How to get to Gatwick?

[Shire]

We are flying from Gatwick Airport , on a 10.45am flight. We live in Birmingham and we would like to know what would be the cheapest and easiest way to get to Gatwick from Birmingham, arriving at Gatwick in time to check in at about 7AM. So far it looks like the train does not go early enough to get us there, and invovles several changes, but I am also reluctant to pay �77 for the coach. Help!!

[ian.miller]

7 am check in for a 11am flight - 4hrs checkin is pretty conservative?

I'd suggest coach, but you could try and see if you can get a transfer coach from birmingham airport to gatwick rather than normal national express route. Often transfer coaches are cheaper and def faster, it would probably go via heathrow but no stops as a transfer.

[Shire]

4 hours checkin may seem a bit conservative, but with my luck with public transport, I'd rather get there early than not at all!

In fact I'd much rather drive and just park up at an airport parking place, but I know that I won't feel much like driving from Gatwick to Birmingham after an 11hour flight when we get back. 

I'm going to look into getting a transfer coach though, I didn't realise that you could do that between airports other than Gatwick and Heathrow.

Thanks!

[rara_rogers]

If you book coach tickets early enough you can get them quite cheap. I booked tickets from Digbeth to Gatwick about a week in advance on gobycoach.com and it only cost me �18 return and the coach left at 3am.

[hugnie21]

Various hotels near Gatwick e.g. Europa Hotel in Crawley, offer a night's stay with free car parking for the length of your holiday and a free ride to the airport (about 10 mins away). Depending on your return flight time, how about staying the night before you go and the night you come back? Then you'll be wide awake (ish) to drive back home