Gatwick Express will double its trains between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport from Sunday 13 December, returning to pre-pandemic levels for the first time since 2019.
Services will increase from two to four trains per hour, offering passengers more frequent, direct connections during the busy winter travel season.
Louis Rambaud, chief customer officer at Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which operates Gatwick Express, said: “Whether it’s Christmas in the sun, or skiing in the Alps, we want to make getting away this winter as easy as possible. By doubling our Gatwick Express services, we’re giving customers more choice and flexibility when travelling to and from the airport.”
“Returning to four trains per hour for the first time since the pandemic is a major milestone and follows other launches this year including Fast Track Security and airport lounge access, all designed to improve the customer experience and make Gatwick Express the ideal choice when travelling to Gatwick Airport.”
The timetable change comes as new research commissioned by Gatwick Express shows strong demand for winter getaways. More than half of UK adults are considering a holiday abroad during December and January. While Christmas markets and festive city breaks remain popular, many travellers are prioritising warmer destinations. Winter sun topped the list of preferred getaways, with 44 per cent of respondents choosing it as their ideal trip, followed by festive city breaks (38 per cent), romantic getaways (26 per cent), spontaneous trips (24 per cent) and wellness or relaxing breaks (24 per cent).
Gen Z (39 per cent) and Millennials (46 per cent) are more likely to opt for festive city breaks, while Gen X (51 per cent) and Boomers (59 per cent) prefer winter sun.
British Airways has announced new direct flights from London Gatwick to Barbados and Colombo, Sri Lanka, along with increased frequencies to Caribbean destinations. The extended rail and flight options mean even more ways for passengers to escape the British winter.
Gatwick Express believes the expanded train services will help travellers reach the airport with greater convenience and flexibility. Frequent, direct train services were cited as the main reason people would choose rail travel, followed by avoiding traffic (33 per cent), not worrying about car park charges (30 per cent), discounted tickets or added value such as fast-track security (26 per cent), and early or late-night services (23 per cent).
The extra services will be welcome news for Londoners heading away for Christmas, though Tube strikes are planned later this month and into the new year, and commuting costs continue to rise, with annual Travelcards now costing more than £3,000 for some zones.
