The Gatwick inter-terminal shuttle

The free automated shuttle between North and South Terminals is what makes either terminal's car parks usable for either terminal's flights.

Last reviewed 6 September 2026. Prices and car park rules change often — confirm the current details before you travel.

Gatwick's two terminals are connected by a free automated shuttle. It is a small piece of infrastructure that has an outsized effect on parking decisions, because it means the car parks on either side of the airport are usable for flights from either terminal.

What it is

The shuttle is an automated people mover running on its own dedicated track between the North and South Terminals. There is no driver, no ticket and no charge. Services run continuously through the operating day rather than to a timetable you need to consult, so in practice you walk to the platform and wait for the next one.

The ride itself takes only a couple of minutes. Both ends deposit you inside the terminal buildings, so you are not walking outside between the two.

How much time to allow

The mistake is to budget for the ride rather than the journey. A realistic allowance covers four things:

• Walking from where you are to the shuttle platform — the terminals are large buildings and this is not instant.
• Waiting for the next departure.
• The ride.
• Walking from the platform to check-in, bag drop or the car park bus stop.

None of these individually is long, but together they are meaningfully more than "a couple of minutes". If you are deliberately parking at the opposite terminal to save money, build in a proper margin rather than the theoretical minimum. The saving is not worth a missed flight.

Why it matters for parking

Airport parking prices for the same dates can differ noticeably between the two terminals' car parks, and between the off-airport operators that serve each side. The shuttle turns that into an opportunity: if a North Terminal car park is cheaper for your dates and you are flying from the South, you can simply take it.

Two caveats keep this honest.

First, you make the transfer twice. The outbound leg is easy, because you are fresh and early. The return leg is the one that counts — you have landed, collected bags, and you now have a shuttle ride between you and your car. People consistently underweight how much they will mind this.

Second, if you are travelling with young children, a lot of luggage, or anyone with reduced mobility, an extra transfer is a real cost rather than a notional one. In those cases paying a little more to park at your own terminal is usually money well spent.

When the shuttle is not running

Automated systems get taken out of service for maintenance, and occasionally they fail. When that happens the airport runs replacement buses between the terminals on the surface road network.

The replacement works, but it is slower than the shuttle — surface roads, traffic and a longer route. If you are relying on an inter-terminal transfer as part of your plan, this is the scenario your time buffer needs to survive. It is another argument for treating the shuttle as a convenience rather than something to build a tight schedule around.

Accessibility

The shuttle is step-free and designed for passengers with luggage and mobility aids. If you need assistance moving through the airport, the airport's special assistance service covers transfers between terminals as well as movement within them — but it must be arranged in advance through your airline, normally at least 48 hours before you fly. Turning up and asking on the day is much less reliable than booking it.