International Transport Hub

Europe/ UK/ South East England/ Kent/ Locate in Kent

Connections By Road

Excellent motorway networks (M2 and M20) link Kent and Medway to London and the M25, the rest of the UK, and the Channel Tunnel.
Most European markets are within one day's driving distance.
The UK road freight industry is one of the most liberalised, deregulated and safest in the world.
Fastrack is the rapid transit system that links new and existing homes and businesses in Kent Thameside. The system has the appeal of a modern tram system, but uses rubber-tyred vehicles that allow flexibility. It also serves the new international and domestic station at Ebbsfleet International Station.

Kent is an international transport hub, with HS1 connecting the county to Lille, Brussels and Paris
Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International both provide rail connections into Europe

All distances below are taken from Maidstone.

Distance to Central London: Up to 50 miles (Up to 1 hour)
Distance to Birmingham: Up to 200 miles (Up to 3 hours)
Distance to Bristol: Up to 200 miles (Up to 3 hours)
Distance to Leeds: Up to 300 miles (Up to 4 hours)
Distance to Leicester: Up to 150 miles (Up to 3 hours)
Distance to Liverpool: Up to 300 miles (Up to 5 hours)
Distance to Manchester: Up to 300 miles (Up to 5 hours)
Distance to Sheffield: Up to 200 miles (Up to 4 hours)
Distance to Oxford: Up to 150 miles (Up to 2.5 hours)
Distance to Cambridge: Up to 100 miles (Up to 2 hours)

Connections By Rail

A comprehensive rail network throughout Kent offers fast and frequent services to all major Kent towns and London.

High speed passenger services run from Kent to London on High Speed 1. Journey times from parts of Kent have been cut by up to half, for example from Ebbsfllet in 17 minutes and Ashford in 37 minutes. These services also make Kent much more accessible from key cities in the Midlands and North. See the rail map in our Gallery.

Ebbsfleet International Station, North Kent and Ashford International Station offer easy access from Kent to many important business destinations in Europe via Eurostar, including Lille (57 min), Brussels (1hour 40 mins), Paris (2 hours) and other European cities.

All distances below are taken from Maidstowe.

Hours to Central London: Up to 0.5

Connections By Air

Kent International Airport is Kent's developing international freight and passenger airport which serves a range of international destinations. Infratil, which bought the airport in 2005, are committed to seeing it become a vibrant regional airport.
Kent's unique location and excellent motorway network mean that driving times to other main UK international airports are:


TOWN	Gatwick	Heathrow	Stansted	London City	Kent International
Dartford	39	65	40	29	79
Maidstones	47	73	71	63	63
Ashford	59	84	78	77	54
Canterbury	72	98	78	78	31
Dover	85	111	101	89	34

*Travel times in minutes

All distances below are taken from Maidstowe.

Closest Airport: London Stansted
Distance to London Gatwick: Up to 50 miles (Up to 1 hour)
Distance to London Stansted: Up to 25 miles (Up to 0.5 hour)

Connections By Freight Ports

The Port of Dover is one of the World's busiest ferry terminals, and the largest passenger ferry port in Northern Europe. The port handles bulk cargo, including large quantities of fresh produce, the cargo terminal being one of the UK's top four handling locations by tonnage.

Kent is home to the UK's largest and Europe's fastest growing container port, Thamesport - one of the most technically advanced ports in the world. Its strategic location is at the point where the deep channels of the Medway and Thames rivers converge.

Other Kent ports include Sheerness, Chatham Docks, Ramsgate New Port and Folkstone.

All distances below are taken from Maidstowe.

Distance to Dover: Up to 50 miles (Up to 1 hour)
Distance to Medway: Up to 25 miles (Up to 0.5 hour)

Broadband / ICT Facilities

Broadband is available across the vast majority of Kent. Only a few very small rural areas do not have access. Via SOTA point of presence at Kent Science Park, this technology is available across many parts of Kent. Data Centres are also available across Kent but particularly at Maidstone Studios, Kent Science Park and The Bunker in East Kent. Planned developments such as that at Ebbsfleet Valley will feature fibre optics, including fibre to home.