It can be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack to find easily accessible and reasonably priced parking near Gatwick Airport. While those who frequently fly out of Gatwick may have insider knowledge of the best parking options, the majority of us end up overpaying for both short- and long-term parking.
Airports aren’t exactly known for having convenient parking. Aside from being overpriced, they’re frequently surrounded by highways and other infrastructure that make them inaccessible by foot – not that you’d want to walk to an airport while lugging a heavy suitcase around. Often, the best solution is to find parking away from the airport and then take public transportation to the airport, such as a bus or train. While you must still pay for your transit ticket, the savings on airport parking can be substantial. This can also help reduce travel time, particularly during holidays or peak traffic hours.
This guide aims to assist you in locating parking options that are affordable while still providing a reasonable level of accessibility and comfort. For your convenience, we will include parking at Gatwick Airport as well as other options such as taking public transportation.
Important Note:
While UKFreeParking.com takes every step to ensure that the parking information provided is accurate at the time of writing, local ordinances, parking availability, parking prices, and parking regulations change with time.
UKFreeParking.com accepts no responsibility for any fines or tickets received as a result of using our website.
Please ensure that you park your vehicle safely and responsibly every time, making sure to adhere to local parking rules, signs, and regulations.
Free and Paid Parking in Gatwick Airport
Parking at Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport operates shuttles between terminals every few minutes 24 hours a day. You don’t necessarily need to find a parking space at your departure terminal, as this 2-minute shuttle bus makes it easy to get from one terminal to another. Please note that parking prices at Gatwick Airport change daily, similar to changes in flight ticket prices. Parking prices between two terminals may vary on the same day. You can always take the risk and go to the parking lot, but it’s a good idea to check parking prices on the airport website and book if you find a cheaper parking spot. The cheapest option for parking at both Gatwick Airport’s South and North Terminals is to use long stay parking for up to 2 hours. The South Terminal is a 5-10 minute bus ride and the North Terminal is a 10-12 minute drive. However, if you leave within 2 hours, parking is free.
Gatwick Airport short-stay parking
If you’re traveling with small children, extremely heavy or bulky luggage, or dropping off or picking up someone with limited mobility, their short-stay parking options may be the best option for you. The on-site parking is a 5-minute covered walk from the terminals and provides safe and secure parking, as well as blue badge parking options.
Gatwick Airport north terminal short-stay parking
The on-site parking at car parks 5 and 6 at Gatwick Airport North Terminal is the closest short-stay parking. Booking ahead of time, either online or by phone, can help you save money on parking.
Gatwick Airport south terminal short-stay parking
Gatwick Airport long-stay parking
If you need to park your car overnight or for several days, Gatwick Airport offers long-term parking at both the north and south terminals. Although both terminals are a few minutes’ walk from the parking areas, a free shuttle service connects the parking lots and terminals. The long-term parking lots are safe and secure, with blue-badge parking spaces reserved. Long-term parking at Gatwick Airport, like all other parking options, should be reserved ahead of time because prices fluctuate based on demand. It is especially important during the holidays.
Other parking options away from the airport
Almost always, parking your car away from the airport and then taking public transportation is the less expensive option. Sure, you’ll have to take public transportation back to your car, but the difference in savings is often worth the extra travel time and ticket costs.
Parking at railway stations is arguably the most convenient option for parking your car and taking public transportation to the airport. While it is not free, it is usually significantly less expensive than airport parking, even after factoring in the cost of the train ticket. Consider these railway stations depending on your starting point.
Horley Railway Station
Horley railway station is only one stop and about a 4-minute ride from Gatwick. You can then take the inter-terminal shuttle to either the north or south terminal. Parking at Horley station is £9.50 per day, with free parking after 5 p.m. on weekdays. Your train ticket will be £2.
Free parking near Horley Railway Station
You could park in these residential streets and walk to Horley railway station if your luggage does not weigh more than a tonne. While these parking options are convenient for a few hours, please keep in mind that leaving your vehicle unattended overnight is at your own risk.
