Travelling to Kent from abroad

Through the channel tunnel

If you're travelling by car you can drive straight onto the Eurotunnel train at Calais. In just 35 minutes you'll arrive in Folkestone, where you can join the M20 which runs through the heart of the county. Eurotunnel trains run all day and night, and at peak periods, there is a train every 15 minutes.

If you want to leave the car at home, then use the high speed Eurostar service which runs from Paris, Brussels or Lille to Ashford and Ebbsfleet International Stations in Kent. It's a fast and efficient way to travel - the journey takes just 1 hour 40 minutes from Brussels, 2 hours from Paris and only 1 hour from Lille! When you arrive at Ashford International Station, you can walk over to the local station for frequent train services to other parts of Kent. Ebbsfleet is serviced by Fastrack buses which run to Dartford, Greenhithe, Gravesend and Swanscombe stations. Alternatively, you can hire a car from the International Station car hire desk at either Ashford or Ebbsfleet.

Across the sea by ferry

There are frequent Channel crossings between Kent and Nord-Pas de Calais. P&O Ferries and SeaFrance operate ferries on the Calais-Dover route, Norfolkline runs a ferry service from Dunkerque to Dover and LD Lines operate ferries between Boulogne and Dover. In addition, LD Lines in conjunction with TransEuropa Ferries are now operating between Ostend and Ramsgate. All services accept cars and cycles. Foot passengers can only travel on P&O Ferries. Browse all the cross-channel operators here.

Further information can be found at www.doverport.co.uk/ferry

Arriving by air

From Gatwick you can hire a car and be in the heart of the county in just 45 minutes. Heathrow and Stansted also offer easy access to Kent via the M25 and M11 motorways. Alternatively, you can catch the frequent Gatwick Express train direct to London's Victoria Station (30 minutes) and then hop onto a train to one of Kent's mainline stations.

Travelling by coach

Eurolines operate Europe's largest regular coach service network, covering over 500 destinations across the continent. Eurolines stop in Canterbury in Kent. Alternatively they travel into London Victoria Coach station, from where you can transfer to a National Express Coach into the county.