Canterbury to Brighton by bus?

[gray1404]

I'll be visiting Canterbury and want to do a side trip to Brighton for a couple of nights. Is it possible to travel Canterbury to Brighton by bus using my ENCTS pass (and back a couple of days later)?

Looking at a map I'm thinking Canterbury - Maidstone - Royal Tunbridge Wells - Brighton looks the most logical.

 

[Dai Corner]

That's what Traveline.info suggests. It takes over five hours though.

 

[NorthOxonian]

Another option, which is slightly slower but (arguably) more scenic is to go via the coast. For example, Canterbury - Folkestone - Rye - Hastings - Eastbourne - Brighton. The routes along the coast are generally frequent and there are good connections (at least at Rye).

 

[Busaholic]

Another option, which is slightly slower but (arguably) more scenic is to go via the coast. For example, Canterbury - Folkestone - Rye - Hastings - Eastbourne - Brighton. The routes along the coast are generally frequent and there are good connections (at least at Rye).

How about cutting some of the extra time by substituting Ashford for Folkestone? You'd still get a good portion of coast for your (bus pass) money. Can't get timetable up for Ashford to Rye, though.

 

[gray1404]

Another option, which is slightly slower but (arguably) more scenic is to go via the coast. For example, Canterbury - Folkestone - Rye - Hastings - Eastbourne - Brighton. The routes along the coast are generally frequent and there are good connections (at least at Rye).

I played around with this idea yesterday but it seems like such a long journey so I'm wondering if via Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells would be quicker?

 

[aswilliamsuk]

How about cutting some of the extra time by substituting Ashford for Folkestone? You'd still get a good portion of coast for your (bus pass) money. Can't get timetable up for Ashford to Rye, though.

You could also do the 11 from Ashford down to Lydd, then the 102 to Rye from there.

While it adds extra time, the route via Folkestone really is worth the time. You could do the 16 (3x hour) from Canterbury to Hythe, then change (at Red Lion Square - in effect by the Red Lion pub at one end of the town centre) onto the 102 - one of the three 102s per hour will show "Lydd (for Rye)" which is the one you want, the others only go as far as Littlestone, the coastal part of New Romney. Once you get to Rye you then have the choice of the 100 (1x hour) or 101 (1x hour) to Hastings, then the 98 (1x hour) 99 (3x hour) to Eastbourne, then the 12 (6x hour IIRC?) to Brighton.

There are good places to stop for lunch in pretty much all of the major settlements en route, too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Oct 2022 ==

I played around with this idea yesterday but it seems like such a long journey so I'm wondering if via Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells would be quicker?

It would, but the links between Canterbury and Maidstone are really susceptible to delays at the moment, thanks to a variety of roadworks around the M2, and connections would be challenging at best. Not to mention that services are being continually cut back across the Weald of Kent at the moment, so depending on when you travel, there might be even less in the way of options on that route in time...

 

[gray1404]

Thanks for your input guys I really appreciate it. Interestingly I travel to Canterbury to Maidstone today and experience no delays so I must have been lucky.

It just seems that going the other way the coastal route means there are a hell of a lot of changes and more potential for things to go wrong.

 

[yorksrob]

Be prepared to take a long time.

I tried to replicate my regular three hours or so train journey on the bus this weekend (for obvious reasons).

It ended up taking ten.

 

[gray1404]

Be prepared to take a long time.

I tried to replicate my regular three hours or so train journey on the bus this weekend (for obvious reasons).

It ended up taking ten.

What journey were you making on the bus?

 

[yorksrob]

What journey were you making on the bus?

Wakefield to Lancaster. Some nice scenery but never again.

 

[aswilliamsuk]

Be prepared to take a long time.

I tried to replicate my regular three hours or so train journey on the bus this weekend (for obvious reasons).

It ended up taking ten.

I know that feeling - took us 2h45min to drive from Hythe (Kent) to Westfield on Saturday late afternoon. Over 1h15 of that was the last nine miles across Blackwall...

(Anyway, back on subject next!)

 

[paul1609]

How about cutting some of the extra time by substituting Ashford for Folkestone? You'd still get a good portion of coast for your (bus pass) money. Can't get timetable up for Ashford to Rye, though.

Theres no direct bus between Ashford and Rye you have to change at Lydd between the 11 and 102 services or Tenterden from the 2/2A to 312 service but those are only roughly 2 hourly.
Until the end of the month there are some no 2 services which go directly to Hastings station from Ashford after this the Tentetden to Hastings will become the 29.
All of these are slow and realistically too far for a day trip. I think people underestimate the distances involved Caterbury to Brighton via the coast is over 90 miles. The train fare is good value at £16 with a railcard along the coast.

 

[Busaholic]

Theres no direct bus between Ashford and Rye you have to change at Lydd between the 11 and 102 services or Tenterden from the 2/2A to 312 service but those are only roughly 2 hourly.
Until the end of the month there are some no 2 services which go directly to Hastings station from Ashford after this the Tentetden to Hastings will become the 29.
All of these are slow and realistically too far for a day trip. I think people underestimate the distances involved Caterbury to Brighton via the coast is over 90 miles. The train fare is good value at £16 with a railcard along the coast.

I'm a bus fan but, at least one way, that's what I would have done, certainly Ashford to Rye or vice versa!

 

[paul1609]

I'm a bus fan but, at least one way, that's what I would have done, certainly Ashford to Rye or vice versa!

