Public transport does reach Cranbrook. Details of how to get there by train, and local buses can be found here http://www.cranbrook.org/travel.php

Hiring a car would be more flexible and likely more economical for a group of five though

you could get the train to Tunbridge Wells or Maidstone and hire a car there.

it'll get dark quite early in March and by the time you've factored in travel time, an overnight stay might be better, and you'd learn and see a lot more.

annhig - great point about getting dark - any recommendations for hotel/b & b?? I am finding that accommodations for 5 can be tricking - getting two rooms is not out of the questions - would like to keep under $200 if possible -


"hire car" - is this renting a car and we drive or hiring someone to drive us there?? I know this is probably a silly question....

where would be best place to depart from London?? least expensive - safest... we are not certain where will be will staying in London yet.

""hire car" - is this renting a car and we drive or hiring someone to drive us there?? I know this is probably a silly question...."

In British English, a hire car is what you in the States (assuming you're from there) would call a "rental car", so a car you drive yourself.

trains to that part of Kent can start from Charing Cross, London Bridge, Victoria and Waterloo all busy safe central London stations. Charing Cross is the most central (just about) - off peak times will be cheapest

thanks everyone - I am also finding that I can take bus from Staplehurst - where can I get rates? I did find off peak times are cheapest but is there a way to look at rates to pick the cheapest rate.

It gets dark in March around 1800 - the same time it gets dark year-round in much of America, and exactly the same time it gets dark in March everywhere in the world.

The best way to plan this kind of journey by public transport is to start from www.transportdirect.info.

This shows the options - which almost invariably will be faster in SE England by public transport than by car (the program assumes reasonable familiarity with driving and route planning in England).

You can then get the cost of the train portion from www.nationalrail.co.uk, which shows you when the peak/offpeak break is on the journeys you're planning.That site will also show options for possible fare reductions if you're buying for a large party. There is no benefit of any kind in booking this journey in advance: fares get no cheaper, and seat booking is not possible.

There's no easy source for single bus fares. Assume about £2 or so for a 20 minute journey. There may be ways of saving on the bus portion: there is greater expertise on the subtleties of bus pricing in the London suburbs at the Trip Advisor forum than here.

If you're unfamiliar with driving in Britain, a journey from central London to its southern suburbs is the worst possible way of learning. Hiring a car somewhere like Maidstone might be the only way of getting the flexibility you might find you want once you've made your plans - but it will add substantially to the journey time (unless you get the superfast premium-priced train from St Pancras, on which prebooking might make sense), and still isn't a particularly user-friendly experience for someone who's only ever driven on the wrong side of the road.

There is no point, BTW, in choosing your hotel on the basis of proximity to one of these London stations.

Off peak is customarily after 9.30 am. But local bus fares, though never as cheap as we'd all like them to be, aren't likely to be extortionate. You could always ask Arriva (who operate the bus between Staplehurst and Cranbrook):
http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/contact-arriva/

Bear in mind that the parish registers and other records for Cranbrook may be more easily consulted in Maidstone:
http://www.kent.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/kent_history/kent_history__library_centre.aspx

Because there is a good grammar school in Cranbrook, there are quite a few B&Bs. I used to stay with Mrs Wilson, but I do not know whether she is still there. Get in touch with Cranbrook Tourist Office who should have a list.

It gets dark in March around 1800 - the same time it gets dark year-round in much of America, and exactly the same time it gets dark in March everywhere in the world.>>

mmmm - i think that the good folk of Iceland might disagree with you, Flanner. I suppose it could depend when in March the OP is visiting - by the end of the month, we'll be into BST of course. [it starts at 2am on sunday 21.3.13].

Annhig - you've completely missed the point. The whole point about March is that it is close to the spring equinox, where everywhere on the planet has 12 hours of daylight. It is wrong to put the OP off by incorrectly suggesting that it gets dark "early" in March in England (or Iceland for that matter).

thanks so much!!! as usual flanneruk you have provided extremely helpful info!!!! There wasnt really any way I would drive!!

Will a seven day Oyster card work after we ride the train as far as we can?? Or will we need to pay additional for local bus into Cranbrook??

Oysters are ONLY for travel in London. Nothing at all to do w/ Kent/Cranbrook buses.

I have been pouring over timetables etc and hoping I have this correct - take National Rail from London ( still not sure where we are staying) to Royal Tunbridge Wells Station and then I can take a local bus (297) to Cranbook and then be back on bus by 4pm to return to London.

I am not used to using public transportation etc and having trouble understanding all this!! Trying to get a rough estimate of how much this little trip will cost - five adults - we will be in London March 14 leaving early 19th - plan to leave in morning and be there majority of day but during the week is great (if rates are cheaper etc ) thinking friday....I am really hoping the hundred plus pounds is not correct!!

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

Is that £100 plus for all five of you?

