North Downs Way — rail/trail links

Overview

There are stations on or close to the North Downs Way between Farnham and Dover. Other stations contribute bus links. Here is the full list, with jump-links to the trail connections for each station.

Farnham — at the route’s western terminus
Guildford — an important station with frequent bus links to the route
Chilworth — 2km south of St Martha’s Hill
Gomshall — 1.8km south of Hackhurst Downs
Boxhill and Westhumble — 400m west of the A24 underpass
Dorking — 1.6km south of the A24 underpass
Deepdene — 1.6km south of the A24 underpass
Betchworth — 300m south of Pebble Hill Road
Reigate — 2km south of Reigate Hill
Merstham — 250m east of Quality Street
Caterham — 2.5km north of Caterham viewpoint
Hayes (Bromley) — bus link with Westerham Hill
Dunton Green — 1km south-east of the Rose and Crown corner
Otford — on the route
Borough Green and Wrotham — 2.3km south of the M20 crossing
Meopham — bus link with Vigo village
Cuxton — 1.6km east of Bush Road
Rochester — 3km north of Borstal
Maidstone — 5km south of the A229 crossing
Bearsted — 2.4km south of Thurnham
Hollingbourne — 1.5km west of the centre of Hollingbourne
Harrietsham — 1.2km south of Hillside Farm
Lenham — 1.8km south of Faversham Road crossing
Charing — 1.1km south of the A252 crossing
Ashford International — bus link with Boughton Lees
Wye — on the route; 2.5km east of Boughton Aluph fork
Westenhanger — 5km south of Stowting
Folkestone Central — 3km south of Canterbury Road crossing; bus links; also bus link with Etchinghill.
Chilham — 1.1km east of Chilham village
Chartham — 1,2km south of the Hatch Lane crossing
Canterbury — West station adjacent to the route; East station 750m from city centre
Bekesbourne — 1.1km north of Patrixbourne
Shepherds Well — 700m west of Mill Lane
Dover Priory — 700m west of the end of the route

Note that each station header below has a link to the station details, and that each bus route number has a link to its timetable.

Stations

Farnham

The western terminus of the North Downs Way is outside Farnham station.

Guildford station lies 1.8km north of the route’s crossing of the River Wey. The 46 service (not Sundays) links the route with Guildford at Compton. The Wey South Path gives a direct pedestrian link (2km) along the riverside to the station. There are frequent bus links on services 42, 70, 71 and 72 (only 71 on Sundays) between Guildford and Portsmouth Road (use the Law College stop to the north of the route), and on services 24 (not Sundays), 32 (Sundays only), 53 (daily) and 63 (not Sundays) between Guildford and Shalford Road (the Pilgrims Way stop is on the route).

Guildford Friary bus station is on Commercial Road 500m east of the railway, via North Street.

Chilworth

Chilworth station is linked with the route on the east side of St Martha’s Hill by a 2km walk via the Downs Link and Dorking Road (east of the station).

Gomshall

Gomshall station is linked with the route at Hackhurst Downs by a 1.8km walk via Beggars Lane and Dorking Road (east of the station).

Boxhill and Westhumble

Boxhill and Westhumble station lies 400m west of the A24 underpass on the route.

Dorking

Dorking station lies 1.6km south of the route at the A24 underpass (1.2km for the turn-off at Stepping Stones Lane): both points are served by the 465 bus (daily between Kingston and Dorking via Leatherhead, Oystercards accepted), though Stepping Stones lane is only served southbound towards Dorking. There is a footway all the way along the A24: use the east (Dorking-bound) side of the road.

Deepdene

Deepdene station (on the line between Guildford and Redhill) lies just south of Dorking station — details are as for Dorking.

Betchworth

Betchworth station lies just 300m south of the route down Pebble Hill Road.

Reigate

Reigate station lies 2km south of the route at Reigate Hill: the 460 bus (daily) links these two points. There is an altitude difference of 115m between these two points, so the bus link is recommended, particularly on leaving the station. The bus service is not Oyster-valid, but serves Tattenham Corner station, which is Oyster-valid. Use the Gatton Bottom stop just to the north of the route.

Merstham

Merstham station is just 250m east of the route at Quality Street. The railway station is Oyster-valid (though not for concessionary passes). The 405 bus service (daily) links Merstham with stations at Coulsdon and central Croydon.

Caterham

Caterham station lies 2.5km north of the route at the Caterham viewpoint. There is no public transport link. It is downhill all the way to the station (and therefore uphill from the station, with a total ascent of just over 100m). An emergency exit (or an effortless ascent) may require a taxi.

