Editing Gatwick Express (section)

{{short description|British high-frequency rail passenger service}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{Infobox rail company
|name=Gatwick Express
|image= Unit 387205 at Gatwick Airport.jpg
|image_size=250px
|caption= Two Gatwick Express [[British Rail Class 387|Class 387s]] at {{stnlnk|Gatwick Airport}} in 2018
|franchise=Gatwick Trains<br />28 April 1996 – 22 June 2008<br />Part of the South Central franchise<br />22 June 2008 - 25 July 2015<br />Part of the [[Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern]] franchise<br />26 July 2015 – 31 March 2025<ref>{{Cite press release |title= National Rail Contract awarded to Govia Thameslink Railway |url= https://newsroom.go-ahead.com/news/national-rail-contract-awarded-to-govia-thameslink-railway |access-date=25 March 2022 |publisher=Go Ahead |date=25 March 2022 }}</ref>
|logo=GatwickExpress2016.svg
|logo_size=125px
|nameforarea=route
|regions=[[London Victoria station|London Victoria]] – [[Gatwick Airport railway station|Gatwick Airport]]
|secregions=[[Brighton railway station|Brighton]]
|fleet={{ubl|[[British Rail Class 387|Class 387]]}}
|stations=7
|stationsop=1
|length={{convert|81.4|km}}
|abbr=GX
|parent_company= [[Govia Thameslink Railway]]
|website={{Official URL}}
}}
{{Gatwick Express}}
'''Gatwick Express''' is an express rail passenger service between {{stn|London Victoria}}, {{stnlnk|Gatwick Airport}}, {{stnlnk|Haywards Heath}} and {{stnlnk|Brighton}} in [[South East England]]. It is the brand name used by the [[Govia Thameslink Railway]] train operating company on the Gatwick Express route of the [[Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise]].

Trains have regularly served Gatwick Airport since the opening of its rebuilt [[Gatwick Airport railway station|railway station]] in May 1958. Prior to the 1980s, these services were relatively slow and without any particular priority; this led to the ''Gatwick Liaison Group'' advocating for a non-stop service to London during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Accordingly, during May 1984, the Gatwick Express service was launched using air-conditioned [[InterCity (British Rail)|InterCity]] carriages. [[British Rail]] operated Gatwick Express through to its [[Privatisation of British Rail|privatisation]] in April 1996, after which [[National Express]] took over operations under a [[Passenger rail franchising in Great Britain|franchising]] arrangement. One of the franchise commitments made by National Express was the replacement of the inherited [[rolling stock]] with new-build trains for Gatwick Express; this led to the introduction of the [[British Rail Class 460|Class 460 ''Junipers'']] during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In June 2008, Gatwick Express ceased to exist as a separate franchise; it was merged into the [[Southern (Govia Thameslink Railway)|Southern]] train operating company, although it continues to be maintained as a separate identity. Additional rolling stock in the form of the [[British Rail Class 442|442 (5WES) ''Wessex Electrics'']] were introduced. However, figures such as the Chairman of Gatwick Airport, [[Roy McNulty]], publicly criticised Gatwick Express, claiming its services to be overcrowded and the rolling stock outdated. In July 2015, Southern including the Gatwick Express service was merged into Govia Thameslink Railway. Since January 2016, both [[Oyster card]]s and [[contactless payment]] cards have been accepted for travel between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport. The introduction of {{brc|387||2}}s during the 2010s was objected to by the [[Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen]] (ASLEF) [[trade union]], but the dispute was later resolved.

All Gatwick Express services were suspended on 30 March 2020 as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. Limited services resumed briefly during December 2021, but were suspended again only weeks later due to redevelopment works at [[Gatwick Airport railway station|Gatwick Airport station]] as well as COVID-related factors. A reduced service of two trains per hour resumed on 3 April 2022; full service cannot resume until work at the airport station is complete.{{cn|date=November 2024}}