Dover train and coach stations

Details of transport links between train / bus stations & cruise / ferry terminals at Dover

Dover Priory Train Station — Train stop: Dover Priory station

The two ways of coming to Dover from London by public transport is the railway from London's Victoria, London Bridge, St Pancras or Charing Cross stations or the cheaper, slower National Express coaches from London Victoria.

We have dedicated pages detailing Dover train services and Dover coach services between Dover and London and its airports.

If you travel by rail there is more than one Dover station, the railway station you require is called Dover Priory pictured right. For both the cruise and ferry terminals you need a Dover taxi, there is no bus shuttle.

The National Express coaches stop in the town centre and the ferry terminal. For cruise passengers the ferry terminal is probably the best place to interconnect with the required taxi to the cruise terminals.

Dover Priory railway station Transfers between terminals & trains National Express coaches Dover map

Dover Priory Railway Station

Dover Priory is a medium size rail station with several platforms. There are basic facilities, washrooms, cafe, ticket office and waiting rooms. There is no left luggage facility.

Dover Priory is located just outside the town centre where the shops are, about a 5 to 10 minute walk away. There is a choice of cheap Bed and Breakfast hotels opposite the station. There are three main train services between London and Dover.

The two services to Charing Cross and Victoria follow the same track for most of the way to London and are similarly priced and take similar lengths of time to complete the railway journey.

The London St Pancras to Dover service is much faster as the trains utilise the high speed tracks built for the Eurostar express trains between England and France.

A manned ticket office is open most of the day and there are also self service ticket machines.

Only one platform is accessible without climbing stairs or taking a lift up to cross a bridge which enables access to the other platforms.

The taxi rank to the ferry terminal is immediately outside the ticket office building.

Details of rail services between Dover and London

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Transfers between Cruise Terminals & London buses & trains

No shuttle buses are provided between the cruise and the train station or London bus stops at Dover. You therefore need to get a taxi between the cruise terminal and the train station/bus stop.

The fare should be around £8. Taxi cabs at Dover come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, the image tight is fairly typical. If you have two cases per person and more than 2 people you may end up with multiple taxi cabs.

It's just a 5 minute drive between the cruise terminals at Dover to/from the railway and bus stations and ferry terminal. The cruise terminals are far too far to walk with luggage from the train stations. All fares within Dover should be on a meter.

For longer journeys outside Dover never leap into a taxi without agreeing the price beforehand. Although drivers may offer to accept your Euro or Dollar currency it will almost certainly be at a very poor exchange rate. Only do so as a last resort.

The taxi rank at the cruise terminal is well marshalled. Porters from the ship will normally take your luggage as far as the taxi rank immediately outside the front doors of the cruise terminal. It is customary to leave a small tip with cab drivers, assuming they provide a good service.

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Dover bus stops for National Express coaches

At Dover, National Express buses visit the ferry terminal, but do not visit the cruise terminal. The distance between cruise terminal and ferry terminal is over a mile - too far to walk. All National Express buses terminate in the town centre at Pencester Road.

On the National Express ticketing system, Dover cruise terminal is shown as a stop but you will be very lucky if any bus is scheduled on a day you require, let alone at a convenient time. It has been reported that some drivers have in the past diverted into the cruise terminal on the bus down from London if there is a lot of people onboard going on a cruise. If this happens treat it as an unexpected bonus, but plan on the basis you will be dropped off in the town bus station or ferry terminal.

Dover Town centre is the terminus of the service, from London the coach will first stop at the ferry terminal. We would suggest using the ferry terminal. The town centre stop is not a bus station, just a bus stop in a scruffy part of town. There are not always taxi cabs in the immediate vicinity. The ferry terminal is much more civilised with proper waiting lounges and places for a coffee, money exchange etc. There is normally a taxi cab waiting for you as well.

Taxi fares between Dover Cruise Terminals and the town centre and ferry terminal bus stops should be the same. They pick-up from a bus stop in Dover Town and Dover Ferry Terminal, so like the train you would need a taxi to get the coach.

Details of National Express bus services between Dover & London, including airports