Thanks for the video! Do you have recommendation for using the train while traveling with children ages 8 and 12? Can I use the contactless option or would they require that we stand in long line to obtain their own Oyster card?
Hey John! So children under 11 ride free (4 children per 1 adult). How I see parents doing this, is you just put your child in front of you and both go out of the ticket gate together when you tap your contactless card for yourself. For children over 12 as a visitor, you need to get a TFL staff member to manually add the 50% discount onto a Visitor Oyster card. Unfortunately, TFL staff do not do this service at the Heathrow Elizabeth Line station. More on this here: tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/11-15-zip-oyster-photocard?intcmp=55575#on-this-page-5 In this case, I'd recommend just using a different contactless credit/debit card to pay for your 12 year old and then a separate payment card for yourself. The payment card doesn't need to be in your child's name. Just has to be a unique card that hasn't been used to pay for a journey yet. Hope this helps and safe travels!
Very nice and analytical video,the best I 've seen! Just a question, you pay for train the £9.5 with the contactless card when you arrive at Gatwick airport and not at the beginning of the journey?
@@oceanadex Thank you for the kind feedback! Glad it can help! You still pay for the train at the beginning of the journey, which in this case would be starting at Gatwick Airport Station. The ticket barrier for the train “station” is in/connected to the airport, which is why it looked like arrivals. You will see the normal ticket barrier to tap your contactless payment there and then you will tap out at the station where you get off the same way. Hope this is more clear!
@@londonunnie thank you for your prompt reply.Next week I will fly to London Gatwick and it would be a mess without yr message and video.Thank you so much!!!
@@Annientalu Hello! Yes there is an elevator to take you up to the ground floor. It isn’t as big and there aren’t as many as Heathrow to take you up to departures so might be a little wait. I would factor in that time when getting to the airport
Hello. When you said you reached the airport 1 hour before departure, did you have any check-in baggage and always via premium security? I will have luggage and no premium security, do you think 2 hours is enough? I've seen long queues at check-in counters from another youtube video, but that was last year. Not sure about now...Thanks! 😊
I would double check the news the day before in case any situation occurs (e.g. IT outage). Summer can be quite busy - it is UK public holiday on August 26th & school break until Sept 2nd so usually means more people travelling Typically, security does not take long to clear and you have the option to purchase premium security/fast track. I would say checking-in baggage will take the longest amount of time, including finding your airline provider. If you are flying long-haul, also more likely other passengers will be checking-in bags which means longer queue times If you are new to Gatwick & travelling in August, I’d give yourself more time so you don’t feel too rushed! Last year I think the lines were long because of staff shortage. If you’re travelling in off-season, I think 2 hours should be fine
Thanks for the video!
Do you have recommendation for using the train while traveling with children ages 8 and 12?
Can I use the contactless option or would they require that we stand in long line to obtain their own Oyster card?
Hey John! So children under 11 ride free (4 children per 1 adult). How I see parents doing this, is you just put your child in front of you and both go out of the ticket gate together when you tap your contactless card for yourself.
For children over 12 as a visitor, you need to get a TFL staff member to manually add the 50% discount onto a Visitor Oyster card. Unfortunately, TFL staff do not do this service at the Heathrow Elizabeth Line station. More on this here: tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/11-15-zip-oyster-photocard?intcmp=55575#on-this-page-5
In this case, I'd recommend just using a different contactless credit/debit card to pay for your 12 year old and then a separate payment card for yourself. The payment card doesn't need to be in your child's name. Just has to be a unique card that hasn't been used to pay for a journey yet.
Hope this helps and safe travels!
@@londonunnie thank you so much!
Very nice and analytical video,the best I 've seen! Just a question, you pay for train the £9.5 with the contactless card when you arrive at Gatwick airport and not at the beginning of the journey?
@@oceanadex Thank you for the kind feedback! Glad it can help!
You still pay for the train at the beginning of the journey, which in this case would be starting at Gatwick Airport Station. The ticket barrier for the train “station” is in/connected to the airport, which is why it looked like arrivals. You will see the normal ticket barrier to tap your contactless payment there and then you will tap out at the station where you get off the same way. Hope this is more clear!
@@londonunnie thank you for your prompt reply.Next week I will fly to London Gatwick and it would be a mess without yr message and video.Thank you so much!!!
I was wondering whether there are trolleys at Gatwick train station as with 3 suitcases how I will push them to the departure platform
@@Annientalu Hello! Yes there is an elevator to take you up to the ground floor. It isn’t as big and there aren’t as many as Heathrow to take you up to departures so might be a little wait. I would factor in that time when getting to the airport
Hello. When you said you reached the airport 1 hour before departure, did you have any check-in baggage and always via premium security? I will have luggage and no premium security, do you think 2 hours is enough? I've seen long queues at check-in counters from another youtube video, but that was last year. Not sure about now...Thanks! 😊
I would double check the news the day before in case any situation occurs (e.g. IT outage). Summer can be quite busy - it is UK public holiday on August 26th & school break until Sept 2nd so usually means more people travelling
Typically, security does not take long to clear and you have the option to purchase premium security/fast track. I would say checking-in baggage will take the longest amount of time, including finding your airline provider. If you are flying long-haul, also more likely other passengers will be checking-in bags which means longer queue times
If you are new to Gatwick & travelling in August, I’d give yourself more time so you don’t feel too rushed! Last year I think the lines were long because of staff shortage. If you’re travelling in off-season, I think 2 hours should be fine
@@londonunnie I'll be travelling in mid-September. Hopefully the situation would be better. Thanks a lot! 😅