Dover Travel Forum

We (4 of us) are going to be in London with our baggage for several days and will need to get from London to Dover to board a cruise ship. What is the best way to get there? We are in the US and would like to make arrangements before we leave home.
Thanks.

I am surprised none of the UK members have replied but maybe your question was too close to bedtime for them and you will hear more in the morning. Maybe this is too simple but why not just catch a train from London to Dover? You can purchase tickets on-line if you want but probably could also just get them there.

Yes, I was in bed I'm afraid!

The train is the obvious choice.

www.nationalrail.co.uk will give you tims and fares. Choose 'Dover Priory'. Journey time is around 1.5 to 2 hours, leaves from either Charing Cros or Victoria. No changes required, single fare from 24.30

No need to book tickets online in advance (unless you happen to see a cheaper fare available, but be aware that your card may not work anyway). Trains do not get 'full'. If there are no seats (very unlikely unless you are travelling in the evening rush-hour) you simply stand until seats become available. You can buy tickets in advance (and probably reserve seats too, if you wish) whilst you are in London, but you can equally well buy them just before you board (allow time for this, obviously).

From Dover railway station you can get a taxi to the cruise port.

A cheaper option is by coach. www.nationalexpress.com Goes from London Victoria station, takes around 3 hours. Fares can be as little as 1GBP per person (really) if you book ahead online. You should book ahead anyway, to be sure of a seat on the coach you want, although you can buy tickets at London Victoria coach station (and some other agents) whe you are in London. You are only allowed 2 20kg suitcases each on the coach. Again, you'll need a taxi to the cruise terminal.

If you are happy to spend lots of money you can get a shuttle service of some sort. Just google for 'london dover transfer'.

http://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/dover_london_transfers.htm will give your a rough idea of prices.

The rail company has started doing a bargain fare where there are significant reductions if four of you travel together as long as travel is started after 10.00.

Trains run twice an hour throughout the day from London Charing Cross which go via Ashford, and also there is a London Victoria service running via Faversham twice an hour.

Sometimes the trains split in half at Ashford or Faversham half then goes to Dover and the other half to Margate/Ramsgate so just check when you get on that you are in the correct part of the train.

Other ways of reducing the fare are Network card which costs £20 or used to which will reduce the fare by a third for yourself and up to 4 friends.

Just looking quickly on the website below it looks like 4 people to Dover is £94. With a Network card this will reduce to £64 (£84 total). However, and I am not sure if they will mail tickets if you book cheap day return tickets from Dover to London for 4 people this will only be £68, simply don't use the outbound portion.

Seats by the way are not reservable, travel after 4pm and you will struggle to get a seat until 8 pm but through the day there will be no problem.



http://nationalrail.co.uk/


Have a nice trip.

They won't mail tickets abroad at all. If you did manage to buy them online you would have to collect them from a fast-ticket machine (with the same credit card) or a ticket office.