To Margate & Ramsgate by Rail or Road
Details of Train and Coach Travel to Ramsgate & Margate
Aug 15, 2009
The distance London to Isle of Thanet is less than 80 miles but for many years Ramsgate, Margate & Broadstairs have suffered from poor travel connections, with trains taking around two hours. The road was even worse, being long stretches of single lane traffic which could result in a journey time of more than three hours.
Transport in the region has transformed and Thanet is now within a commutable distance of the capital.
London to Ramsgate by Railway Train
From 7th September 2009, London to Ramsgate by train to St Pancras will be just 81 minutes via the Southeastern high speed service which connects with Ebbs Fleet International train station in Kent. The service will be limited to two morning trains leaving Ramsgate at 6am and 7.05 and leaving St Pancras at 17.37 and 1936.
There are many trains to and from London each day, with journey times of just over 2 hours in the early morning commuter period. Off peak travel, in the middle of the day, is around 1 hour 50 minutes with return tickets costing £29.60. The route can either be via Canterbury and Ashord into Charing Cross or around Thanet and via Faversham to Victoria.
How Much Will the Fast Train to Ramsgate Cost?
There are no off peak fares available for these trains at these times and the tickets prices are: £32.50 single, £55.10 return , £114.40 weekly. These fares are about 20% more expensive than for travel on the other mainline routes to London.
London to Margate and Thanet by National Express Coach
National Express coaches leave from Victori Coach station to Thanet, among other stops they call in a Whitstable, Herne Bay, Birchington, Westgate-on-Sea, Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate, in that order. With the many stops on route the whole journey is schedules to take a little over three hours and can obviously take longer if there are road delays.
The cost of a return ticket from London to Ramsgate, Margate or Broadstairs for an adult ranges from £20.40. The cheapest ticket prices are available in advance and online.
London to Ramsgate by Private Car
The road network to Ramsgate and Margate has been transformed over the past decade. There is now a fast duel carraigeway from the end of the M2 at Faversham all the way to Thanet. There are no roundabouts or traffic lights to slow down traffic down from the national speed limit of 70 miles per hour. In the London direction the roads have also been improved and widened to give several carriage ways all the way to the Blackwall Tunnel, although throm Bexley the speed limit is reduced to 50 miles per hour.
The journey by road from Thanet to east or south east London should take less than two hours.
It is not surprising that many people will still opt to use their cars for journeys, not only is this convenient but usually cheaper. One way fuel cost could be about £10, depending on the car and how it is driven, of course, you need to add on the cost of car parking and possibly the London Congestion Charge if driving through parts of London at certain times.
Getting to Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate
Travel to the Isle of Thanet from the rest of England has never been easier whether by road or rail. Trains arrive from Victoria, Charing Cross and St Pancras. There is a fast service reducing the journey to a little over one hour. The road net work is now excellent for those who prefer to drive.
From Thanet there are alternative means of escape, via ferries to France or Belguin and via Manston airport and package holidays.
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