Gatwick Airport Parking

Finding easily accessible and reasonably priced parking near Gatwick Airport can be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack. While people who regularly fly out of Gatwick might have some insider information on the best spots available, most of us end up overpaying for both short- and long-stay parking.

Airports aren’t exactly known for being parking-friendly. In addition to being overpriced, they’re often surrounded by highways and other infrastructure that make them inaccessible on foot –not that you’d want to walk to an airport lugging a heavy suitcase around. Often, the best solution is to find parking away from the airport, and then take public transport such as a bus or train to the airport itself. While you still have to pay for your transit ticket, not having to pay for airport parking can absolutely make it worth it. This can also help cut down on travel time, especially during the holidays or peak traffic hours.

This guide aims to help you find parking options that won’t break the bank, while still maintaining a reasonable degree of accessibility and comfort. For your convenience, we’ll include parking at Gatwick Airport itself, and provide other options that include taking public transport.

Parking at Gatwick Airport

Gatwick Airport operates an inter-terminal shuttle that runs every few minutes, 24/7. This two-minute shuttle ride makes it very easy to travel from one terminal to another, meaning it’s not absolutely necessary to find parking at the terminal you’re departing from. It’s important to note that parking prices at Gatwick Airport change daily, similarly to the way that flight prices change. Parking prices might also vary between the two terminals on the same day. While you’re always welcome to risk it and just show up, the airport site recommends checking parking prices and booking a spot when you find it at a lower price. The cheapest parking option at Gatwick Airport, for both the south and north terminals, is using the long-stay car parks for a maximum of two hours. This will involve a 5-10 minute bus ride to the south terminal and a 10-12 minute ride to the north, however, parking is free provided you leave within two hours.

Gatwick Airport short-stay parking

If you’re travelling with small children, exceptionally heavy or bulky luggage, or dropping off or picking up someone with mobility impairment, making use of their short-stay parking options could be the best option for you. The on-site parking is a mere 5-minute covered walk from the respective terminals and offers safe and secure parking, with blue badge parking options available as well.

Gatwick Airport north terminal short-stay parking

The absolute closest short-stay parking at Gatwick Airport north terminal can be found at the on-site parking at car parks 5 and 6. Booking in advance, either online or by phone, can help net you some savings on parking costs.

Gatwick Airport south terminal short-stay parking

Gatwick Airport long-stay parking

If you’re planning on parking your car overnight or for multiple days, Gatwick Airport has long-stay parking facilities at both the north and south terminals. Both of the terminals are a few minutes’ walk from the parking areas, however, a free shuttle service operates between the parking lots and terminals. The long-stay car parks are safe and secure and have blue-badge parking spots reserved. Long-term parking at Gatwick Airport, like all other parking options, should be reserved in advance because prices vary according to demand. It is especially advisable during the holidays.

Other parking options away from the airport

In nearly all cases, parking your car away from the airport and then using public transport is the cheaper option. Sure, it comes with the drawback of having to take public transport back to your vehicle, but the difference in savings often makes it worth the extra bit of travel time and ticket costs.

Arguably the most convenient option for parking your car and taking public transport to the airport is parking at railway stations. While it isn’t free, it’s usually significantly cheaper than parking at the airport, even when factoring in the railway ticket price. Depending on where you’re travelling from, consider these railway stations.

Horley Railway Station

Horley railway station is only one stop and a roughly 4-minute ride from Gatwick station. From there, you can take the inter-terminal shuttle service to either the north or south terminal. Parking at the Horley station car park is priced at £9.50 per day, with free parking after 5pm on weekdays. Your train ticket will cost you £2.

Free parking near Horley Railway Station

Provided that your luggage doesn’t weigh a tonne, you could park in these residential streets and make your way to Horley railway station on foot. While these parking options are great for a couple of hours, please note that leaving your vehicle unguarded 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

Salfords Railway Station While Salfrods Railway Station is a bit further from Gatwick Airport than Horley station, it’s still less than a 10-minute train ride away. A full day’s parking will cost you £9.10, and parking is free after 5pm and on weekends. Free parking near Salfords Railway Station Here’s a list of residential streets with unrestricted free parking within close vicinity of Salfords station. Once again, make sure to park in a respectful manner, taking care not to park on someone’s curb or have your car obstruct traffic. Also, ensure that your car is locked and that you don’t leave any valuables visible in the car.

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

Railway Station If you’re approaching Gatwick Airport from the south, both Crawley and Ifield stations are good options, however, Ifield has cheaper and more convenient parking options than Crawley station, being a bit out of the centre of town. A ticket from Ifield station to Gatwick Airport will run you £3.80, and the train ride itself will add roughly 15min to your total travel time. Free parking near Ifield Railway Station Because Ifield station is not in the town center, there are plenty of unrestricted free streetside parking options available. Once again, make sure that you park in a way that doesn’t affect traffic flow, and be sure to lock your vehicle. We also recommend using these options for short trips to the airport, for example, dropping someone off or picking them up and helping with their luggage. For longer stay options, consider looking at secure car parks nearby.

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

Driveway rentals An increasingly popular parking option is renting a private driveway for a couple of hours. While there are many residents living very close to the airport who are willing to rent you their driveway, walking to the airport grounds is still a daunting and intimidating idea considering that there aren’t dedicated pedestrian footpaths, and you’ll most likely end up having to take a taxi for the last mile. That being said, these options are significantly cheaper than the airport’s short-stay parking options, even when including the price of a taxi. Justpark.com has around 40 driveways to rent within a 2.5-mile radius of the airport. Most driveways are available at prices ranging from £1.70 to £4.50 for a 4-hour stay. Airport Park and Ride Another cost-saving solution for keeping your car safe and secure while you’re at the airport is looking at park-and-ride options. There are a number of park-and-ride operators within a few minutes of the airport that allow you to simply show up, park –either yourself or let their valets do the job– and take a short bus ride to the airport. While we at parkingscout recommend considering the free parking options available for short-stay parking, these options might be better if you’re planning on parking your car overnight or for multiple days. Some of the more cost-effective and convenient options include: Gatwick Park and Fly Gatwick Park and Fly is a family-run private parking company that offers self-parking facilities with a 24/7 on-demand shuttle service running to and from the airport. With a transfer time of 7 to 11 minutes, depending on traffic, they offer good value for money and competitive rates. While rates do change depending on the season, winter rates are in the area of £40 per week, doubling to £80 per week from July through September. You can contact Gatwick Park and Fly at info@gatwickparkandfly.com. APH Park and Ride, Gatwick Airport APH park and ride is another very highly rated parking solution for getting you to and from the airport without concern for the safety of your vehicle. Simply drive to their conveniently located parking facilities on the M23 motorway, and a uniformed valet will take care of parking your car while you wait a few minutes for the next scheduled bus to the airport. Their shuttle service runs frequently enough to ensure that you are never more than 30 minutes away from either terminal’s front do

Cophall Parking Gatwick

Cophall Parking Gatwick allows you to simply drive up to their parking facilities and let them take care of the rest. A valet will park your car while an attendant will load your luggage into their minibuses and drive you to your desired terminal right there and then. The ride to the airport takes about 10 minutes. A week’s parking costs about £64 during the off-season, increasing to £99 per week during the height of summer. You can pre-book your spot or find more information by contacting Cophall Parking at reservations@cophallparking.co.uk

That’s it for this guide to parking at Gatwick Airport. We hope it helps you save some time, money, and stress the next time you find yourself having to travel to Gatwick Airport.

Remember to make use of our free to help you find the options available in this guide.

Gatwick Airport Parking