Where will the High speed Kent train link to London actually stop in Kent? And how long will it take?

Question

Is there a service from Ramsgate? Folkestone? Canterbury? when is it due to launch?

Answer 1

Actually the person who answered first is wrong! The IKF (Integrated Kent Franchise) that is run by Govia (South Eastern trains), agreed that  when they won the franchise that they would run a high speed train service that would start at St Pancras, calling at Stratford International, Ebsfleet, Ashford, then terminating at Ramsgate, where at the moment there is being built a new train depot that will be used to maintain the Hitachi bullet trains (Ashford is also going to be a second depot for the new trains.)

Testing of the new trains start next year and the service is planned to start in 2009.

I hope that my info helps. I work with one of the companies involved with the role out of this new service, and cannot wait to see it happen

Answer 2

To the best of my knowledge, the trains will only stop in Kent at Ashford International and at the tunnel portal.

The idea is that by changing at Ashford, passengers will gain access to a variety of lines throughout the south-east without reducing the speed of the trains using the high speed link.

The high speed line into St. Pancras start operation on 14 November.

Answer 3

No, there are no plans for services from the stations you mention - how could there be when the line doesn't go there? In fact, Kent is going to be worse off as fewer trains are going to stop at Ashford International was the link is in use. I don't think that the new Javelin trains will leave the CTRL to serve stations in Kent other than the new Ebbsfleet station.