Im a multi modal fan, Id do Canterbury to Rye by train, bus to Hastings (101 via Fairlight) go back to train to Eastbourne then bus to Brighton preferably via Beachy Head.

 

[gray1404]

Thankfully this is not a day trip I shall be making the outward and return leg on different days.

I might stick with Canterbury - Maidstone - Tunbridge Wells - Brighton as at least only three legs then. Although it is tempting to do the coastal route by bus and at least one direction.

 

[danielcanning]

Thankfully this is not a day trip I shall be making the outward and return leg on different days.

I might stick with Canterbury - Maidstone - Tunbridge Wells - Brighton as at least only three legs then. Although it is tempting to do the coastal route by bus and at least one direction.

Why did you ask the forum for advice if you never intended to take it? Very strange…

 

[Busaholic]

Im a multi modal fan, Id do Canterbury to Rye by train, bus to Hastings (101 via Fairlight) go back to train to Eastbourne then bus to Brighton preferably via Beachy Head.

I'm a multi modal fan too when it comes to actual, rather than theoretical, travel! I think the OP was quite keen to get free bus travel. though, whereas rail would have involved cost, so that's why I only suggested the one section by train. Lots of bus lovers might have latent masochistic tendencies, but I've always steered well clear of them.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Why did you ask the forum for advice if you never intended to take it? Very strange…

Because there might have been other options that the OP doesn't know about...?

 

[jammy36]

Something else to consider - in addition to journey time and how scenic the route - is comfort. However you make the journey doing so by bus will be a long slog. By comfort I'm thinking of both on-bus comfort, but also the ability to get refreshments and make any necessary "calls of nature". Certainly if travelling Canterbury - Maidstone - Tunbridge Wells - Brighton you could time it to arrive in Maidstone for about mid-day where there are numerous shops and public toilets in close proximity and with enough time to get some lunch. There are also plenty of places close to the bus stops to seek proper shelter and get warm if needed.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Also, something else to consider, I know Arriva run buses in the Maidstone area and there are more planned strikes.... Check before you travel.

 

[gray1404]

Thanks so much for all your help and advice everyone!

 

[bussnapperwm]

Personally I would second the coastal route via Folkestone, having done it before its a bit lengthy in time, but it does have lots of great scenery

 

[paul1609]

Im often on the 102 from Dover to Rye and theres often pensioner groups doing the round England on a bus pass charity trips.

 

[gray1404]

I'll be making this journey over the next couple of weeks. Is the costal route via the South Coast still possible with the current timetables?

 

[Typhoon]

I'll be making this journey over the next couple of weeks. Is the costal route via the South Coast still possible with the current timetables?

Assuming you want to do it for free, the following seems to be OK but others may have views. In particular I would welcome others to look through for accuracy. I have travelled on all these routes but not on the same day and not into Sussex since covid (I've used the most recent timetables though).

16: Canterbury (09:30) - Folkestone (10:17)
102: Folkestone (10:53) - Rye (12:41) [You can actually change between Folkestone and Hythe - Sandgate is on the sea front. The earlier 10:33 only goes to Romney, you could spend 20 minutes in Dymchurch if you wanted. This is the most infrequent, the through route is hourly.]
101: Rye (13:08) - Hastings (13:55) [101 is much preferable to the 100]
99: Hastings (14:09) - Eastbourne (15:30) [When I have been on this, there have been issues with buses keeping to time - just weight of traffic; whether that is still the case, no idea)
12X: Eastbourne(15:50) - Brighton (17:15)

So, it is possible. I wouldn't do it, but that is me. The last 12X leaves Eastbourne at 16:55, after that it is the stoppers 12 and 12A.

Disadvantage of going via Ashford is first 'free' bus is 10:20 from Canterbury, the through Ashford - Hastings bus has been cut so you have to change at Tenterden. You would get to Hastings at 14:03 but all of these routes are infrequent (no more than hourly) so there is the opportunity for things to go wrong. There are alternatives - from Tenterden to Rye (312) for instance. From Ashford you can get to Lydd but there is only 10 minutes between getting off the 11 and getting on the 102.

 

[gray1404]

I think that given my arrival time in Brighton on Friday is although not critical, my friend will be waiting to get off to the pub with me, I will make the outward journey Canterbury - Maidstone - Tunbridge Wells - Brighton.

However on the return journey I will take the coastal route back to Canterbury. However would I need to leave Brighton first thing in the morning or could I leave later on in the morning or at midday?

 

[Typhoon]

Leaving at 11:20

12X: Brighton (11:20) - Eastbourne (12:36)
99: Eastbourne (13:03) - Hastings (14:22)
101: Hastings (14:43) - Rye (15:34)
102: Rye (16:02) - Folkestone (17:53)
16: Folkestone (18:08) - Canterbury (18:55)

The reason why I have selected that is even with this journey you will miss the stretch from Lydd-on-Sea (The Pilot) to Littlestone - it will be too dark. Anything later and there is a quite tight connection in Rye (13 mins during evening peak) and you will miss much of the coast near Winchelsea Beach because of the lack of light.

I haven't looked at Ashford because the last bus is the 16:38 to Canterbury, Folkestone buses run later.

 

[gray1404]

Thanks so much!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Nov 2022 ==

Decided to make this journey on Friday gone. Went well. Outward via Maidstone/Tunbridge Wells.
Return via the Costal route on Monday, but with Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells as a back up if I leave later on in the day.

Hopefully it won't be effected by the knock on effects of rail strikes Monday with traffic.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Nov 2022 ==