Canterbury East (CBE) or Canterbury West (CBW) daytrip from London in early October

The two stations are about equal distance from the main part of town one would visit on a day trip. The distance is short so a taxi ride would not cost much. You can go to google maps, use the street view option and "walk" the two options before you leave home. We spent several days there last year and always felt safe everywhere even during the evening.

Thanks TC. I rarely take taxis. If walking isn't safe after 6pm, I would take the local bus if one were available. That you felt safe is a plus.

The train to St Pancras joins the HS1 high speed line and travels at 140mph after Ashford, the others wander along barely reaching 80-90mph. The fast trains are much nicer and you can at least see why you have paid a little more! Mon-Fridays the first "off peak" slow train is 8:21 arriving Victoria at 10:00, or fast at 9:21 arriving St Pancras at 10:21. Before this prices are much higher. There don't seem to be any evening peak hour restrictions coming back. If you will be using the Underground or buses in Lodnon ask for the ticket as a day return with Travelcard, it's better value and you are ready to go when you reach London, the train ticket will open the gates on the Underground.

I just spent three nights Canterbury -- arrived at CBW from St Pancras, and left town from CBE returning to London Victoria.

STP to CBW was £13.60 and under an hour by high-speed train. While CBE to Victoria was £10.10 and an hour and forty-five.

I stayed at Cathedral Gate Hotel and both stations were an easy walk.

In all honesty though with regards to which station, it's six one way half dozen the other.

The town of Canterbury is not particularly unsafe in the centre, around either station or between the centre and either station. Do you live in a city with particular safety issues?

Although the newer HS1 from St Pancras is quicker, if you are staying near Victoria, Charing Cross or other stations on the slow line, your total journey time may not be much different.

The HS1 trains are much smoother and spacious, but the countryside is more attractive on the slower route.

Walking around Canterbury is safe.

If you will be using the Underground or buses in Lodnon ask for the
ticket as a day return with Travelcard, it's better value and you are
ready to go when you reach London, the train ticket will open the
gates on the Underground.

I have an Oyster card that I refill when I return to London for my commuting within London. I was thinking of buying an Open Return ticket for the Canterbury daytrip. I am unfamiliar with what you're describing above. I do want to save money so if you could explain what I should do regarding this Travelcard, that would be great. I prefer to have an open return back to London if what you're describing is possible.

This will be a day trip on a Saturday and my hotel is walking distance from the Earl's Court tube station. Would both stations in Canterbury be available to me if I were to buy an open return? What I mean is could I take the fast STP to CBW train to Canterbury (for £31.80 open return) and then take any train I want back to London from either station? Is that possible?

I like that the faster trains are nicer. That's a plus. Then again, seeing the countryside on the slower train is also a plus. Decisions.

I live in NYC and take the subway daily and am aware of which stations aren't as crowded as other stations at night.

an Open Return is for return travel on any train within 30 days.

Is that really what you meant?

I think you are talking about a day trip to all be completed within one day, but you want to be flexible on the train times you may be happier with the less expensive Off Peak Day Return (previously known as a Cheap Day Return, probably understood completely by rail workers) which on a weekend day is available all day.

While it's a direct Tube ride from Earl's Court to either Victoria or St. Pancras, I'd leave from Victoria, since it's closer. From Victoria, you actually have some departures to each Canterbury station, with Canterbury West being the end point for some departures and others stopping at Canterbury East before continuing to Dover Priory. (My recent experience was on a slower train running from Charing Cross and Waterloo East to Canterbury West and we had no complaints.)

If you start booking the roundtrip Off-Peak return from London all stations to Canterbury all stations, and then select a departure time from Victoria, it will tell you that the ticket is not valid on the faster trains from St. Pancras. This also applies to the return portion.

ROUTE OF TICKET NOT VALID ON HS1 - Not valid for travel on the Southeastern high speed services between London St Pancras, Stratford, Ebbsfleet, Gravesend and Ashford stations, but valid on all other permitted routes between the named origin and destination.

If you choose a more expensive departure from St. Pancras, then you can return by the cheaper route:

ROUTE OF TICKET PLUS HIGH SPEED - In addition to the normal permitted routes, this ticket is also valid for travel on Southeastern high speed services.

Sorry I misread the query, you're starting in London, I read it the other way around, Travelcards are not relevant to you.

