Dover Travel Forum

WE WILL BE COMING TO LONDON ON THE 24TH OF MAY 2004 AT 11 PM AT NIGHT. WE WANT TO GET FROM GATWICK TO DOVER AND SLEEP UNTIL WE BOARD A CRUISE SHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE SOME IDEA OF TRAVEL AND POSSIBLE ACCOMENDATIONS. WE KNOW THERE ARE TRANS BUT WHAT TIMES WHERE DO WE GO TO CATCH THEM?

There is not an easy option to get to Dover, when we flew out from Gatwick last week we stayed overnight at a guest house in Redhill, 10 minutes from airport, we also saw some other nice looking small hotels.

I think ideally it would be better to stay near the airport when you arrive and head to Dover in the morning. The main questions your request poses are

What are your time constraints,

How much luxury do you require,

What is your budget.

If money is no object would suggest taxi to the Churchill Hotel (Best Western) in Dover, about a 90 minute drive and certainly not cheap, but you would wake looking out over the English Channel and possibly see your ship in the Western Docks.

I live in USA now, but grew up close to Dover. I visited several times in the last few years. I have taken a taxi on several occasions and found it not to be dramatically more expensive than the train, considering the convenience of a taxi. I don't know what your time constraints are, but if you wait until morning...look out for the really bad traffic jams. Traffic can come to a standstill for hours. If it were me, I would be on the safe side and travel at night...sleep on the way to Dover.

Sorry taxi lot more expensive now but mornings no traffic jams, they can occur in the evening but only if you want the ferries.

Star Taxis in Dover will pick you up at the airport and take you to Dover. You need to send the money in advance and the cost is £85.00.
They are in London Road Dover and their phone number is 44 1304 202027. They have always been reliable and I think you will find it is actually cheaper than the train in peak times if there is more than one of you! I took the train from Gatwick to Dover recently and even with a reduced fare it cost me £28 per person.
Good luck and enjoy the cruise : 0-)

Apart from the fact that most Dover trains no longer stop at London Bridge, necessitating two train changes in many cases which can be quite confusing for someone who travels between London ad Dover daily, let alone a person who is not fully conversant with the vagaries of the British railway system.

The last thing one wants when on holiday is to faff around with heavy luggage to save a few pounds. Having done the journey several times, I agree with the point that the M25 is frequently jam packed, but for this journey it is only a small portion and the majority of traffic will be flowing in the opposite direction, however once the M20 is reached speed will increase and you will be positively flying once past Maidstone.

To make the journey late at night there will be virtually no traffic and there are several hotels within a stone's throw of the cruise terminal.

The extra £30 or so could be well worth paying to save hassle and for the peace of mind of not having to worry about train cancellations and making sure of connections. I would go by train but I know the routes.

My twopenneth worth is regardng trains. I travel everyday into London on the Dover line.

Unless we have a visitation from the four horsemen, then South Eastern trains allied with their buddies at South Central provide a good if not 24 hour service between Gatwick, London and Dover.

The cruise port is generally Western Docks (Olsen etc) although some go out of the far end of Western Docks.

The Gatwick Train runs to Redhill and then Tonbridge where there are changes and a short walk across the bridge to another platform or sometimes the ame platform. At Tonbridge the Dover trains are pretty regular.

The timetables change on May 23rd 2004.... but the overall journey is about 2 hours 10 minutes e.g.

Train from Gatwick at at 0814 requires a change at Redhill and that arrives Tonbridge at 0859 and gives you 12 minutes to tug your cases about 100 metres to the 0911 train to Dover (arr 1024).

THe trick is to sit in the very front carriage of the train out of Redhill and alight by the steps.... and then do the same with the Dover train... cut down your walking.

I would suggest a cab at the Dover end but you may feel like a walk after two hours on the train. Southbound trains at that time of the day are generally short and uncrowded.

"Far end of Eastern Docks" is what I meant.. so much for re-reading before pressing the button....

For what it is worth I work in the City of London and make the trek from Dover every day, just for good measure I usually pass the docks on my wa to Dover Priory rail station.