London Gatwick Airport Shuttle Train from Gatwick Airport Railway Station (South Terminal) to North Terminal
The Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit is London Gatwick Airport’s people mover system, also known as inter-terminal shuttle service, operating between the South Terminal and North Terminal. Arriving from the Thameslink train at Gatwick Airport Railway Station linked to the South Terminal, I require a trip on the Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit to get to the North Terminal for my easyJet flight.
Gatwick Airport South Terminal
Gatwick Airport Railway Station is directly connected to the South Terminal.
There are no explicit signs for the Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit, just signs pointing towards the North Terminal.
The North Terminal signs are actually pointing to the Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit station at South Terminal.
The Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit South Terminal station is located a slight distance away from the main terminal building, and is connected by a link bridge with travellators.
Approaching the Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit South Terminal station.
The entrance to the Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit South Terminal station.
The list of airlines here confusingly state those at the South Terminal ie. if you are flying with the listed airlines (except for easyJet, check your itinerary), you have to u-turn back.
I thought this was kind of confusing, as the airlines at the North Terminal should listed since the train is for passengers going to the North Terminal. Passengers for the South Terminal would have found their check-in row even before entering the station.
Screens point to the next departing Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit train.
The Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit operates on bi-directional single tracks with each train on its own track, with the boarding platform in the middle and alighting platforms on the sides. This is similar to the KLIA Aerotrain in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia connecting the Contact Pier and Satellite Building of KLIA.
The procedures of travelling to the North Terminal are listed on the platform. easyJet and WestJet check-in and bag drop are located on Level 1, with other airlines’ check-in and bag drop located on Level 2.
The platform screen doors are completely opaque, and you can’t really see the train arriving or be ready for passengers unless you are at the far end of the platform.
Screens by the side of the platform screen doors provide advise on when the doors may be opening.
Boarding the Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit train. With the opaque doors and walls, this feels like boarding an elevator instead.
I picked the front for a scenic ride to the North Terminal.
Departing from the South Terminal through some sort of outdoor maintenance shed? I’m not sure.
The track alignment skirts around the airport perimeter.
Crossing with the opposing Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit train.
The Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit operates with 6 Bombardier Innovia APM 100 train cars, formed in 2 trains of 3 cars each, each on its own independent track. The train car bodies are largely similar to the Bombardier Innovia APM 100 operating on Singapore’s Bukit Panjang LRT purchased under LTA Contract 801A (C801A).
Approaching the North Terminal.
Seems like the platform screen doors are glass but they have been pasted over with an opaque white sticker. Why?
The interior of the Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit Bombardier Innovia APM 100 train after passengers had disembarked, before the doors for boarding are opened.
The journey on the Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit train from the South Terminal to the North Terminal takes 2 minutes.
Gatwick Airport North Terminal
For easyJet and WestJet, head straight on for check-in and bag drop.
For all other North Terminal airlines, head up for check-in and bag drop.
I headed up anyway to take a picture of the Gatwick Airport North Terminal station.
Conclusion
It’s not the most scenic train line to take pictures of, but I guess the function of the Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit matters the most for travellers. The Gatwick Airport Shuttle Transit gets the job done to shuttle passengers between the South Terminal and the North Terminal in around a maximum time of 5 minutes, inclusive of waiting for the train doors to open. I would prefer to actually see the train at the platform though.