Laura is correct about basic and "plus Highspeed" fares. the £31.80 fare is valid as "plus highspeed" after 10:00 from London, the first Highspeed from St Pancras being at 10:08 and arriving Canterbury at 11:08.

an Open Return is for return travel on any train within 30 days.

Is that really what you meant?

I think you are talking about a day trip to all be completed within
one day, but you want to be flexible on the train times you may be
happier with the less expensive Off Peak Day Return (previously known
as a Cheap Day Return, probably understood completely by rail workers)
which on a weekend day is available all day.

Yes, I'm talking about a day trip on a Saturday in which I have an open return ticket to select any train back to London I want that day. I thought it was called "open return". I'm learning.

If you start booking the roundtrip Off-Peak return from London all
stations to Canterbury all stations, and then select a departure time
from Victoria, it will tell you that the ticket is not valid on the
faster trains from St. Pancras. This also applies to the return
portion.

I think I understand. So if I buy a roundtrip off peak return from Victoria or Charing Cross, I cannot take a high-speed train back to STP. But I can still take any slow train to London from either CBW or CBE -- is that correct?

In addition, if I were to buy a roundtrip off peak return on the fast train from STP, I can take any train back to London on that same day from either CBW or CBE -- is that correct too?

I think you've got it..... happy trails

if you are travelling on a Saturday or Sunday the 10:00 restriction isn't applied and you can go earlier.

Thank you so much. I really appreciate everyone's assistance. I am thinking about leaving before 10am. I think there is a 9:07 from STP.

I'm going to wait until a few days before to buy tickets to see the weather forecast first and also to make sure that there won't be a strike that day. Or is that a concern for Southern rail?

If you decide to go with the high speed - I would but I like Stratford's shopping centre, and I like St Pancras, and I like 25,000 volt overhead lines more than 750 volt third rail - just don't splurge on First Class because there isn't any on the High Speed.

I'm not well versed in trains so if this is a dumb question, I apologize in advance. So the faster trains out of STP are 25,000 volts while the shorter trains (taking maybe 30-45 minutes longer) from VIC or Charing Cross are on the 750 volt third rail? That seems like a HUGE difference in power. First-class tickets never entered my mind for a day trip. 2nd class works for me. I love taking high-speed trains so the STP route is looking attractive.

There are two basic methods of power distribution to electric trains in this country - overhead lines and third rail. There are exceptions both ways but generally third rail is used south of the Thames and overhead wires north of the Thames.

One of the exceptions south of the river is the HS1 line - High Speed 1 - used by both the Eurostar to Paris and Brussels and the High Speed commuter trains from St Pancras to Dover, Ashford, Canterbury and other Kent towns. HS1 is overhead, the other Southeastern and Southern lines which are south of the river are third rail.

The third rail is provided at between 600 and 750 volts DC at very high amperages (mostly 750 volts), and overhead lines are at 25,000 volts AC at much smaller amperages.

Some trains are dual voltages and can cross from one system to another. The Southern trains which go from South Croydon to Milton Keynes via Kensington and Watford Junction change from overhead to third rail at North Pole so they can be overhead from Watford north and third rail from Shepherds Bush south. The Thameslink trains all change voltage at Farringdon so north of the river is overhead all the way to Bedford and third rail from City Thameslink all the way south to Brighton.

(taking off anorak)

I just went to the Southeastern Rail website to look at the schedule for the 1st Saturday in October. I'm interested in the STP - CBW route and an alert popped up which reads:

London St Pancras (STP)

Canterbury West (CBW)

Leaves at: 09:09

Arrives at: 10:08

Duration: 59m

Changes: 0

On Saturday 7 October, Southeastern trains which normally run between
London Charing Cross and Ashford International will be running from
and to London Cannon Street. Please plan your journey using London
Cannon Street as your start or end destinations. You'll be able to use
London Underground between Cannon Street and Charing Cross stations at
no extra charge. High speed fares will apply for journeys between
London St Pancras International and Ashford International.

Does this mean that trains from STP will also be rerouted to London Cannon Street? Nigel or anyone else, what does this alert mean for those taking trains from STP?

Thanks.

No, the service warning does not affect your travel from STP do CBW.

Charing Cross, Cannon Street and St Pancras are each London terminus. To simplify what your service warning is saying, is that trains to Ashford International that normally start or end at Charing Cross will instead start and end at Cannon Street. Your journey begins at St Pancras and is not impacted.

Thank you.