between Reading and Gatwick.
The managing director of GWR, Mark Hopwood, said on the launch: “The trial will help us understand whether overnight services can work operationally and commercially on this route.
“We’ll monitor performance closely and will review feedback before considering options to improve services in the future.”
The trial operates two services from Reading to Gatwick at 2:28am and 3:30am on Saturday mornings, as well as three return journeys at 12:30am, 1:24am and 4am.
One service from Reading to Gatwick at 3:24am, and two returns from 12:24am and 4am, will take place on Monday mornings.
Historically, passengers travelling between the west and London Gatwick Airport faced difficulty because GWR services restricted between a 4:30am to 23:30pm window.
This largely cut commuting options for those on early departures and late arrivals – a group of Gatwick visitors that make up 20 per cent of its daily traffic.
Now, the service aims to sync with flights from major airlines such as easyJet, Jet2, and British Airways, bringing a sense of ease to travellers requiring this route.
Jonathan Pollard, chief commercial officer at London Gatwick, said: “We’re delighted to work in partnership with Great Western Railway to introduce these new overnight services, which will make travelling to and from London Gatwick even easier for both passengers catching early flights and staff working at the airport.
“Strengthening sustainable, reliable public transport links is vital as our route network grows, and this trial represents a significant step in improving choice and convenience for our passengers across the region.”
If GWR’s trial is successful, overnight trains between Reading and Gatwick could become a permanent feature.