Channel Tunnel trains from Folkestone

Beautiful Kentish Folkestone was, for many hundreds of years, just a small fishing village on Kent’s east coast.

It was pretty and popular enough, but it didn’t have that certain something that drew in the crowds. That was until around 1842 when the railway arrived. After that, Folkestone became a hotspot for tourists from all over the country due to its enviable position, its fine weather, and its various and varied things to do including the lovely Sunny Sands, which is one of the only sandy beaches within an hour of London.

The Creative Quarter (developed in part by the Creative Foundation) is perhaps the soul of the town, and the Quarterhouse is its beating heart; it’s a hub for the arts, for business, for meeting up with friends and colleagues, and for generally learning about Folkestone.

For nature lovers, it’s worth visiting the Lower Leas Coastal Park which has free entertainment throughout the summer as well as the biggest free play area in the south east of England. It’s a Green Flag open space, so you can rest assured that it will be clean, family friendly, and open to all.

Folkestone is rich in history and heritage, and has a bright future ahead of it.

Note: Folkestone doesn't have a regular car ferry service but it is home to the UK terminal for the speedy Eurotunnel Le Shuttle service. This regular service connects Folkestone with Calais in half an hour. I've included it here for completeness - and for those that require a speedy transit across the Channel or have a phobia of sailing!

Channel Tunnel trains from Folkestone

Ferry Routes

OperatorRouteServicesTravel TimePrice
Folkestone Calais 47 daily ½ hourSee prices

This information is for reference purposes only. Journey times are approximate. Frequency is based on typical schedules. Schedules are subject to availability and weather conditions. Information correct at the time of writing.

Taster Cruise Ship Itineraries

Sorry, no mini cruise routes can be found departing from Folkestone sailing on a cruise ship.

Top 3 Cruise & Ferry Deals

  1. DFDS Amsterdam mini cruise from £74pp
  2. DFDS Copenhagen to Oslo mini cruise from £24pp
  3. DFDS Amsterdam mini cruise and hotel stay from £125pp
Tip: This route serves as an alternative route to the Dover to Calais ferry route or the Dover to Dunkirk ferry route.

To find other ports near you, take a look at the UK port map here.

Address

Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, Ashford Road, Folkestone, CT18 8XX, United Kingdom

Driving directions

The massive Eurotunnel Le Shuttle site sits to the north of Folkestone. A key trade route, the site is easily accessible from the M20 at Junction 11A. The M20 offers a direct route onto the M25 circular around London.

Those travelling from Hampshire may find taking the A27 and then the A259 more convenient.

Tip: Folkestone is a short distance along the A20 to Dover so it's worth comparing prices of ferries from Dover with the train from Folkestone if you are after a cheaper but longer journey.

Getting there by coach

Eurolines runs coach services to Europe via Folkestone. There are over 1,200 destinations across Europe and many of the services that depart from the UK use the speedy train service from Folkestone.

From London Eurolines coaches head to: Linz and Vienna (Austria); Brussels, Ghent, Liege, and Bruges (Belgium); Prague, Pilsen, and Brno (Czech Republic); Copenhagen, Vejle, Rodby, Nykobing, Aarhus and Aalborg (Denmark); Paris, Lyon, Dijon, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Perpignan and Chamonix (France); Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart (Germany); Györ, Miskolc and Budapest (Hungary); Rome, Naples, Turin, Florence, Verona and Venice (Italy); Amsterdam, The Hague, Breda, Rotterdam and Eindhoven (The Netherlands); Oslo and Sarpsborg (Norway); Bytom, Gdynia, Suwalki, Warsaw, Lublin, Wroclaw and Krakow (Poland); Lisbon, Faro, Coimbra, Portalegre, Viseu and Porto (Portugal); Bratislava, Kosice and Presov (Slovakia); Ljubljana and Maribor (Slovenia); Almería, Malaga, Alicante, Madrid, Benidorm, Bilbao and Barcelona (Spain); Uddevalla, Gothenburg, Helsingborg and Malmo (Sweden); and Basel, Geneva and Zurich (Switzerland). Book your tickets here.

Getting there by train

Note: The service doesn't permit foot passengers so you'll need to travel with your car, van, caravan, motorhome or motorbike - all of which you can't fit on a regular train!

Should you need to travel to the terminal by train then the closest station is Folkestone West Railway Station.

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