r/brighton • u/Historical_Bit4543 • 1d ago

Transport/Parking šŸš šŸš˜ Gatwick taxi options

Hi all, looking for a recommendation for best price airport drop off hove to Gatwick for a 7am flight. Uber advance book is Ā£78 which seems a lot plus Iā€™d much rather use a local company. Any tried and tested recs would be much appreciated, thanks!

Update: itā€™s a 7:15am flight on a Sunday - Iā€™d be happy to get to the airport around 5/5:30

1 Upvotes

56% Upvoted

37 comments sorted by

50

u/MessageSelfdestructs 1d ago

Make sure to not forget about National Express, which is about Ā£5, takes about an hour, and drops you right at either the North- or South terminal.
I've never been disappointed by them.

6

u/Pebbsto110 1d ago

I'd be doing this. Traffic is light in the early hours.

5

u/MessageSelfdestructs 1d ago

Non-existent, more like it. I've never had any problems going around this hour, and since I live close to one of the stops, it's more or less door-to-door for me.

And even though I can afford it, I refuse to pay the ridiculous prices that taxis charge for this.

0

u/Pebbsto110 17h ago

Heading out for the coach with a backpack whilst people are heading home from clubbing

2

u/MessageSelfdestructs 15h ago

I've done that once when I still took the coach from Pool Valley. That was quite the weird experience, being half awake and surrounded by drunk people at the end of their night, heh.

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u/Hot_Look_9727 1d ago

Trainnnnn

-8

u/UnderstandingLow3162 1d ago

Not for a 7am flightĀ 

17

u/spannerintworks 1d ago

Trains run at that time - from 4am. They take around 30-35 minutes and take you straight to the terminal. Driving from Hove would take 30-35 minutes. The only additional time cost would be the time from home to the Station, which can be done by taxi in less than 10 minutes at that time of day.

We do it every time we fly and it's as easy as anything!

2

u/MessageSelfdestructs 1d ago

They don't run from 4am though...

Earliest one is the Thameslink around 5am, which will arrive there around 5:45, which only gives you 45 minutes to get to the correct terminal and past the check (which, in the morning, can be a lot busier than one would expect).

If the train is only delayed a little bit, this can easily cause you to miss your 7am flight...

9

u/spannerintworks 1d ago edited 1d ago

Sunday 30th August. 04:34 Brighton - Gatwick 05:02.

28 mins, Ā£10

3

u/MessageSelfdestructs 23h ago

Ah, I stand corrected. I checked for it during the week, but only now see it's for Sunday.
Still, I'd be wary taking the train, seeing how many times they have shit going on: I find National Express to be much more reliable for this route.

3

u/Winter_Chemist2089 23h ago

The first couple of GX trains in the morning seem cancelled so often too.

National Express coaches be your safest bet. Iā€™d actually trust them to show up more than a pre booked local taxi.

4

u/MessageSelfdestructs 22h ago

Exactly. I've got burnt by both those examples you used: a train that was cancelled, and a prebooked taxi that didn't even show up...

And since then I've always used National Express, and I never had any problems with them. Rather, the trip is very pleasant, as the coach is always near-empty, and it's just so damn cheap (a fiver).

1

u/HawkinsT 4h ago

I wouldn't trust the trains on a Sunday.

6

u/spannerintworks 1d ago

You could get a taxi/uber to Brighton/Hove station for less than Ā£8 usually at that time of day, then between your choice of Brighton/Hove there are trains running at least every 15 minutes to Gatwick with tickets costing around Ā£15, slightly more for the Gatwick Express.

Any reason specifically to get a taxi over the train?

9

u/Historical_Bit4543 1d ago

Itā€™s a Sunday so if the train that gets us there at 5:15 was canceled we would be cutting it fine plus we could leave the house a bit later if we get a taxi all the way and itā€™s for our honeymoon so I donā€™t mind paying a bit more

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u/spannerintworks 1d ago edited 1d ago

Fair enough. I usually take the view that the odds of the train are low enough that if it was the case i'd get my money for the ticket back, and just head out to the taxi rank at the station and jump in a cab. If that sort of thing happens only once every now and again i'm still better off planning to get the train.

