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Thursday 3 Nov 2022

Brand-new WiFi launched at Gatwick Airport station

Region & Route:

Southern

| Southern: Sussex

Passengers can now stay better connected with the rollout of fast, free, and reliable WiFi at Gatwick Airport station.

The introduction of free WiFi at Gatwick Airport station is the latest in a series of improvements to enhance the station and facilities for passengers.

The new service has been extended into the station from Gatwick Airport’s public WiFi and will provide passengers with seamless connectivity as they move between the airport and station concourse and will allow them to benefit from unlimited browsing when travelling.

Other improvements made to the station include the recent introduction of 12 new customer information screens (CIS) which provide a higher quality display showing passengers the next fastest train, platform number, stopping pattern and train operator.

Three ticket gates with wider barriers have also been installed at the station entrance which will help reduce congestion and improve passenger flow.

Katie Frost, Network Rail’s Sussex route director, said: “Over the past few years, the teams have been really busy improving station facilities at Gatwick Airport station.

“It’s great to see the wider programme of work coming together to upgrade the station, improve accessibility and create more space for passengers, making their journey from the train to the plane easier.

“The WiFi will help passengers keep better connected and allow them to have a more relaxing and comfortable journey when heading to their onward destinations.

“Looking ahead, the project team are gearing up to reopen platforms five and six early next year which have been closed since November 2020.”

In April, a special assistance point was created for those with reduced mobility, visual impairments, pushchair users and travellers with luggage to make their journeys more comfortable.

The area includes accessible desks, benches, and induction loops for those using hearing aids.

David Stronell, station change manager at Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) which operates Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink services at the station, said: “It’s encouraging to start seeing the enhancements being made to the station through this project, including a new ticket retail space, the much-improved assistance point, and a larger concourse.

“We are now able to offer a seamless WiFi experience from plane to train due to the great collaboration between GTR, Gatwick Airport Limited and the project team. We would like to thank all our customers for their understanding while these much-needed works are undertaken and look forward to the opening of the new concourse in 2023.”

Michelle Stanton, Gatwick Airport’s business change manager, said: “The installation of WiFi as part of the Gatwick station project scope has been another real example of top-notch collaboration between the Gatwick station project, GTR and Gatwick Airport.

“With a combined focus on the passenger experience, the team has extended Gatwick Airport’s public WiFi into the station at concourse level. This ensures passengers arriving and departing by train have a seamless WiFi service for the whole of their airport/station journey.

“The new Wireless Access Points (WAPs) installed by Gatwick Airport’s IT team and using the GSP’s cabling infrastructure are the first WAPs which will be connected to the Airport’s brand-new WiFi controller.”

Along with improvements to the existing concourse, a new station entrance and second concourse is being built, platforms widened, and eight new escalators, five new lifts and four new stairways added.