heathrow airport to dover transportation?

[dlwfarm]

Arriving at 11 am at Heathrow near London and need to get to Dover for a cruise. Anyone know how to get there and approximate cost?  It's for 2 people.  I don't want to rent a car.  Also, how do I book the transportation?  thanks.  this is for a June cruise.

[John Bull]

As it happens I've just finished a rant  about LHR to Dover public transport on a question on this forum from cruisemom 😏

 

There's no direct public transport to Dover, you have to go into central London and out again.

 

By train or tube to central London, cross central London by tube or taxi to one of several central London stations for direct trains to Dover Priory station, then short taxi hop to the cruise terminal. Tedious & time-consuming https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

 

By bus it's easier because buses from LHR go to London Victoria coach station and buses to Dover leave from the same coach station. station.  Less tedious, more time-consuming.      https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

 

So for LHR to Dover for one or two passengers I'd recommend ship's over-priced coach transfer, the only route I'd recommend ship's transfers.

For three or more a pre-booked private transfer should be a little cheaper.

Both options use the London orbital road (M25) rather than London's clogged streets

 

JB 🙂

[Island2Dweller]

Are you landing 1100 and departing on the cruise the same day?  What time does embarcation end?  If it is same day, you are rather pushing your luck.

Getting through immigration and collecting bags will use an hour (on average, not guaranteed) so you won't be leaving Heathrow before noon.

If you chose National Express coach, the first suitable connection won't get you to Dover until 2130....

By train, you need the Piccadilly line to KingsCross/St Pancras.  (Allow an hour).  Then the High Speed train to Dover,  which takes another hour but only one direct train per hour.  So it's 1500 to 1600 before you arrive at Dover railway station (a mile from the port).

As John Bull says, if your line offers a pick up then use that.  Otherwise, I recommend you book a car service (such as Blackberry).  It won't be cheap but (if it's a same day embarcation), you are pushed for time and you need to throw money at the problem.  The drive from Heathrow to Dover should be about two hours, but it uses some of the most congested roads in Europe so may take longer.