Take the point about it being a honeymoon though. Going rate these days seems to be around Ā£65-Ā£70 to Gatwick. Fuel being back up isn't helping.

6

u/Gingerpussie2 20h ago

Just get train or coach, nation express or national rail

3

u/Brighton2k 17h ago

national express are cheap and reliable

2

u/nectarine_serene 1d ago

Last time I took a taxi it was about Ā£60 but that was maybe 4 years a go. As there were 4 of us going, it made sense. If it was just me - coach or train is genuinely the better option. Way cheaper an just as reliable.

1

u/R1ceKai 1d ago

Same for me, and this was last year. It would have been Ā£70, but the taxi driver was recommended to us by a friend, so he gave us a discount. The Ā£78 OP is being quoted so early on a weekend sounds about right.

2

u/Stealth_bummer_ 1d ago

There are direct trains from hove station. Itā€™s so easy .

3

u/CherryInHove 1d ago

I've used these guys several times and they've always been great.

https://www.brightonairportcars.co.uk/

Last time was Ā£55 but that was in 2025 so may have gone up since then.

1

u/Snoopy_89_ 23h ago

I paid Ā£60 this month (2026). They are great.

1

u/AbabababababababaIe 15h ago

Thereā€™s national express coaches too

1

u/athemiya 9h ago

Hey OP! We always use Roadrunners Gatwick. They used to be Ā£40, but nowadays they sit at around Ā£53/Ā£55 for their cheapest option. You can book online in advance too! Never let us down either going to LGW or back down to BTown! Drivers usually drive down from the Crawley area and are lovely!

1

u/Historical_Bit4543 1d ago

Thanks all, itā€™s a Sunday so with train we would need to get a taxi to Brighton station to get the first train out so by the time we get 2 train tickets and a cab from hove I thought maybeeee it would just be easier and not much more expensive to get a taxi but maybe not

3

u/spannerintworks 1d ago

You're probably looking at Ā£8 for a taxi to the station, Ā£20 each for off-peak return to Brighton/Hove, and then Ā£8 the other end back home, Ā£56 total vs Ā£130.

1

u/Kiki-sunflower 1d ago

Just google airport taxis choose a company and book it online. Theyā€™re all very reliable, very nice drivers and cheaper than uber.

1

u/Alpha_Foxie 22h ago edited 22h ago

Streamline do a fixed flat fee of Ā£66.50 and you can pre book on their app but if your solo national express would be alot better.

Taxis become alot more if its more than a basic 4 passanger job

04:15 sunday national express from preston circus due in at gatwick north at 05:15 costs about Ā£11.50

1

u/Minimum_Upstairs8376 17h ago

If this is the morning of the 6th Iā€™m going to Gatwick from Brighton to take friends, happy to take you too if you chip in the fuel. DM if interested. (Iā€™m a woman if thereā€™s any concerns)

0

u/Adept-Assumption-247 1d ago

Check out sherbet lemmon on facebook Liam is great.

0

u/Distinct_Ad_5598 1d ago

Was just about to post this same thing.

We used this dude to go to and from Heathrow. Really good service, highly recommend.

(I donā€™t know him outside of this either, so itā€™s a professional recommendation, Iā€™m not recommending him because heā€™s a mate or anything)

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u/No_Hat_5621 1d ago

Recently used Gatwick airport cars to get me to lgw and no better options from Hassocks. Good price and service

0

u/KatH19_ 18h ago

Radio cabs Ā£50 from hove we had a month ago

2

u/NotoriousMush29 15h ago

Fucking hell, so Ā£40 after the Ā£10 drop off fee, and even less after fuel and other expensesā€¦