London to the French ferries

RBSF

I don't live in England but will be staying in London for one month this summer. I am also hoping to spend a week or two cycling in France. What is the easiest way to get from London to one the UK ports that run ferries to France? Most express trains in the UK don't seem take bikes. I was thinking of wheeling the bike on a commuter train going to Dover or Poole or whereever the ports are, if this is possible?

paul_bhoy

You can get the train from London to Dover, with southerneastern trains, as long as you are not travelling in peak times.

The beer always wins

psmiffy

Waterloo to Portsmouth is no problem off peak - I had no problem newhaven for dieppe a couple of years back

culverwood

I can confirm what Paul says. If you go via Canterbury to Dover from Victoria off-peak the trains have space for a bike. Is not fast but it gets there in the end.

spen666

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by RBSF</i>
[... Most express trains in the UK don't seem take bikes. ...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">


I think you will find most express trains DO take bikes, but you may need to book them

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ju5t1ncp

You could always cycle? - most ports in the south east are easily rideable from London in a day

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RBSF

Good point and I could. In the late 60s I used to cycle down to Brighton and Hastings occasionally, but since then I haven't cycled in the UK. I have a house in SE London and visit there regularly but have been terrified of the amount of traffic in London and the SE. In fact I rarely see any cyclists where the house is, Sydenham on the south circular, sad really.

Brains

There is a cycle path, mostly off road, to Dover by your front door !

Look at the sustrans site and you need the garden of england map.

Route starts at greenwich, runs due south via sydenham to brighton, there is a turn off to the east below gatwick to Tonbridge and then hastings and Dover. I'd guess it might be do-able in a day, certainly a nice plesant pootle over a weekend.