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PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Riding the local bus to Folkestone
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In addition to the fabulous system of walking routes and pedestrian friendly
urban areas, the UK has very good public transportation, thus ensuring that you will be
able to fully enjoy your holiday without the expense and aggravation of dealing with a
rental car, parking, high gas prices and the like . . . OK, you could probably get one of
these little units into your pack, but we have a better idea! Read on . . . |
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You'll probably arrive at Gatwick Airport. You can catch a train right
there in the terminal. Trains don't go everywhere in the UK, but they go to all the
major cities and most large towns, plus many villages that happen to be on the train
lines. Service on nearly all lines is frequent and speedy, and prices are
reasonable. Trains going into London during peak hours are more expensive.
There are several regional carriers, so your journey may involve some transferring to get
where you need to go, although ticketing is a shared function, so you'll buy a ticket to
your final destination. The maps in Michelin
Great Britain Tourist & Motoring Atlas show the location of the train lines, and
this is a good starting point for figuring out how to get where you want to start your
walking. You can also go to the National
Rail web site to check on times and fares, and to see route maps. There is no
need to reserve or buy tickets in advance, just show up. When in the train stations,
it may be difficult and confusing to figure out which train to get on. Just ask, and
any member of staff will be glad to explain it. When you buy a "day"
single (one-way) ticket, it can be used on any train that goes to your destination.
Be aware that there are First Class cars on the train, and you must pay more to ride in
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If you're going to a town not served by the train, you may be able to reach it
on the National Express. This is an intercity coach (bus) service that travels to
all the major towns and cities, and many in between. It's slower than the train, but
also less expensive. Best way to catch the National Express is to take a train into
London's Victoria Station and walk down the street to the coach station, where you can
pick up a ticket to anywhere they go. Visit the National Express Web site for
schedules and fares. |
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Throughout most of the UK there is an extensive system of local bus services,
operated by many different companies. These interconnect virtually every town and
village, some with frequent service. We found in Kent that there is a published
route map with general information about frequency of the bus service. We suspect
this may be true of most other areas, and the tourist information center for that area or
county council should be able to point you to it. Be aware that even in small towns
there may be more than one bus company operating. You will have to
inquire locally as to where to meet the bus, and also what time they show up.
Sometimes this information is posted at bus stops. Larger towns have a central bus
station where all the routes converge. We're also told you can hail the bus along
the road, though we didn't have any occasion to do that. Fares are very reasonable;
the cost varies on where you're going. You pay the driver, who makes change.
If you're going to ride more than one bus, ask about transfers or daily passes which may
save you money. |
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This is supposed to be a walking vacation, but in case you need to get some
where in a hurry, taxi service is available in most towns. |
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