- Fairlawns RH6 9HD – 0.2 miles
- Aurum Close RH6 9EE – 0.2 miles
- Crewdson Road RH6 9HH – 0.3 miles
- Saint Georges Close RH6 9HX – 0.3 miles
- Balcombe Gardens RH6 9BY – 0.3 miles
Salford Central Railway Station While Salfrods Railway Station is slightly further away from Gatwick Airport than Horley Station, it is still only a 10-minute train ride away. Parking for a full day costs £9.10, and parking is free after 5 p.m. and on weekends. There is free parking near Salford Railway Station. Here is a list of residential streets with unrestricted free parking near Salfords station. Once again, remember to park respectfully, taking care not to park on someone’s curb or obstruct traffic. Also, make sure that your car is locked and that no valuables are visible inside.
- Southern Avenue RH1 5DE – 0.1 mile
- Westmead Drive RH1 5DB – 0.1 miles
- Mead Avenue RH1 5DD – 0.2 miles
- Honeycrock Lane RH1 5JN – 0.3 miles
- Salbrook Road RH1 5GJ – 0.2 miles
Train Stations: If you are arriving at Gatwick Airport from the south, both Crawley and Ifield stations are recommended. However, Ifield offers cheaper and more convenient parking than Crawley station as it is just outside the city centre. A ticket from Ifield station to Gatwick Airport costs £3.80 and adds approximately 15 minutes to the total time of the train journey itself.
Free parking near Ifield Station: As Ifield Station is not in the city centre, there is plenty of free, unlimited street parking. Again, park in a way that doesn’t block the flow of traffic and be sure to lock your car. We also recommend using these options for short trips to the airport (drop-offs, luggage assistance, etc). For longer stays, please use the nearby secure parking lot.
- Craigans RH11 8RL – 0.1 mile
- Ifield Drive RH11 0EJ – 0.2 miles
- Tangmere Road RH11 0JJ – 0.1 mile
- Treyford Close RH11 0JN – 0.2 miles
- The Croft RH11 8RQ – 0.1 mile
Rental of driveways: Renting a private driveway for a couple of hours is becoming an increasingly popular parking option. While there are many residents living near the airport who are willing to rent you their driveway, walking to the airport grounds is still a daunting and intimidating idea due to the lack of dedicated pedestrian footpaths, and you’ll most likely have to take a taxi for the final mile. Even with the cost of a taxi, these options are significantly less expensive than the airport’s short-term parking options. Within a 2.5-mile radius of the airport, Justpark.com has approximately 40 driveways for rent. The majority of driveways cost between £1.70 and £4.50 for a 4-hour stay.
Park and Ride at the Airport: Looking into park-and-ride options is another cost-effective way to keep your car safe and secure while you’re at the airport. Within a few minutes of the airport, there are a number of park-and-ride operators that allow you to simply show up, park (either yourself or with their valets), and take a short bus ride to the airport. While we at UKFreeParking.com recommend looking into free parking options for short-term parking, these options may be better if you plan on parking your car overnight or for several days.
Gatwick Park and Fly are two of the more cost-effective and convenient options. Gatwick Park and Fly is a family-owned and operated private parking company that provides self-parking as well as a 24/7 on-demand shuttle service to and from the airport. They provide good value for money and competitive rates with a transfer time of 7 to 11 minutes, depending on traffic. While rates vary depending on the season, winter rates start around £40 per week and double to £80 per week from July to September.
You can reach Gatwick Park and Fly at info@gatwickparkandfly.com.
Gatwick Airport APH Park and Ride Another highly rated parking option for getting to and from the airport without worrying about the safety of your vehicle is APH park and ride. Simply drive to their conveniently located parking facilities on the M23 motorway, and a uniformed valet will park your car for you while you wait for the next scheduled bus to the airport. Their shuttle service runs frequently enough that you are never more than 30 minutes away from the front door of either terminal.
Cophall Parking Gatwick
Cophall Parking Gatwick allows you to simply drive up to their facilities and leave the rest to them. A valet will park your car while an attendant loads your luggage into their minibuses and drives you directly to your desired terminal. It takes about ten minutes to get to the airport. A week’s parking costs around £64 during the off-season, rising to £99 during the peak season. You can reserve a space or get more information by emailing Cophall Parking at reservations@cophallparking.co.uk.
That concludes our Gatwick Airport parking guide. We hope it saves you some time, money, and stress the next time you have to travel to Gatwick Airport.