One thing that is so good about Royal Tunbridge Wells is how easy it is to get here. Situated just 40 miles from central London, it has very good transport connections. Below are some of the main ways you can reach Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent and get around.

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

The area can be accessed from the M20 and M25 motorways too, within 20 minutes by car.

For touring the 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.

If you are planning to visit Tunbridge Wells by National Express coach, you can get details and timetables of coach services from the National Express. The stops are on the A26 London Road at Southborough and Mount Pleasant Road in the centre of Royal Tunbridge Wells (opposite the Museum and Library).

You can also go to the lovely Lamberhurst village with National Express coaches.

To catch the bus from Gatwick get on 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 the ‘top of the hill’ 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 2.30pm this Arriva bus runs every 12 minutes, up and down the hill. Even outside these times, the service is very regular.

There are many buses that serve the outlying villages and it is a rather more laid back way to see the scenery.

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 a great tour round the area through Rolvenden, Benenden, Cranbrook, Goudhurst, Horsmonden, Brenchley, Matfield and Pembury. Buses go to many of the main attractions, towns further afield, such as Brighton and Tenterden, as well as East Sussex.

Do note that there are very few services on Sundays.

Tunbridge Wells is on a 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 and Tonbridge.

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

Further details on trains to Tunbridge Wells are available on the National Rail Enquiries website.

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!

Gatwick Airport, Heathrow Airport and Stansted Airport can be reached with ease from Royal Tunbridge Wells.

By road, Gatwick Airport is a mere 40 minute drive whilst Heathrow and London City Airports are only 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.

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

Newhaven, for the Dieppe ferry crossing, might be in East Sussex but it is less than one hour’s drive from Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Of course you can also get a train from these entry points. Please see below for further details on cross Channel services to the UK.

• Eurotunnel
• Eurostar
• P&O Ferries (Dover)
• DFDS Seaways (Newhaven, Dover)

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

The Tunbridge Wells region is visited often by cruise passengers from the United States of America.

External Links:

Advice for safer travel on public transport in the time of the coronavirus:

• Arriva buses
• Stagecoach buses
• Southeastern railway
• Government guidance