Gallivanter

My wife and I will be spending a week in Hever, Kent in September. While there we would like to make three or four day trips into London to see the sights. We will have a rental car but don't want to drive it into the city. I assume our best option to make this 25 mile commute in and out of London is via rail service. I've tried to find info (i.e., schedules and rates) on the internet but, frankly, it is a bit confusing to me. I would greatly appreciate it someone out there can clue me in as to which rail line I am likely to be using, roughly what I can expect to pay per round-trip ticket and whether or not we can reduce this cost by purchasing our tickets in advance or purchasing some sort of discount pass that I am currently unaware of. And, of course, if there is a better option than rail service please let me know.

Robespierre

The best game in town is the DaySave pass sold by Southern Railway. A group pass allows up to four people one day of unlimited travel all over their network, which includes Hever and London, for £20.

There are some Peak Period restrictions, but you can probably work around them. Note that you must purchase the pass before you leave home.

My 3 sons and I used one last August to get from Gatwick to London Bridge station, and it worked like a charm.

Here's the URL: southernrailway.com/main.php?page_id=189

According to thetrainline.com, there are hourly trains at 5 past.

rogeruktm

I did a check using the National rail site and it appears you can purchase a cheap day return for a walk up fare of 8.80 pounds. From Hever you will change at East Croyton for onward service to London Victoria.

janisj

Getting in to London is easy and the day returns are very economical.

But have you been to Kent before? You might not want to spend half your time commuting back and forth to London.

There are TONS of great things to see/do w/ a short drive of Hever. A short list includes Hever Castle/gardens, Penshurst Place/gardens, Chartwell, Knole, Sissinghurst, Scotney Castle garden, Bodiam Castle, Tunbridge Wells, several steam railways, Brighton, lots of vineyards, etc.

A bit farther but still easy day trips - Dover castle, the White cliffs, Canterbury, and a hundred other places.

Robespierre

We were disappointed once when Cheap Day Returns were not available. I never did find out exactly what the problem was, but I will never rely on them again. We paid about three times as much for our tickets.

Having a DaySave pass in hand when you arrive in country seems like fairly cheap insurance against anything unexpected costing you a bundle.

Since gallivanter will have a car, any sites in the southeast that can't be reached directly by train can be driven to. Leeds Castle is on the rail line, as are Brighton, Hastings, Portsmouth, Bognor Regis, and Southampton. Plenty to see and do.

Here's the Southern network map, for your reference:

http://southernrailway.com/static/im...etwork_map.pdf

janisj

Sorry - but the trains don't go to or anywhere near many of the places mentioned. But they are all easily reachable by car so not to worry.

(Leeds Castle really isn't on the 'top 10' list of castles in Kent - just the number 1 marketed one. The grounds are very nice, but the castle itself is no great shakes. Primarily a conference centre and wedding venue)

Gallivanter: By any chance are you staying at the Hever country club at Eden bridge??

Gallivanter

Thanks to all for the heads-up. I think I can figure out this "train question" based on your info. Janisj, I too share your enthusiasm for Kent and, indeed, the south of England in general. I have been to many of the sights you mentioned albeit 30-some years ago. My wife, however, will be making her first trip to the British Isles and I think we must devote 3-4 days to the basic London landmarks. We will be in Ireland, Scotland and England for most of Sept. and will see as much as possible without making it a marathon. Yes, we are staying at Hever Country Club--sorta! We're in the hotel portion of the facility which I suspect will be much like a basic room offered by any hotel chain. That's ok with us as it gives us a good location from which to make our day trips and the price was right. My understanding is that our lodging is about one mile from the castle. If you are familiar with this venue I would love to hear any comments you may care to make about it.