Just looked at Nationalrail.co.uk - it is too early to book mid March but using Fri. March 1 and leaving from Charing Cross at 9:30 the fare is £17.50 pp to Tunbridge Wells.

Local buses from there to Cranbrook should be inexpensive

On the Cranbrook website it says Staplehurst is closest....

the 100 pounds must have been for all five!!!

Is the 17.50 pp each way or round trip?? I know I have plenty of time but just wanting to get an idea of the cost.

Except on the high speed train from St Pancras (which the poster's not proposing to use), there is no point in prebooking a train from London to destinations SE of it. There's no discount, virtually none of the trains are set up to allow seat reservation - and even if they were, early morning outbound trains are typically 90% empty.

On weekdays, prices drop sharply after about 0930 (precise trains vary by operator and destination), but low-cost offpeak fares apply all day Saturday and Sunday. All things being equal, it would make better sense to go to Cranbrook on a Sat or Sun - but if and only if connecting buses run conveniently (bus timetables change at weekends, and often remoter buses don't run at all on Sundays).

Fares go up for journeys after early Jan, but won't go up again for (we hope) another year. Modelling your train journey on the National Rail site for any dates in Feb will show you the peak and offpeak costs.

You need to check weekend bus timetables at the operator's site, which Patrick tells us is Arriva.

Dont go on Sunday - we were there earlier this year and everything was closed on the Sunday with the exception of one coffee shop.

http://www.nu-venture.co.uk/295_297_JUNE2011.pdf

I want to make sure I have this right -

Take train from Victoria round trip to Tunbridge Wells approx $30 pp.
Take bus 297 FROM Tunbridge Wells station into Cranbrook. LAST bus leaving Cranbrook - even on Saturday is Cranbrook, HSBC Bank at 1655 1853 2016.
I take this bus BACK to Tunbridge Wells train station to return to Victoria station.

Cranbrook, Angley School 1652 1850 2013 are another option???

I am not used to read timetables and just want to be sure I am reading it correctly....

Good you asked someone to check - you are not reading this timetable correctly. The times you quote are from Cranbrook to Ashford (page 6), but as I understand it you want to return from Cranbrook back to Tunbridge Wells to catch the train back to London. In this case the last bus from Cranbrook (HSBC bank) leaves at 1739 on Saturdays (see page 3) and 1742 (Mo-Fr, see page 2).

I'd be a bit wary about the punctuality of local buses in the country areas (speaking from experience). To avoid getting stranded it might pay you to have the phone number of a local taxi company who could pick you up should you miss the last bus or it fails to materialise.

Gordon_R THANK YOU!! I see it now - I need to look at the LAST stop listed at the top!!! good idea for the taxi - I am planning to get to the bus WAY before the last bus runs!!! I was just trying to read the thing - which obviously I did do correctly - I appreciate your help!!

did NOT do correctly

Im looking at the timetable again and trying to figure out what time we should arrive in Cranbrook - planning to take train from Charing Cross at 9:45 - arrive at Tunbridge Wells at 10:39 - the bus should take 30 or so minutes - but not finding time bus leaves Tunbridge Station - i did find it will be bus stop C

Do I need to look at page 8 http://www.nu-venture.co.uk/295_297_JUNE2011.pdf
with a bus leaving Tunbridge Wells for Cranbrook at 10:51?? Making arrival around 11:30???

Page 8

Depart Tunbridge Wells 10:50

Arrive Cranbrook HSBC Bank 11:51

You really need to practice reading public transport timetables or you will come unstuck. Bus and train timetables always have the same layout. First pick the appropriate page for th day you plan to travel (typically weekdays, Saturday's and Sundays/Public Holidays have different timetables. Each timetable page has to be read from from top to bottom. You find your departing station row, then the time on that row you that you would like to depart. Then read DOWN that column until you find the destination row (and arrival time). Always watch out for codes or footnotes applicable to your chosen train - these explain any special arrangements you need to take note of. It's simple once you've got used to it.

And yes, it really is a 15 mile journey in 1 hour - that gives you some idea of the speed of rural bus services (and why those of us that live in the English countryside rely absolutely on our cars!)

Consider taking a taxi if there's a group of you, probably won't be much more expensive. You can always get the bus back.

And as Gordon says swot up your on timetable reading skills!

And yes, it really is a 15 mile journey in 1 hour - that gives you some idea of the speed of rural bus services (and why those of us that live in the English countryside rely absolutely on our cars!)>>

I think I can beat that - the bus that goes from outside my house to Truro [a journey of about 7 miles that takes 20 mins in the car] takes 45 minutes to reach the same place. However it does take a very circuitous route - literally going round the houses in one village where it does an entire circuit before moving on.

so the T/Wells - Cranbrook bus may not take the most direct route - but none the worse for that!