Hayes (Bromley)

The 246 bus service (daily) links Hayes station (note, not Hayes and Harlington station, which is in a different London borough) with the route at Westerham Hill. The Pilgrims Way bus stop is just south of the route’s crossing of the main road.

Dunton Green

Dunton Green station lies a little over 1km to the south-east of the route at the Rose and Crown junction. There is a footpath route between the station and London Road (just to the north of the school).

Otford

The route passes Otford station.

Borough Green and Wrotham

Borough Green and Wrotham station lies about 2.3km south of the route at the south side of the M20 crossing. Buses (308, not Sundays) link the centre of Wrotham with the station, and in the opposite direction with Vigo village.

Meopham

Meopham station lies 7.4km north of the route ay Vigo village. Buses (308, not Sundays) link the station with Vigo village.

Cuxton

Cuxton station (on the line between Strood and Maidstone Barracks) lies 1.6km east of the point where the route crosses Bush Road.

Rochester

Rochester station lies about 3km north-east of the route at Borstal, on the east side of the M2 Medway crossing. The Medway Valley Walk provides a pedestrian link. The 155 bus (not Sundays) links the route with Rochester (and Chatham). A taxi would be an alternative link.

Rochester railway station is 600m north of the bus stop at Star Hill.

Maidstone East

Maidstone East station (the town’s principal railway station) lies 5km south of the route where it crosses the A229. This station will probably be used as an emergency exit/access by taxi, since there is no public transport. Maidstone Barracks station, on the line between Strood and Paddock Wood) is situated just across the river (with a footpath connection) from Maidstone East.

Bearsted

Bearsted station lies 2.4km south of the route at Thurnham.

Hollingbourne

Hollingbourne station lies 1.5km west of the route at Hollingbourne.

Harrietsham

Harrietsham station lies about 1.2km south of the route at Hillside Farm: the link is by bridleway and footpath.

Lenham

Lenham station lies about 1.8km south of the route at Faversham Road. There is a footpath option between a point on the route just to the east of the main road and the crossing of the main Ashford Road.

Charing

Charing station lies about 1.1km from the route’s crossing of the A252 at Charing Hill, via The Hill and High Street.

Ashford International

Ashford International station lies 6km to the south of the route at Boughton Lees. The 666 bus service (not Sundays) links Boughton Lees with Ashford.

Wye

Wye station lies on the main route, and is 2.5km east of the fork (for the alternative route via Canterbury) at Boughton Aluph.

Westenhanger

Westenhanger station lies 5km south of the route at Stowting: the northern 3km of the link is on footpaths..

Folkestone Central

Folkestone Central station lies 3km south of the route where it crosses Canterbury Road. There is a good daily service (16, 73, and (not Sundays) 91, between the station and Alkham Valley Corner bus stop, just north of the route. The ascent from the station is 100m, so the bus is recommended. There is also a bus link with Etchinghill (17, sketchy service on Sundays).

Link-points for buses

The table below gives the walking distances between the link-points, including any walk-in/out distances, on the main route via Folkestone.

Western location	Distance	Eastern location
Farnham	13.4km	Compton
Compton	3.9km	Guildford (Portsmouth Road)
Guildford (Portsmouth Road)	0.7km	Guildford (Shalford Road)
Guildford (Shalford Road)	5.4km	St Martha’s Hill East
St Martha’s Hill East	11.9km	Hackhurst Downs
Hackhurst Downs	11.3km	Westhumble (A24)
Westhumble (A24)	5.6km	Betchworth
Betchworth	7.6km	Reigate Hill
Reigate Hill	4.2km	Merstham
Merstham	9.4km	Caterham viewpoint
Caterham viewpoint	15.5km	Westerham Hill
Westerham Hill	11.2km	Dunton Green
Dunton Green	3.3km	Otford
Otford	11.8km	Wrotham
Wrotham	6.6km	Vigo
Vigo	11.9km	Cuxton (Bush Road)
Cuxton (Bush Road)	5.8km	Borstal
Borstal	20.0km	Thurnham
Thurnham	9.0km	Hollinggbourne
Hollingbourne	6.1km	Hillside Farm
Hillside Farm	6.2km	Faversham Road
Faversham Road	9.4km	Charing Hill
Charing Hill	8.5km	Boughton Lees
Boughton Lees	3.8km	Wye
Wye	16.5km	Stowting
Stowting	12.4km	Etchinghill
Etchinghill	7.5km	Alkham Valley Corner
Alkham Valley Corner	12.4km	Dover

Overview

Stations

Link-points for buses

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