Heathrow to Canterbury

Probably a helicopter. https://www.batterseahelicopter.com/airport-transfers/heathrow/

Otherwise I'd suggest the train.

Elizabeth Line/tube or Heathrow express/tube to Kings Cross St Pancras then South Eastern HS1 trains (High Speed Line 1) from London St Pancras to Canterbury West, in 53 minutes, usually at 37 minutes past each hour.
But the Piccadilly Line direct to Kings Cross will only take 10 to 15 minutes longer, than the other alternatives, after waiting and changing time.

A lot of people take the train and there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing so. But the easiest way is a private car service. The train will cost you less, but the hassle factor of getting the tickets, and then doing the train trip and the transfers while being jet lagged and on new turf is not something many people enjoy. Believe me, there is nothing better than having a private driver meet you in the terminal, wisk you to the car, and take you to Canterbury.

We had a driver who drove quite safely, was helpful loading our luggage, and commented on various things along the way. The car was clean, roomy, and well maintained. We would not hesitate to use the same service again. We've found that using a service based at the destination works well as they seem to know the best routes to take. The name of the service we used was Canterbury Airport Transfers. The web site (if my notes are correct) was taxicanterbury.co.uk/contact. The email was firstclasstravel@live.co.uk. Shoot them an email, outline you needs, and see what you think about the cost compared to the hassle factor.

Thank you for your advice. Agree that after an overnight flight from the USA the last thing we need is to figure out train schedules and connections when sleep deprived. We appreciate your referral. AHK

We used a car service to go from Gatwick to Canterbury, and it was very pleasant after the long flight. At the time, the car service cost was about the same as a walk-up train fare connecting in London.

Thank you for your input. Which car service did you use?

Sorry - I looked back at my trip records, and I did not find the name of the car service.

What can we expect to pay as a fair price for a private transfer from Heathrow to Canterbury on a Sunday morning? How far ahead should the transfer be booked?

We are looking for private car service on the morning of Saturday August 26th from Heathrow to Canterbury. We are joining a Rick Steves tour in Canterbury on Monday, August 28th.

We used Canterbury Airport transfers and were very pleased with their service. Our driver Matt was exceptional and the price reasonable. So much nicer to use this private car service from London Heathrow than dealing with public transportation to Canterbury after a seven hour overnight flight from the USA. We highly recommend this firm.

I found it extremely easy to get to Canterbury by public transport and chose to spend that money elsewhere.

The good news is that there are options for all different types if travelers.

Carol,

It’s great that you had a good experience with public transportation from London Heathrow to Canterbury. The weekend we arrived the trains were on strike. We were grateful for pre-arranged private transport. The cost for two adults was not significantly more than using public transportation and most convenient. It was a great way to start our vacation.

The train strike limited our options. As senior citizens we were in no condition to spend extra hours on the bus after a long trans-Atlantic overnight flight. Fortunately, there are options for everyone’s budget and schedule. Happy traveling!

AHK