Tunbridge Wells is very accessible, and you can get here and travel around in many different ways. We are situated just 40 miles from central London, with rail, road and parking infrastructure to help make getting here and moving around easy. Below are some of the main ways you can reach Tunbridge Wells and explore the area:

By Car

Royal Tunbridge Wells is located where the A26 and A21 main roads meet. Both these A-roads run between north to south between London and the South Coast.

The area can also be accessed from both the M20 and M25 motorways and is within a 20 minute car journey of each.

For touring the famous local countryside, the most convenient option is to use a car. There are car hire firms, chauffeur driven cars and taxi companies based in and around Tunbridge Wells. Please see a number of options for travelling by car below:

Taxi companies

The taxi companies in the area are very reliable and one of the best options to move around quickly. Here are some of the companies that operate in Tunbridge Wells:

You can also check the taxi rank map to look for taxi ranks around Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Private Chauffeur

Sit back, relax and let your private chauffeur take you to some the most iconic attractions in the Tunbridge Wells area. Please see a list of local chauffeurs below:

Car Hire

There are a number of car hire companies in Tunbridge Wells, including:

Email: tunbridge.wells@practical.co.uk

Tel: 01892 337236

Tel: 01732 756185

Please see below, if you are travelling here directly from Gatwick or Heathrow airport:

You can also hire a car as part of a car-share scheme by visiting Co-Wheels Tunbridge Wells.

Car Parking

By Bus & Coach

To catch the bus from Gatwick, take the Fastway Bus No. 20, then change at Three Bridges for the 291 Metrobus.

Details of Tunbridge Wells’ bus services and bus timetables can be found on the Traveline website. Bus service number 281 links High Brooms (the north of town) in Royal Tunbridge Wells with The Pantiles.

The stop at the top you are likely to use is Tunbridge Wells Grosvenor Road which is in the Fiveways pedestrianised area outside of the shopping mall Royal Victoria Place. The route goes via the Railway Station as well. Get off at Chapel Place or The Pantiles for the nicest areas to visit. From 10am to approximately 5pm this Arriva bus runs every 10-15 minutes, up and down the hill. During the weekend, you can alternatively get a bus from Royal Victoria Place shopping centre or the War Memorial down to The Pantiles.

There are a number of buses that serve the rural villages outside Tunbridge Wells, allowing you access to the countryside. For instance, you can get the number 6/6A bus from Tunbridge Wells to Matfield and on to The Hop Farm at Paddock Wood.

The 297 bus takes you on a grand tour of the Weald (an area of outstanding natural beauty) through Rolvenden, Benenden, Cranbrook, Goudhurst, Horsmonden, Brenchley, Matfield and Pembury. Buses go to many of the main local attractions, as well locations outside Tunbridge Wells, such as Brighton, Tenterden, and East Sussex.

Please note that bus services on Sundays and in the evenings are limited.

Coach Parking

By Rail

Tunbridge Wells is on the mainline Southeastern railway from London Charing Cross to Hastings. Direct services run at least every half hour calling at London Bridge, London Waterloo East, Sevenoaks, Croydon and Tonbridge.

Services take approximately one hour from London Charing Cross. There are also connecting services to Gatwick Airport, via London Bridge.

Further details on train connections and timings to Tunbridge Wells are available on the National Rail Enquiries website.

You can also arrive in style. Board a Spa Valley Railway vintage diesel or steam train into Royal Tunbridge Wells from Eridge on the Uckfield line from London Bridge or East Croydon!

By Air

Gatwick Airport, Heathrow Airport and Stansted Airport are all in easy reach of Tunbridge Wells.

By road, Gatwick Airport is a mere 45-minute drive whilst Heathrow and London City Airports are just over an hour away. Stansted, Luton and Southend Airports are under a 90-minute drive.

Southampton Airport, at a two hours’ drive, is not beyond range for a vacation in Tunbridge Wells either.

Catch trains and buses from the airports effortlessly to this part of Kent – see above

By Sea

Arrive at Royal Tunbridge Wells by car from both the Channel Tunnel terminal (Eurotunnel) at Folkestone and from the ferry ports at Dover in a little over one hour.

The Dieppe ferry crossing is located into Newhaven in East Sussex and is less than one hours drive from Tunbridge Wells.

From the cruise terminal at Southampton, it takes 2½ hours by road or rail to arrive at Royal Tunbridge Wells.

You can also get a train from all of these entry points. Please see below for further details on cross Channel services to the UK.

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