By Car

Tenterden is situated on the A28 between Hastings and Ashford and is less than an hour by car from the M25.

By Bus

There are regular bus links from Ashford, Hastings, Headcorn, Maidstone, Rolvenden, Rye and Tunbridge Wells to Tenterden.

For detailed information about all routes, timetables and fares please see the Traveline Southeastwebsite -  type ‘Tenterden’ into the Location box.

The following are the main bus routes to and from Tenterden:

Service 12 from Maidstone to Tenterden
Via Sutton Valence, Biddenden and St Michaels.
Run by Arriva Bus. For timetables see Traveline Southeast

Service 12RL – from Headcorn railway station to Tenterden(the rail link bus)
Via Biddenden and St Michaels.
Run by Clarkes Minibuses. For timetables see Traveline Southeast

Service 295 from Ashford to Tenterden
Via Kingsnorth, Shadoxhurst and Woodchurch
Run by Nu-venture. For timetables see Traveline Southeast

Service 297 from Tunbridge Wells to Tenterden
Via Pembury, Henwood Green, Matfield, Brenchley, Horsmonden, Goudhurst, Cranbrook, Benenden and Rolvenden
Run by Nu-venture. For timetables see Traveline Southeast

Service 312 from Rye to Tenterden
Via Playden, Iden, Wittersham and Small Hythe
Run by Coastal Buses, information from East Sussex County Council (The Rye Rider Bus timetable). For timetables see Traveline Southeast

Service 340 and 341 from Hastings to Tenterden
Via St Leonards, Brede, Broad Oak, Northiam, Newenden and Rolvenden
Run by Coastal Buses, information from East Sussex County Council (The Rye Rider Bus timetable). For timetables see Traveline Southeast

Service 400 from Ashford to Tenterden and on to Rolvenden
Via Great Chart, Bethersden, High Halden and St Michaels
Run by Stagecoach. For timetables see Traveline Southeast

By Rail

The nearest mainline train stations to Tenterden are Headcorn (9 miles) and Ashford International (12 miles), the closest being Headcorn. Services for Headcorn depart from London Charing Cross (you may also board trains at London Bridge, and London Waterloo East, a short platform walk from London Waterloo). Services for Ashford depart from London Charing Cross, or London St Pancreas for the high speed rail link. A few services to Ashford depart from London Victoria via Maidstone East however this is a slower line.

On your arrival at Headcorn station, bus numbers 12 and 12RL will bring you into the centre of Tenterden. There are also taxis available at Ashford and Headcorn stations.

There is also a train station at Appledore (Kent), 7.5 miles from Tenterden, however Appledore is not on the main line and services terminate at Ashford to the north and Hastings to the south. We do not recommend visitors using Appledore (Kent) train station as there are no facilities (i.e. no ticket office, no taxis, no buses) at Appledore station and it is 2 miles on country roads from the village of Appledore. Some locals however are starting to use Appledore station to link into the high speed rail link at Ashford so it is possible that in the future this station might develop. However at the moment if you are a visitor and arrive at Appledore you will be right in the depths of the countryside with nowhere to go.

For train times to Headcorn Station, see the National Rail Network website. For more detailed information about Headcorn Railway Station such as car parking, disabled access, ticket office opening hours, station facilities, live service information and engineering works see the South Eastern Railways website page for Headcorn Station. For bus times from Headcorn station, use the Traveline Southeast website

Car Parking

There are a number of pay and display car parks throughout the town, as well as short stay on-street parking in the High Street. See here for car parks.