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London - Dover - Canterbury

Posted by (Houston, TX, USA) on

Need some help on a possible day trip from London - Dover - Canterbury. We (2 adults, 30's) are looking at doing a day trip from London (hotel next to the St. James tube). We would like to travel directly from London to Dover (easy to book train tickets for this leg). The issue I am having in using the train table/pricing this ticket out is that it only allows for a 3 hour "stop" over in Canterbury on the way back. Is that enough time to see the cathedral and some of the other high points of Canterbury? We have never been to either location and the wife wants to see churches and castles.

I fully realize this is a 2 hour train ride out and about another 2 hour coming back plus 6-8 hours of "tour time" for both locations.

TIA

Posted by
51 posts

There is an advanced search button when actually entering the destination/time etc. with the below details from the UK rail site. I guess I mistakenly thought I had to enter the third station (Canterbury) into this slot and "allow enter time to change trains". Seems like you are saying/ the link says I could buy a round trip ticket from London to Dover privy and back and take any train to Canterbury and back to London?

Route
Travel via / avoid
destination
Journey
Allow extra time to change trains
There is a maximum of 2 hours to change trains at a station
Choose operator
Choose your preferred train operator
Allow less time to transfer through London

Posted by
2600 posts

"Seems like you are saying/ the link says I could buy a round trip ticket from London to Dover privy and back and take any train to Canterbury and back to London?"

yes - just get off at Canterbury East and travel back to London from the same station (not Canterbury West).

Posted by
6113 posts

The actual operator is Southeastern. Book direct at southeasternrailway.co.uk

You will have the option of taking the faster more expensive HS1 service out of Kings Cross or the slower local service out of Charing Cross, Waterloo East or London Bridge.

Check Southeastern's website for engineering work, as there have been delays due to a sea wall having to be rebuilt.

Dover Castle is interesting, but the town itself is a bit of a dump. Many churches will be locked, so you will only be able to visit the exterior unless you go on a Sunday. Too much risk of burglary.

Posted by
824 posts

I took an escorted (big bus) tour from London to Leeds Castle, Canterbury and Dover with a return through Greenwich and down the Themes. The Dover stop was the most disappointing of the trip – we stopped in a parking lot next to the harbor for 10 minutes and could just barely see (a sliver of) the cliffs.

While the town is charming, Canterbury is all about the cathedral. And, the cathedral is impressive.

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