Gatwick Airport launches overnight train service

A new overnight train service between Gatwick Airport and Reading has been officially launched by Great Western Railway (GWR).

The trains operate between the airport, in West Sussex, and the Berkshire town, stopping at several Surrey stations on the way, including Guildford, Dorking Deepdene, Reigate and Redhill.

Services will operate on the North Downs line.

Currently, GWR services only run between 04:30 and 23:30, meaning passengers with early departures or late arrivals are not able to reach the airport by rail from the west.

On Saturdays, services will depart the airport at 00:30, 01:24 and 04:00, with journeys timetabled to take one hour and 20 minutes. On Mondays, the 01:24 will not run.

Services from Reading leave at 02:28 and 03:30, but only a 03:24 service will run on a Monday.

All trains are scheduled to stop at Wokingham, Blackwater, North Camp, Guildford, Dorking Deepdene, Reigate and Redhill.

GWR said it would assess how popular the services were and would consider if overnight services on a longer term basis were possible.

Managing director Mark Hopwood said: "Improving sustainable connectivity to airports is important to support the growth in air travel and we're pleased to work with Gatwick Airport and Network Rail to explore what's possible."

Jonathan Pollard, chief commercial officer at London Gatwick, said he was "delighted" by the new service and said it would "make travelling to and from Gatwick even easier for passengers and staff working at the airport".

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