Transport from Kings Cross to Dover

[CatieM80]

Hi there. My family will be spending 3 days in London prior to a transatlantic Disney Cruise out of Dover in Mid-September. We will have 2 adults, 2 children (ages 6 and 1). Our hotel is in King’s Cross. What is the best way to travel to the port in Dover? We were thinking by train, but our TA said that might be kind of hectic with the children. This was passed on by my husband, but she said something about being rushed to get your luggage and that the train would leave if we didn’t get it fast enough. She suggested a private transfer, but it was around $400 (US), so a bit higher than we would like to pay. The train price seemed more reasonable, plus a train ride seems like it would be enjoyable. 

 

Any advice on the best way to get from the hotel to the port would be appreciated! It’s our first visit to England.

[John Bull]

The train from St Pancras International makes perfect sense to me. Depending on the exact location of your hotel, the station may be walkable, even with luggage & babe-in-arms.

 

I don't understand the comment about rushed to get luggage aboard .

There'll be no porters to help with the luggage, but St Pancras International is the terminus and as long as you don't arrive two minutes before the train is due to leave I don't see a problem.

Do any Londoners know different?  Globaliser? Eagle ?

Mebbe sus out the routine during your time in London.  

 

Regular walk-up fares are over £40, but if you buy advance tickets (available from about 6 weeks out) tickets are just £13.60.

If your journey is further out, type in a random date about mid-July (same day-of-the-week) to see those cheap "advance" fares.

 

Those fares are available only for pre-booked tickets and for trains departing after about 10.30, which is plenty early enough for cruise registration, but are only valid for the train time that you select - miss that train and you'll have to throw those tickets away & buy full-price tickets.

https://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search

Your destination is Dover Priory

Direct trains approx every half-hour, but ...........

1. Avoid trains which involve a change.

2. Journey times vary wildly, from little over an hour to well over two hours. For instance, if you're considering the 10.27 choose instead the 10.37, which overtakes the 10.27 and arrives at Dover Priory a full hour before it !!!

This for trains monday through saturday. Fewer trains on a sunday, but still plenty of choice.

 

The one-year-old travels free, 

The six-year-old might be approx half-fare or might be full fare (no child fares on some routes). Or free if you're confident that if you say it's a five-year-old they won't give the game away. 

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/46494.aspx

 

Taxi from station to ship is under 10 minutes, about £10.

 

The bus service to Dover leaves from London Victoria coach station. 

Altho it'll likely be a little cheaper, the coach station is about 5 urban miles from Kings Cross area. By taxi to Victoria would more than blow the savings, and by tube it's inadvisable with your kids and luggage.

I'm sure you can get a car service for a lot less than $400, but it'll still cost way more than the train.

 

JB 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Alaskanb]

Have you looked at this service https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/dover_from_london_bus.html

I love train travel but with lots of luggage and young children I would be hesitant. 

The high speed train to Dover leaves from St Pancras which still means a short taxi ride  from your hotel and another once you reach Dover station. I am not sure what assistance that train line offers with luggage etc -- it appears to be limited to the aged and those with disabilities. 

I agree with JB that getting on the train is not an issue provided you are organized. I find getting off to be a hassle!

 

Edited June 6, 2019 by Alaskanb

[Cotswold Eagle]

5 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

I don't understand the comment about rushed to get luggage aboard .

There'll be no porters to help with the luggage, but St Pancras International is the terminus and as long as you don't arrive two minutes before the train is due to leave I don't see a problem.

Do any Londoners know different?  Globaliser? Eagle ?

Mebbe sus out the routine during your time in London.  

 

 

I think the issue is getting off at Dover? The faster trains do not terminate at Dover, they go on to call at several more stations, so I could see this might be a concern for people not used to train travel. That said, it won’t be as quick as a tube stop and I’m sure they are used to folk with luggage getting off at Dover. 

 

[Turtles06]

9 hours ago, CatieM80 said:

She suggested a private transfer, but it was around $400 (US), so a bit higher than we would like to pay

 

Have you actually gotten a quote from a London based car service like Blackberry Cars or was that an estimate from your TA?

 

I love trains, but with two very young children and luggage for a transatlantic cruise, there’s a big hassle factor. 

 

Edited to add: Blackberry’s web site shows a price of £140 from Dover to central London with a vehicle large enough for 5 passengers, so I imagine the reverse direction will be similar. You’d of course need to check on car seats if/when you got an actual quote from them. 

 

Good luck with with whatever you choose! 

Edited June 6, 2019 by Turtles06

[Globaliser]

10 hours ago, CatieM80 said:

... she said something about being rushed to get your luggage and that the train would leave if we didn’t get it fast enough.

 

3 hours ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

I think the issue is getting off at Dover? The faster trains do not terminate at Dover, they go on to call at several more stations, so I could see this might be a concern for people not used to train travel. That said, it won’t be as quick as a tube stop and I’m sure they are used to folk with luggage getting off at Dover.

 

So long as it doesn't look like you've got everything you need to remove from the train, it isn't going to close its doors and move off. You don't want to be dawdling, but you basically just need to get the luggage near the train door and either have one adult on the train passing each piece to the other adult standing on the platform (which might be difficult with children that age if one adult needs to supervise them constantly), or for the unloading adult to stand on the platform reaching in and removing the bags one by one onto the platform. So long as the driver or guard (I don't know who operates the doors on these trains) can see that there is still unloading activity going on, they will wait.

 

Having said that, if there has to be a taxi at each end, and if there are more suitcases that free adult hands, I can see the appeal of a private car transfer. I very much doubt this needs to cost $400. My guess (albeit from no more than gut feeling) is that this would be in the region of £100-£150, consistent with what Turtles06 has found. As it would be door to door from hotel to cruise terminal, I have to say that I would be tempted - particularly if we're talking about one adult having to concentrate on supervising a 1 year-old and a 6 year-old, while the other adult deals with four suitcases on their own.

[PhilbeachTraveller]

The high speed train from St Pancras (next door to Kings Cross) is fine to get to Dover, even with children and luggage. Travel off peak (after 10) and you'll be fine. The train is usually sitting at the platform for a while before it leaves so this gives you time to board and store your luggage. Each coach has a luggage rack for large cases near one of the doors (not every door) and smaller cases can go on the rack above the seats. The journey is just over an hour (it would be at least 2 hours by car and the motorways in Kent are a nightmare  at the moment, not planning to get rid of the 'brexit' lorry park test until end of October, so could take even longer). I doubt it will be that busy and you can get a table seat for the 4 of you. 

 

The train leaves every hour at 37 minutes past the hour and there are no changes. There are few stops on the way - Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Folkestone West, Folkestone Central then Dover Priory. Taxis are usually  waiting at Dover Priory station to take you to the cruise terminal. The train does carry on to other coastal places but the stops are listed on the boards at the train station. 

 

Just get to the station about 20 minutes prior to when it leaves and get yourself settled in. It'll be fine and children under 5 travel free and 5-15 can travel for £1.

[CatieM80]

Thank you all so much for all of this great information! I feel much more confident now! I think we are going to go the train route. I’m also going to reach out to Blackberry for a quote, just so we have the info in case we change our minds. I really appreciate the feedback and suggestions! 

[Bob++]

When you are getting your luggage off; so long as the door is open, the train cannot move. If you are struggling, the g̶u̶a̶r̶d̶ train manager will probably help as they need that train gone.