The recently revamped Gatwick Airport station was inaugurated yesterday, offering a significantly improved experience for passengers traveling between Brighton and London. The station now features a spacious, modern design with a new concourse and an additional entrance for the airport, effectively doubling its capacity. This morning, the first travelers to enjoy these upgrades arrived via the Thameslink service from Bedford to Brighton.
Key enhancements include eight new escalators and five lifts, enhancing accessibility and easing the movement between the train station and airport. This improvement is expected to reduce platform congestion, thereby aiding in maintaining punctuality for trains.
Additionally, passengers on the Brighton Main Line are already benefitting from shorter journey times to London, thanks to recent track upgrades.
The station’s original concourse has also been upgraded with advanced customer information systems, additional ticket gates, and a new passenger assistance point, all contributing to a smoother and faster transit through the station. A unique one-way system has been established, directing passengers to the airport from the train station, with the new concourse serving as the primary airport entry point and the original concourse designated for exits.
Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail Sussex route director, said: “I’m delighted to see the upgraded Gatwick Airport station open today, providing the millions of passengers that use the station each year with a fantastic and fit-for-purpose station that supports the ambitions of London Gatwick and the significant growth in passengers expected in the years to come.
“This has been a highly complex and challenging project and I am proud of how hard our teams have worked in close conjunction with our partners to deliver a station upgrade that makes journeys to the airport much easier for all passengers and encourages people to ditch the car and travel by rail, the cleanest and greenest way to travel.
“This project is not just for those making their way to the airport, the work benefits passengers right across the route by giving them quicker journeys and a more reliable timetable. I hope passengers enjoy this newly upgraded station.”