If you have time to explore Tunbridge Wells, go RIGHT when you exit the station on Mount Pleasant (the upper side of the station where you will alight.) Walk down the High Street, through Chapel Lane and across into the Pantiles. T. Wells is a very nice little town.

Thanks again everyone - YES I am practising my navigation skills and my neice has been assigned this job - she is much better at it!!

My ancestors also came from this area of Kent, and some of them even lived in Cranbrook for a while. I have therefore travelled round the various villages looking for where they lived and where they married or are buried.

I think we have got too hung up on the technicalities of getting to Cranbrook from London by public transport, and failed to consider if this will enable you to explore the area fully.

What are you going to do when you get to Cranbrook? Do you know if your ancestors lived in the village itself, or in the parish, which covers a much wider area? Do you have an address of a precise place where they lived? Do you know how long they lived in Cranbrook, and if they also lived in other local villages?

I note also that you haven't told us when your ancestors were in Cranbrook. This makes a big difference to whether you can trace exactly where they lived using the census, land tax records and tithe apportionments.

You will be lucky to find any physical evidence of your family in the church graveyard. Memorials soon become illegible or are removed, and most people are not recorded in stone.

If you go to Cranbrook by public transport, you will have to walk round the village, trying to find your way, and this will not be easy if there are 5 of you. In your circumstances, I think a car would be a better option, so that you could combine driving for longer distances and walking locally. Both have their benefits, and the combination would not make you reliant on infrequent buses and the possibility of missed connections.

What kind of scenery can we expect from London to Cranbrook???

With our train ticket are the times open? As long as we dont miss the last train back to London are we good OR do we have to make to back at a certain time??

What kind of scenery can we expect from London to Cranbrook???>>

the first half of the journey will be through south London, which is not a delight for the senses.

after that as you get out into the countryside, it should get better, but in the winter it could be quite dull.

as for your train tickets, it depends what sort you've got. a day return is normally valid on all returning trains but you will have to check.

Thanks annhig -

Possible change of plans - Staplehurst is a little closer to Cranbrook - THINKING about taking the train from Charing Cross - cheaper than from Victoria and then taking a bus from Staplehurst into Cranbook - practising my timetable skills could someone tell me if I am reading this correctly - would it be worth it to go into Staplehurst?? I was thinking its a bit closer...
http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/uploadedfiles/Services/South_East/SEMD5_020912_240712.pdf
A bus will be leaving from Staplehurst rail station continually.

And for returning from Cranbrook to Staplehurst using THIS one
http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/uploadedfiles/Services/South_East/SEMD5_020912_240712.pdf
Cranbrook, War Memorial 1350 1450 1550 1650 1812 1855
Cranbrook, opp. Alldays 1351 1451 1551 1651 1813 1856

arriving at Staplehurst at 0648 .... hoping ... means its back to the every few minutes again and NOT that only at 648.

I do appreciate all the help!!!

You've linked the Staplhurst > Cranbrook schedule twice. Nothing for the other direction. . .

Instead of the pdf files, here is the link

http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/serviceInformation.aspx?id=12382

Buses don't leave continually . . . They leave Staplehurst at 42 minutes past the hour from 0842 until the afternoon commute rush.

The returns from Cranbrook are @ 50 mins past the hour

OR will we have to walk to Staplehurst Station Road - which is close to catch the bus onto Cranbrook at 1042, 1045 etc??


Catching the bus at Staplehurst Station road at 1709 1831 to then walk to the rail station to catch our train back to London.

Thank you!!

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/timesandfares/CHX/SPU/180313/0930/dep/180313/1430/dep
http://www.travelineeastmidlands.co.uk/em/AHF/2400A023130A_130318_FP.pdf

I had planned to leave Charing Cross at 9:40 am arriving at Staplehurst at 10:37

The bus leaves at 10:42 - with a short walk from the station to the bus stop - says 3 minutes - allowing 2 minutes - Assuming we pay attention and are ready to get off the train and walk quickly to the bus stop we should make it...

has anyone personal experience with this? the next bus isnt for an hour - is this generally how quickly the bus will leave a stop from a train getting in or should we wait to leave london a bit??

Yes my OCD has kicked in full force!!

I have also been trying to find taxi fares from staplehurst to Cranbrook - finding #'s but not even emails to get an idea...

would there be taxis at the rail station where we could ask the fair - its only 6 miles

http://www.traintaxi.co.uk/faq.php

does this apply outside london too?? Say Staplehurst??

Does what apply? It is just a database of taxis. Did you try it? I plugged in 'Staplehurst' and it returned three phone numbers for cabs . . .

You're over-analysing everything again. Staplehurst to Cranbrook is less than 6 miles. The taxi fare will be about £15 each way. Local taxi companies generally don't have time to answer emails about short routine journeys like this. They operate a busy trade from local taxi ranks and take bookings via a short phone call.