Gatwick Gets Night Trains for Early Flights
Great Western Railway has started a summer trial of overnight trains between Reading and London Gatwick, aimed at people catching early flights or returning after late arrivals. The extra services began on 6 June 2026 and ran on selected Saturday and Monday mornings until 12 September. They use the North Downs Line, which serves Gatwick’s rail station beneath the South Terminal.
What the Trial Includes
- Route: Reading, Wokingham, Guildford, Dorking Deepdene, Reigate, Redhill and Gatwick Airport
- Operator: Great Western Railway
- Dates: 6 June–12 September 2026
- Days: selected Saturday and Monday mornings
- Reading departures: 02:28, 03:30 Saturdays; 03:24 Mondays
- Gatwick returns: 00:30, 01:24, 04:00 Saturdays; 00:24 and 04:00 Mondays
Before the trial, GWR’s Gatwick trains generally ran between about 04:30 and 23:30, leaving a gap for early and late airport journeys from the west. GWR says more than 20% of Gatwick’s daily traffic falls into that window. The company will monitor demand, performance and feedback before deciding whether overnight trains could continue after the summer or need timetable changes.
The service gives Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex passengers a cleaner option for Gatwick trips that used to mean taxis, airport hotels or a lift in the middle of the night. It also makes late returns easier for people landing after city breaks or beach holidays with easyJet, Jet2 or British Airways. Guildford, Wokingham and Reading gain more practical airport access.
If the trial works, it could fix one of Gatwick’s more annoying gaps: reaching the airport by rail when flights sit outside normal train hours. The timetable is still limited, so passengers need to check journey planners before booking around it. Even so, a regular night link would make early departures this summer less dependent on cars, taxis and pre-flight hotels.