Looking for help with transportation from London LGW to the Dover terminal...

[lornak]

We are planning on sailing on the June 17 cruise out of Dover. Due to kids' schedules, etc, the best we can do is arrive in London on the 17th at 8:40 AM. How worried should I be?! What is the quickest and most convenient way for us to get to the port? Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated!! TIA!!

 

[Purdue Mouse]

There are many private transport companies which would be the quickest and most stress free way to get there. I included a link for train routes.

https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/dover_train.htm

 

[gydell]

We are planning on sailing on the June 17 cruise out of Dover. Due to kids' schedules, etc, the best we can do is arrive in London on the 17th at 8:40 AM. How worried should I be?! What is the quickest and most convenient way for us to get to the port? Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated!! TIA!!

Try Coastal Cars from Dover/Kent. There are several of us from the June 5th cruise using them. Around £110.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We are planning on sailing on the June 17 cruise out of Dover. Due to kids' schedules, etc, the best we can do is arrive in London on the 17th at 8:40 AM. How worried should I be?! What is the quickest and most convenient way for us to get to the port? Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated!! TIA!!

Which Airport are you arriving at?

The cheapest and avoiding London traffic is

Gatwick airport I would say taxi, or Train -Airport to Victoria then change train and get to Dover, priory. AVOID using London Bridge as an interchange in London. You can if using Thameslink trains go Gatwick to Kings Cross and high speed train to Dover Priory, one change.


Heathrow> Heathrow Express train > Paddington. Then Tube:- Hammersmith & City line or Circle line > Kings Cross/ St Pancrus, > High speed SouthEastern train service, to Dover Priory, then taxi.

Yes a couple of changes but there easy, you can do Piccadilly Line from Hesthrow to Kings cross, cheaper, but slower.

Car/Taxi in rush hour at 8.40 may get caught in traffic.

Loads of hints and photos of Dover and embarkation videos here:- http://torussiawithmickeybars.blogspot.co.uk/

Embarkation/ disembarkation in Dover can be a lot slower than other ports, restricted space, anyone going to Dover do not get there before 10.30 am.

 

[lornak]

Thanks for the great tips, everyone! I will start researching right away! But a point of clarification---do you think the DCL transfers have merit? Or will other options be faster? I know the DCL transfer would most likely be the least complicated! BTW, we are flying into LGW....

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thanks for the great tips, everyone! I will start researching right away! But a point of clarification---do you think the DCL transfers have merit? Or will other options be faster? I know the DCL transfer would most likely be the least complicated! BTW, we are flying into LGW....

Normally I decline DCL transfers on all cruises, however for the route GTW to Dover, for the least hassle they do the job.

The Train will be cheaper but with at least one connection and also a taxi at the end in Dover, The coach will go direct along the Motorways ( freeways) M23/M25/M20, the DCL transfer is expensive for a family but no hassle.

Whilst the trains are fast, all you need is to miss one connection and they will be slower. Trains are cheaper, but not direct. There are not an adequate coach alternative bar tours with sightseeing added.

 

[cinderella97]

We used London tool kit but we were there the day before our cruise. If you have never used the train system in England I would avoid it even though it's cheaper. I'd use Disney transfers because you just don't know about London traffic.

 

[bekkio]

We're on the same cruise! We are coming in the day before and got rooms at the Heathrow Sofitel just so we could catch the DCL transfers in the morning. Less hassle, even though the cost is higher.