The Kent Downs National Landscape is well connected by public transport with train, bus, coach and ferry services providing access to and from London, the rest of the UK and mainland Europe. Its extensive and connected road network also provides access to the Kent Downs from the UK and the continent.
If visiting, we would love it if you could come by public transport and help us conserve the landscape by leaving the car at home. Read on to find out how to get here.
Traveline provides routes and times for all travel in Great Britain by bus, rail, coach and ferry. Kent Connected offers a journey planner for travel within Kent.
How to get here by train
With around 40 stations in and bordering the National Landscape with connecting links to London and the continent, the Kent Downs can be readily accessed by train.
Southeastern operates the train service between London and Kent to and from over 180 stations, including the UK’s first domestic high speed service from St. Pancras International. The service calls at stations including Ashford International and many Kent locations. It’s the perfect way to explore the Kent Downs without a car.
Plus, you can take your bike on any Southeastern Off-Peak service, which includes any time at the weekends and on Bank Holidays.
Southeastern offer a variety of ticket options and fares, plus there are no booking fees when you book direct.
Available offers with Southeastern
- Advance Tickets are available as single tickets on selected routes at specific times. Book early for cheaper fares.
- Kids for a Quid is where an adult with a valid ticket can travel with up to 4 kids (aged 5-15) for just £1 each on off-peak services, all year round. Under 5s go free.
- GroupSave can save you up to 34% on the price of individual adult tickets when groups of 3-9 adults travel together off-peak.
To book tickets for your trip, use the journey planner below:
You can also discover the environmental impact of your journey with Southeastern’s carbon footprint calculator. To compare travelling by train or car, simply enter your journey details.
How to get here by bus
Bus services operate across the Kent Downs National Landscape. For information and to plan your visit by bus, visit www.arrivabus.co.uk or www.stagecoachbus.com.
How to get here from mainland Europe
- Eurostar runs passenger services from Lille, Paris, Brussels and Avignon to London, from where you can pick up Southeastern rail services to stations in the Kent Downs AONB.
- Eurotunnel le shuttle operates between Calais and Folkestone.
- DFDS Seaways operates between Calais and Dover.
- P&O Ferries operates between Calais and Dover.
- Eurolines offers a long-distance coach service across Europe including to the UK from mainland Europe.