The Gatwick Express normally leaves London Victoria on the hour, and at 15, 30 and 45 minutes past, but an emergency timetable will see some of these departures scrapped and some odd departure times introduced.

Gatwick Express is being affected by a shortage of drivers and industrial action which has led its parent company Govia Thameslink to introduce an emergency timetable that will see 350 fewer departures a day and some rural services (not Gatwick Express) replaced entirely by buses.

The company says the new timetable will apply “until further notice”. The driver shortage means that at peak times, for example at 08.30, there is a long gap between a train that leaves the airport at 08.35 and the next at 09.20.

The Gatwick Express charges a premium £19.90 one way ‘walk up’ fare, however there are numerous other services run by Govia’s other brands that are cheaper and take only a few minutes longer.