Dover Travel Forum

Hello everyone!

Our much awaited trip is coming up next month! We were thinking that instead of going back to Paris (we're doing a little road trip in France after we see Paris) to take the Eurostar back to London, it would be neat to leave our rental car in Calais and take a ferry to Dover - see the cliffs! then head back to London. What do you think? Is it too much of a hassle? Is it something relatively painless to do? Not sure how to check on trains to go back to London from Dover.

There will be four of us - hubby, son (he's 13) and me, plus the mum=in-law! We'll have luggage too. Any suggestions would be so appreciated.

Thanks,

Naya

www.nationalrail.co.uk will give you the train timetable & fares. Seems like a more interesting way of getting back as long as you're happy carrying your own luggage!

Hiya
White cliffs not a lot too see really, usually smoggy/ hazey around the port. i wouldnt suggest if you had to go out of your way to see.
jethro

Is often hazy, I agree, but you'll see UK countryside etc from the train so is still potentially interesting.

I'm not sure whether you plan to spend any time in Dover, or whether you just want to see the cliffs from the ferry? If you have time to spend a day or so there, and if you can leave your luggage at the station, there are great walks along the cliff tops which give you a different view than from the boat, and with the way the coast curves round you still get to see the cliffs themselves.

There is a visitor centre on the Cliffs, see: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/scripts/nthandbook.dll?ACTION=PROPERTY&PROPERTYID=382

Train services over the summer from Dover to London are going to be disrupted somewhat as there is major engineering work being done to a tunnel between Dover and Folkestone. It's about 150 years old and it leaks and has a few chalk falls... Not quite the view you expect of the "white cliffs".

From April 30th until July (at least) there is a bus service from Dover Priory Station to Folkestone Central. There is of course a courtesy bus from the ferry port to Dover Priory!

The trains from Folkestone Central tend to be around 2 an hour in the say with a few more at rush hours in the mornings and evenings to get kids home from school and us hard workers to and from London to work.

There is an alternative route going anti-clockwise around SE Kent from Dover via Canterbury and to London that may prove more efficient and it is something that Dover commuters will be looking into!

Check National Rail’s website as previously mentioned and see what it says. It’s not actually working as I type this though (21/04/2005 23:37)!!

Generally arrivals outside late evening and early mornings are pretty clear into Dover and on sunny afternoons you can see the cliffs glowing and reflecting the light. Don’t be put off by talk of mist and all that!

Wow! Thank you for all the replies! Heh, good to know about the construction. I think we will try it, and take in a bit more of England before we return home. We want to squeeze every bit of our time there without making ourselves too tired to actually enjoy it!

Thanks again and cheers,

Naya
Miami, Fl.