London to Ramsgate train

Trains from London to Ramsgate

Trains from London to Ramsgate leave many times a day. They’re all operated by Southeastern Railway, and are available from early in the morning till late at night up to just before midnight, at pretty regular intervals. Travel times vary, depending on the specific train journey you book, with the fastest trip taking about 1h 15min and the longest around 2h 45min. Most of these trips are direct, except for a handful throughout the day that make one stop for a train change.

London to Ramsgate Train Time: Daily Departures

There are about 78 trains from London to Ramsgate per day, on average, with roughly 5 trains departing every hour from early morning till the late night. At this rate you’ll seldom have to wait long to board no matter when you arrive, which makes this a very convenient transit service. The first trains leave between around 6:25a.m. and 6:40 a.m., and the last one leaves at about 11:40 p.m. During rush hours you can catch a train about every 10min; they’re spaced out slightly further apart during the rest of the day and night.

How long is the journey by train from London to Ramsgate?

Trains from London to Ramsgate take between around 1h 15min and about 2h 45min. It all depends on what time you travel. The faster and slower trains are intermingled throughout the day, so the best way to keep track is to use the Omio online live train schedule, where you can see all the trips in one place at a glance along with travel times for each. Most trips don’t make any stops or changes in-between – there are only a few each day that require one change, but these don’t add much to the average travel time, and are still faster than many of the direct trains.

Ramsgate Tourist St. George Church. Source: Shutterstock

What are the departure and arrival stations for trains from London to Ramsgate?

Departure train station: Trains to Ramsgate depart from a few different railway stations in London, which makes them very convenient. You can leave from London Victoria Station (about 4min from central London on the Underground District line), Cannon Street Station (14m min away on the Northern subway line), London St. Pancras Station (6min away on the Underground Piccadilly line), and Charing Cross Station (21min away on the Northern subway line). They all have modern urban travellers’ facilities, including full accessibility access, personal assistance for passengers with limited mobility, family amenities like baby change rooms and play areas, shops, and places to eat or drink.

Arrival train station: No matter which London station you leave from, you’ll arrive at Ramsgate Station. Once you’re there you can get to the centre of Ramsgate by catching a Stagecoach South bus, which will take just under 10min on the No. 48 bus following the Loop line. This is a National Rail station, with assistance staff constantly on hand for passengers with limited mobility, and ramp access on the platforms. You can also hire a wheelchair if you need one temporarily. There’s a small buffet in the station waiting room, as well as baby changing facilities and cash machines.

Which train companies travel from London to Ramsgate?

There’s only one train company currently operating the train route to Ramsgate to London and that’s Southeastern Railway. All the trains run the same route, except for a few that make a stop in-between, either at Ashford International Station in Ashford, or in Faversham.

You’ll also change trains at these stops. There are about six of these daily, and they’re usually the last of the five trains per hour leaving London. These ones all depart from St. Pancras Station. Some of the train trips are faster than others, with a distinct different between two types of trips available. There are the quicker ones that take an average of around 1h 15min, and then longer ones that take between about 2h and 2h 45min. The travel duration isn’t related to whether the train makes an intervening stop or not, so you can book a trip that involves a change of train without sacrificing time.

Southeastern Railway trains from London to Ramsgate

Southeastern Railway offers both the fastest and slowest trains on this route, either getting you there in as little as 1h 14min, or in a more leisurely 2h 41min at the outside. These aren’t high-speed or long-haul trains, designed for commuter services between London and surrounding towns. There are several dozen trains a day, making for over 400 trips to choose from each week. They leave particularly frequently in the early mornings and late afternoons, to coincide with rush hours. At these times you can catch one every few minutes, so you won’t have to worry about missing your train during peak hours ­– the next one will be along soon enough.

Train London to Ramsgate: Services on board

Southeastern offers a Standard class and a First class. You’ll have a larger seat and a work surface on the latter. In Standard class you can pre-arrange assisted travel using the national Travel Assist Service. The trains have accessible toilets and spaces for wheelchairs. As for luggage, you can take up to two large suitcases, weighing no more than about 50 lbs (23 kg).

You can take a folding bike on board with you, and you can also take a non-folding bicycle during non-peak times. You’re welcome to travel with up to two small domestic pets, either in a container or on a leash in the case of dogs. Pregnant mums can get a Priority Seating Card, and a “Baby On Board” badge on busy trains so that other passengers can identify that you need a seat. Free Wi-Fi is available in all Southeastern Railway carriages, up to a 75MB limit.

How to find cheap train tickets from London to Ramsgate?

One of the ways to find cheaper train tickets on this route is to choose the longer trips. These aren’t necessarily the ones that make a change on the way, mind – you can check exact travel times for each train on the Omio schedules. If there’s no urgency and you’re flexible about when you travel, you can pick up last-minute deals on tickets too. Conversely you can book really far in advance when early-bird specials are sometimes available. You can book as far as six months ahead through Omio. If you travel the route regularly, a season ticket will save you money on each trip, and senior citizens’ and student travel cards are also available.

Ramsgate Tourist Port Walk. Source: Shutterstock

To Ramsgate by train—travel tips

Ramsgate is one of the UK’s most fabled historical harbours, as the main departure point for the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. It’s the only harbour in the country that has been declared a Royal Harbour. It’s also where many of the small civilian evacuation boats left England to help with the Dunkirk evacuation.

So it’s no surprise that many of its tourist attractions have a maritime theme. You can of course visit the harbour itself – take a walk to the end of the East Pier for the best views. The Ramsgate Tunnels are another attraction unique to Ramsgate. This is a warren of air-raid shelter tunnels hewn from the chalkstone beneath the town, which housed over 300 families day and night during the Battle of Britain.

If you’re visiting in summer, Main Sands is the most popular beach resort here, and for some nature exploration there’s the Sandwich and Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve. For more ideas, have a look at our online travel magazine, The Window Seat.