When are the first and last Gatwick Express trains?

Kieran Read

Published: Apr 23, 2025

Updated: July 24, 2026

Catching a late-night return flight to Gatwick Airport? Or maybe you’ve got an early departure and want to arrive at the terminal with time to spare? Whether you're coming back from a trip or heading out on one, knowing when the Gatwick Express starts and finishes running can take a lot of the stress out of your travel day. Below, we’ve broken down the key first and last train times so you can plan your journey to or from Gatwick with confidence.

Photo by My another account(talk)

When are the first and last Gatwick Express services?

Technically, the first Gatwick Express service is the 05:05 am train from London Victoria, which gets you into Gatwick Airport for 05:45 am or Brighton for 06:13 am. Alternatively, the last Gatwick Express service is the 23:43 pm service from Haywards Heath, which will drop you off in Brighton at 23:57 pm.

Keep in mind that these times don’t apply uniformly across the entire route. First and last train services can vary depending on your departure station and direction of travel—check the breakdown below for specific details relevant to your journey.

It’s also helpful to understand how UK rail schedules work. Trains that run between midnight and around 04:30 AM are generally considered part of the previous day’s timetable, since most stations briefly shut down overnight. This can make things look a bit confusing—for instance, a service at 00:38 on a Saturday is typically listed as part of Friday’s schedule.

Something nifty about the Gatwick Express is that it runs the same services regardless of the day of the week.

Note: All times listed are valid from 18 May to 13 December 2025 and are subject to change.

London Victoria to Gatwick Airport and Brighton - first trains

Stations	Earliest departure	Tickets
London Victoria	05:05	London Victoria to Brighton > London Victoria to Gatwick Airport >
Gatwick Airport	05:46	Gatwick Airport to Brighton >
Haywards Heath	06:45	Haywards Heath to Brighton >
Burgess Hill	17:18	Burgess Hill to Brighton >
Hassocks	17:22	Hassocks to Brighton >
Preston Park	17:29	Preston Park to Brighton >
Brighton	06:13 (arrival)	N/A

London Victoria to Gatwick Airport and Brighton - last trains

Stations	Latest departure	Tickets
London Victoria	22:59	London Victoria to Brighton > London Victoria to Gatwick Airport >
Gatwick Airport	23:31	Gatwick Airport to Brighton >
Haywards Heath	23:43	Haywards Heath to Brighton >
Burgess Hill	19:48	Burgess Hill to Brighton >
Hassocks	19:52	Hassocks to Brighton >
Preston Park	19:59	Preston Park to Brighton >
Brighton	23:57 (arrival)	N/A

Brighton and Gatwick Airport to London Victoria - first trains

Stations	Earliest departure	Tickets
Brighton	05:39	Brighton to Gatwick Airport > Brighton to London Victoria >
Preston Park	06:10	Preston Park to Gatwick Airport > Preston Park to London Victoria >
Hassocks	06:17	Hassocks to Gatwick Airport > Hassocks to London Victoria >
Burgess Hill	06:21	Burgess Hill to Gatwick Airport > Burgess Hill to London Victoria >
Haywards Heath	05:56	Haywards Heath to Gatwick Airport > Haywards Heath to London Victoria >
Gatwick Airport	05:41	Gatwick Airport to London Victoria >
London Victoria	06:17 (arrival)	N/A

Brighton and Gatwick Airport to London Victoria - last trains

Stations	Latest departure	Tickets
Brighton	22:39	Brighton to Gatwick Airport > Brighton to London Victoria >
Preston Park	08:40	Preston Park to Gatwick Airport > Preston Park to London Victoria >
Hassocks	08:47	Hassocks to Gatwick Airport > Hassocks to London Victoria >
Burgess Hill	08:51	Burgess Hill to Gatwick Airport > Burgess Hill to London Victoria >
Haywards Heath	22:56	Haywards Heath to Gatwick Airport > Haywards Heath to London Victoria >
Gatwick Airport	23:10	Gatwick Airport to London Victoria >
London Victoria	23:39 (arrival)	N/A