We do not publish a price list for Godalming airport runs, and there is a reason for that: a figure printed on a page goes out of date, and the one that matters is the one you are quoted. Call the Godalming office on 01483 422 222 or use the online booking form and you will have the price before you commit to anything.
What this page does give you is everything that decides that price, the measured distances and drive times for the two airports Godalming uses most, and the airport charges that are not ours at all but still end up on your journey.
What actually sets the price of an airport run
Seven things, in roughly the order they matter:
- Distance and route. Not just the mileage — the realistic route at the time you travel. From Godalming the A3 and M25 and the A281 give very different answers (see below).
- Time of day. A 4am departure and a 5pm one are different journeys on the same road. The early slot is often the cheaper one to run and the easier one to guarantee.
- Vehicle size. A saloon, an estate, an MPV or an eight-seater. This is usually decided by luggage rather than by passengers.
- Luggage. Four people with four large cases need a bigger car than four people with hand baggage. Tell us the cases, not just the heads.
- Which direction. An arrival pick-up includes flight monitoring and waiting time in the terminal; a departure drop-off does not. They are not the same job.
- Waiting and meet-and-greet. If you want the driver inside the terminal with a name board rather than at the kerb, say so when you book.
- Accessibility. A wheelchair-accessible vehicle is a different vehicle with a ramp and floor anchorages, and it is booked differently.
None of those is a surprise charge. They are the questions the office asks you when you ring, which is why a quote takes under a minute and then holds.
Godalming to Gatwick, and Godalming to Heathrow
These are the two runs the Godalming office does most, and the measured figures are worth knowing before you book a flight, not just before you book a car. Our Gatwick transfers and Heathrow transfers pages cover the terminals and the booking detail for each.
| Route | Road | Distance | Typical drive | Average speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Godalming to Heathrow | A3 and M25 | 30.2 miles | about 47 min | about 39 mph |
| Godalming to Gatwick | A3 and M25 | 40.1 miles | about 49 min | about 49 mph |
| Godalming to Gatwick | A281 (the direct-looking one) | 35.2 miles | about 59 min | about 36 mph |
Two things fall out of that table, and neither is obvious from a map.
From Godalming, Heathrow is nearer and quicker than Gatwick
Heathrow is 9.9 miles nearer and about two minutes quicker. Most people in Surrey assume Gatwick is the natural southern airport, and from Reigate or Redhill it is. From Godalming it is not. If your airline flies from both, that is worth a look before you book the flight.
The shorter road to Gatwick is the slower one
The A281 looks like the sensible direct route and it is five miles shorter, but it averages about 36 mph against 49 mph on the A3 and M25, so it costs you ten minutes. A driver who knows the run takes the longer road. This is also why a mileage-based estimate from a mapping app is not a reliable guide to what a journey takes.
Luton, Stansted and London City from Godalming
All three are long runs from GU7, and Godalming is the furthest of our offices from each of them. They are perfectly doable — we run them regularly — but the honest advice is to check your airline first.
- Luton — our longest Luton run. Worth comparing against Heathrow if you have a choice of airport.
- Stansted — longer still. Check whether your airline also flies from Gatwick.
- London City — our longest London City run, and the one where the road route is far less direct than the map suggests.
For a run of that length the time of day matters more than anything else. Leaving Godalming at 4am and leaving at 7am are not the same journey, and the quote will reflect that.
The charges that are not ours
Both of the airports Godalming uses most charge a vehicle to enter the terminal drop-off zone. These are set by the airports, not by us, and they are not included in a journey price unless you ask for them to be.
| Airport | Drop-off charge | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Heathrow | £7 per entry | 24 hours a day, every day. Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5. Re-entering the zone charges again. |
| Gatwick | £10 minimum for up to 10 minutes | Then £1 per extra minute up to 20 minutes. Maximum stay 30 minutes, daily cap £30. Same at both terminals. |
Blue Badge holders are exempt at both, but it is not automatic. Heathrow lets a UK or EEA Blue Badge holder claim a 100% discount even when they are not driving, and a passenger travelling by taxi applies using the taxi’s registration number. Gatwick exempts registered vehicles. Tell us when you book and we will give you the registration so you can register it. Our page on wheelchair-accessible taxis has the detail.
