New Overnight Rail Service To Be Trialled To Help Gatwick Flight Passengers

Published on: 3 Apr, 2026
Updated on: 3 Apr, 2026

A new overnight train service on the Reading to Gatwick line will begin operating on June 6 to help travellers who have early morning departures from Gatwick and those flight passengers who touch down at night.

Great Western Railway says the service, which will stop at numerous stations along the line including Guildford, will be run on a 12-week trial basis.

Every Saturday morning there will be two additional services from Reading to Gatwick Airport (departing 2.28am and 3.30am) and three additional return services back from Gatwick Airport to Reading (departing 12.30am, 1.24am and 4am).

Every Monday morning there will be one additional service from Reading (departing 3.24am) and two additional services from Gatwick Airport (departing 12.24am and 4am).

At present services run between 4.30am and 11.30pm, meaning passengers with early departures or late arrivals, which make up over 20 per cent of Gatwick’s daily traffic, are not able to reach the airport by rail from the west.

The operator said it would assess how popular the services were and whether they could continue.

Mark Hopwood, managing director at Great Western Railway, said: “This trial allows us to test demand for extended operating hours to Gatwick and gather real-world data on how passengers use these services.

“Improving sustainable connectivity to airports is important to support the growth in air travel and we’re pleased to work with Gatwick Airport and Network Rail to explore what’s possible.”