Train from Swansea to gatwick

**ufm** · 19 Jan 19, 11:42 AM

Hi everyone, has anybody taken the train to gatwick from Swansea area, was wondering what the experience would be like with the cases and the kids. I usually drive and park but car parking and fuel is tipping the balance on cost and case space in the car is a little tight!

Robblps · 19 Jan 19, 02:25 PM

I�ve kinda done the same route but home. I live in Merthyr, and I know the train changes in Reading. It�s a decent journey, goes pretty fast and for the kids it isn�t too bad I�d imagine. The view is constantly changing and it�s a smooth journey. Plus the trains have plug sockets which helps too. I know this isn�t much help , but if anything it�ll put it back to the top of the forum for you though 😂😂

welshmum · 19 Jan 19, 04:13 PM

We would have done the Newport - Gatwick train (stopping in reading) in 2016 but had to cancel our holiday.

I bought the Gatwick Flyaway tickets and it cost �40 per adult and �1 per child.

I think the only thing that concerned me at the time was not being able to keep a watch on our luggage.

**pchivvy** · 20 Jan 19, 07:53 PM

Have you considered National Express instead? We live in Newport and have taken the coach as we didn't fancy the change at Reading and it was reasonably priced and very easy for us.

**parkgirl** · 20 Jan 19, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by welshmum

We would have done the Newport - Gatwick train (stopping in reading) in 2016 but had to cancel our holiday.

I bought the Gatwick Flyaway tickets and it cost �40 per adult and �1 per child.

I think the only thing that concerned me at the time was not being able to keep a watch on our luggage.

I tweeted GWR last week and they said they no longer do the Gatwick Flyaway tickets ☹️

I have done the journey a few times with my old work - it�s ok (although the Reading Gatwick part is a commuter train and can get busy so watch out for times of travel) The national distress is awful from Swansea - 2 hours and you are still in Wales!

welshmum · 20 Jan 19, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by parkgirl

I tweeted GWR last week and they said they no longer do the Gatwick Flyaway tickets ☹️

I have done the journey a few times with my old work - it�s ok (although the Reading Gatwick part is a commuter train and can get busy so watch out for times of travel) The national distress is awful from Swansea - 2 hours and you are still in Wales!

Ah really? I didn't realise this. Its not broadly advertised, we had to purchase directly in the train station so maybe double check just incase.

lizzie145 · 21 Jan 19, 10:27 AM

I did train from Devon to gatwick, changed at reading. I requested a seat near luggage rack when I booked but it doesn't guarantee a space on the rack! There is space above seats for smaller bags.at least to reading, from there it is a smaller train

However you are likely to be travelling in an afternoon so against the flow of commuters and coming back too.

Check around for deals, railcards, groupsave etc. Perhaps buy single tickets rather than returns (this was cheaper for me) use split my ticket can also save

**Hil** · 21 Jan 19, 07:50 PM

We�ve done this in the past, but not for a couple of years now, so things may have changed!

For us, the positives of the train were probably outweighed by the negatives, but we did it more than once, so it couldn�t have been that bad!

Firstly, there�s the trip to get from home to the station, then there�s the concern about keeping an eye on the luggage once you�re on board. From then on, the trip to Reading is ok, but the smaller train from Reading to Gatwick can be tricky to find space for your cases, which always seems odd for a train going to an airport.

We�ve also tried the national express, and that works better as its straight through, and there�s less concern about security of luggage, but it does take a while!

Still hoping we�ll find a perfect way of getting there and back one day

19 Jan 19, 02:25 PM	#2
	19 Jan 19, 02:25 PM Robblps Very Serious Dibber
Robblps Very Serious Dibber Join Date: Jul 15 Location: Merthyr Tydfil	I�ve kinda done the same route but home. I live in Merthyr, and I know the train changes in Reading. It�s a decent journey, goes pretty fast and for the kids it isn�t too bad I�d imagine. The view is constantly changing and it�s a smooth journey. Plus the trains have plug sockets which helps too. I know this isn�t much help , but if anything it�ll put it back to the top of the forum for you though 😂😂

21 Jan 19, 07:50 PM	#8
	21 Jan 19, 07:50 PM Hil VIP Dibber ✓Premium Member
Hil VIP Dibber Join Date: Mar 02	We�ve done this in the past, but not for a couple of years now, so things may have changed! For us, the positives of the train were probably outweighed by the negatives, but we did it more than once, so it couldn�t have been that bad! Firstly, there�s the trip to get from home to the station, then there�s the concern about keeping an eye on the luggage once you�re on board. From then on, the trip to Reading is ok, but the smaller train from Reading to Gatwick can be tricky to find space for your cases, which always seems odd for a train going to an airport. We�ve also tried the national express, and that works better as its straight through, and there�s less concern about security of luggage, but it does take a while! Still hoping we�ll find a perfect way of getting there and back one day