These are the figures published by Heathrow and London Gatwick at the time of writing. Airport charges change — check theirs before you travel rather than relying on ours.
How you pay
Three ways, and it is worth knowing which applies before the day:
- Card when you book, by phone or through the online form. There is no card machine in the car, so this is the usual route.
- Cash to the driver on the day. Tell us when you book and the driver will have the figure you were quoted.
- On account, invoiced monthly, for household and corporate customers who travel regularly.
Our guide to paying for a taxi by card, cash or account covers all three, including the London card rules that cause most of the confusion.
Early flights, and when the car should collect you
The Godalming office runs airport jobs from before 4am. For a departure we work backwards from your check-in time, the measured drive and the time of day, then add a margin for the M25 — that is the whole method, and it is why we ask for the flight number rather than just the time you would like to leave.
For an arrival, give us the flight number and the driver tracks it. If the flight lands early the car is there early; if it lands late you are not paying for a driver sitting in a car park on a guess. See early flights from Gatwick for how the small-hours runs are planned.
Booking from Godalming
The Godalming office is at Station Approach, GU7 1EU — on 01483 422 222. It is one of twelve Clocktower Cars offices across Surrey and south-west London, and we hold operator licences with seven authorities including Waverley, which covers Godalming.
We cover the town and the villages around it, and we run the same airport work from Guildford up the A3. For local journeys rather than airport runs, the Godalming taxi page is the one you want.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a taxi from Godalming to Gatwick?
We quote before you travel rather than publishing a price list, because a printed figure goes out of date and the quoted one is the one we honour. Ring 01483 422 222 or use the online form and you will have the price in under a minute. What decides it is the distance, the time of day, the vehicle you need, your luggage and whether it is a drop-off or a tracked arrival pick-up.
How far is Gatwick from Godalming?
40.1 miles by the A3 and M25, taking about 49 minutes in clear traffic. There is a shorter-looking route on the A281 at 35.2 miles, but it averages about 36 mph against 49 mph, so it takes about ten minutes longer.
How far is Heathrow from Godalming?
30.2 miles, about 47 minutes by the A3 and M25. From Godalming, Heathrow is 9.9 miles nearer and about two minutes quicker than Gatwick — worth knowing if your airline flies from both.
Which airport is best from Godalming?
On drive time, Heathrow. It is nearer and marginally quicker than Gatwick from GU7, which is the opposite of what most people in Surrey assume. Luton, Stansted and London City are all considerably longer runs from Godalming.
Do you charge extra for the airport drop-off fee?
The drop-off charge is the airport’s, not ours: Heathrow charges £7 per entry and Gatwick a minimum of £10 for up to ten minutes. It is not included in a journey price unless you ask. Blue Badge holders are exempt at both, though it has to be registered.
Can I pay by card?
Yes, when you book — by phone or through the online form. There is no card machine in the car, so card payment happens at the booking stage rather than at the end of the journey. Cash to the driver and monthly account billing are the other two options.
Do you track my flight on an arrival?
Yes, if you give us the flight number. The driver tracks it, so an early landing means the car is already there and a delay does not leave you paying for waiting time that was nobody’s fault.
How early should the car collect me for a morning flight?
We work it back from your check-in time using the measured drive and the time of day, then add a margin for the M25. That is why we ask for the flight number rather than a preferred departure time — it is a more reliable way to get you there.
Can you take a wheelchair to the airport from Godalming?
Yes. A wheelchair-accessible vehicle has a ramp and floor anchorages and is booked as a specific vehicle, so say so when you ring. The driver secures the chair before setting off.
Do you cover the villages around Godalming?
Yes, and the same office runs them. Tell the operator the pickup postcode when you book; GU7 and the surrounding GU postcodes are all normal work for the Godalming office.
Get a price
Call the Godalming office on 01483 422 222, the Epsom head office on 01372 747 747, or book online. You will be quoted before you travel, and that is the figure you pay.