Travel Help Needed.

[aussieshirl]

We are travelling to the UK in Sep-Oct05. We have a 13 day tour booked, then staying in London 2 nights.  After this we will go on the ancestral trail.  9th Oct. we will travel to Hawkhurst, Kent and will stay there overnight. We then wish to travel to Gillingham, Dorset and will stay there for 1 night.
We are hoping someone can tell us the most efficient way to get from Kent to Dorset, via public transport, preferably without going back to London.  We also wish to find out what transport is available for these areas. We are not hiring a car.

Thanks for any help,
aussieshirl and smithy.

[Nick Carver]

The bad news is that the UK public transport network grew up around lots of links into and out of London. There are very few links that go around London. However, if you are using coach services, you may find it possible to change at Gatwick airport or some such transport hub. The road network is certainly not geared up to going from Kent to Dorset on public transport easily ! For speed, the rail network will get you there faster than the roads.

[JillJ]

Hi Shirl,

I don't have any local knowledge but a 'google' search of Hawkhurst and/or Gillingham may throw something up.

These are both fairly rural areas and as Nick says, rail is probably you best if not only option.   I believe there is a railway station in Gillingham and (I think) the closest one to Hawkhurst would be Etchingham.

There is an excellent site - http://www.qjump.co.uk where you can book rail tickets online.

If you are staying in hotels you may find that they will be able to help with travel arrangements.

Good luck and happy holidays.

Jill

[Biker]

Hello,

Although I understand your desire to avoid London (I live here so ...  ) for the interchange, it is really the quickest and easiest way to do it.

The Tunbridge Wells trains (which is perhaps the closest to Hawkhurst) leave/arrive at Charing Cross Station.  The Gillingham trains leave/arrive at Waterloo.  Charing Cross and Waterloo are on opposite banks of the Thames but not too far from each other - a trip easily done on the Tube, 2 stops on the Northern Line.

Another possibility involving more changes but perhaps not bad - go to the National Rail travel planner put in Tunbridge Wells and destination Gillingham Dorset.  It provides a route with interchanges in Waterloo and Salisbury.

You might want to check the National Rail travel planner here: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

A Tube map here: www.thetube.com

There are probably lots of other ways to do it, but that's my humble suggestion.

Good luck and happy hols
Jonathan

[HannahJ]

Tiny addition to Jonathan's suggestion (which is how I'd do it) - there are trains every couple of minutes from Charing Cross to Waterloo East, which is connected to Waterloo station by a covered walkway.  If you're travelling with luggage, avoid the tube!

Hope you enjoy your trip - Hawkhurst is very pretty, if I remember correctly. 

Hannah

[olias]

Why not hire a car? It really is the best and cheapest way to get around. If you haven't been before you will be stunned at how expensive, inconvenient and dirty it all is. Straight lines don't exist in the UK and although the distances are nothing like you have in Australia you will be amazed at how long it takes to get anywhere by public transport.
Now I've started a tirade against public transport I will be expecting the inevitable backlash from some rootschatters
I do hope you enjoy your visit and if you want to know anything. somebody on here will surely know the answer

[aussieshirl]

Hi,
Just want to thank everyone who has taken time to reply to us.  It has certainly given us something to think about.  We are so looking forward to our trip.
 
aussieshirl and smithy.