Dates, prices and menus are as published by each venue (checked October 2026); entries marked “2025 dates” are last season’s and will be updated when 2026 dates are announced. Check the linked site before booking. We can take you door to door to any of these – Christmas fares.
Getting around Tenterden: parking, car hire, public transport & accessibility
Car parks in Ashford – prices & opening hours (nearest researched hub to Tenterden: Ashford)
- Ashford International Station Car Park A (APCOA)
Station Approach, Ashford TN23
£11.50 per day (£12.00 Tue–Thu); £4.00 evening after 18:00; £42.30 weekly; Blue Badge free (register)
166 spaces, 13 Blue Badge bays · prices & booking - Ashford International Station Car Park B (APCOA)
Station forecourt (Blue Badge bays on forecourt)
£10.50 per day (£11.00 Tue–Thu); £3.50 evening after 18:00; £42.30 weekly
135 spaces, 15 Blue Badge bays · prices & booking - Vicarage Lane (Ashford BC)
Vicarage Lane TN23 1NJ
£1.30 per hour (min 65p/30 min); £13.20 over 4h; charges 08:00–18:00; RingGo 26651 · 24h
185 spaces, 25 Blue Badge bays · prices & booking - Elwick Place (Ashford BC)
Elwick Place TN23 1DY (cinema/Travelodge)
Up to 2h £2.60; 3h £3.90; 4h £5.20; 5h £6.50; over 5h £13.20 (09:00–15:00); free after 15:00 until 1 Nov 2026, then £1 overnight 16:00–08:00; Blue Badge 3h free (register online) · 24h
282 spaces, 14 Blue Badge bays · prices & booking
All car parks near Tenterden on Google Maps.
Car hire in Ashford (nearest researched hub to Tenterden: Ashford)
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car Ashford
Unit 2, The Market Quarter, 57 Godinton Road, Ashford TN23 1FE
Mon–Fri 08:00–18:00; Sat 08:00–13:00; Sun closed · 01233 510239 · book - Hertz Ashford (B&Q / Storage King pickup)
Ashford — see branch page
— · — · book
More car hire near Tenterden on Google Maps. Typical 2026 rates: economy car from about £35–£60 a day. Hiring just to reach the airport? Count the fuel, the airport car-park fee and the return of the car before comparing with a one-way fixed fare.
Public transport vs taxi from Tenterden to the airports
| Airport | Train / tube / bus | Our taxi |
|---|
| Heathrow | Southeastern Highspeed to Stratford International, walk to Stratford, Elizabeth line to Heathrow (direct T5 2/h or change Paddington)
105–125 min · 1–2 changes · Highspeed Ashford–Stratford walk-up via journey planner + Elizabeth line Z1–Heathrow £15.50 (2026, reported)
first arrival approx 07:00, last departure approx 22:00 · timetable | – |
| Gatwick | Southeastern to Tonbridge, Southern to Redhill, change for Gatwick (or via London)
91 fastest, ~140 average · 1–2 changes · Advance from £21.10 (Trainline)
first arrival approx 06:00 (first dep 02:39), last departure 23:30 · timetable | – |
| Stansted | Highspeed to Stratford International, Stansted Express from Stratford
107 fastest · 2 changes · Advance from £35.80 (Trainline)
first arrival approx 06:45 (first dep 04:10), last departure 23:16 · timetable | – |
| Luton | Highspeed to St Pancras, Thameslink/EMR to Luton Airport Parkway, DART
76 fastest, ~100 average · 1 change · Advance from £55.90 (Trainline, Highspeed+EMR); DART £4.90 if separate
first arrival approx 06:15 (first dep 04:10), last departure 23:16 · timetable | – |
| London City | Highspeed to Stratford International, DLR direct to London City Airport
60–70 min · 1 change · Highspeed fare + DLR PAYG
first arrival approx 06:30, last departure approx 22:30 · timetable | – |
Coach: No National Express airport coach from Ashford listed on Omio (Oct 2026); nearest at Canterbury Bus Station (Heathrow) – — min, — (book).
How to choose. Public transport wins on price for one traveller with hand luggage at 10am. A taxi usually wins when there are two or more of you (one fare for the car, not per person), when you have hold bags or a pushchair, for flights before the first train arrives or landings after the last one leaves, and when a change of train or a station without lifts would be a problem. Rail fares above are per adult; add £4–£6 per person for the DART/shuttle where shown, and remember engineering work most weekends.
Accessibility in Tenterden: step-free travel, assistance dogs & pets
| Station | Step-free access | Lifts | Assistance | Accessible toilets | Source |
|---|
Ashford International
Southeastern | Full step-free access to all platforms (Category A, lifts) | Yes | Passenger Assist: book up to 2h ahead or turn-up-and-go (20 min); staff 24h; helpline 0345 322 7021 / 0800 783 4524 | Yes, on platforms (stoma-friendly) during staffing hours; Changing Places toilet listed | station page |
Step-free: Ashford International step-free (Cat A); Wye, Charing — check National Rail. Buses: Stagecoach South East (Ashford town, Little Red Bus); low-floor accessible. Blue Badge parking: Free at station (APCOA registration; Car Park B Blue Badge bays on forecourt); ABC: 3h free with badge (Park Mall), Elwick Place 3h free with online registration. Guide & assistance dogs: Assistance dogs accepted on all services on local public transport. Pets on public transport: Southeastern: up to 2 small dogs free, leashed; Stagecoach: pets usually allowed at driver's discretion, assistance dogs always.
Travelling with us: assistance dogs always travel free in every car, no notice needed (Equality Act 2010). Other dogs and pets are welcome by prior arrangement – tell us when you book so we send a suitable car and a driver who is happy to carry them. Folding wheelchairs, walkers and mobility scooters that fold go in the boot at no extra charge; if you need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle or extra time at pick-up, say so when booking and we will confirm availability before you pay. Rail step-free status changes when lifts are out of service – check the station page or book Passenger Assist (ideally 2 hours ahead); on TfL you can turn up and go.
Child-friendly Ashford: places for children & family dining (nearest researched hub to Tenterden: Ashford)
- Stour Centre soft play & pools
Soft play, leisure pool (Freedom Leisure) · more - Victoria Park
Free park, play area, splash pad · more - Picturehouse Ashford (Elwick Place)
Cinema, Kids' Club
tickets about £8–£15 · more - Godinton House & Gardens
Gardens, family trails
gardens about £8, house & gardens about £12, approx · more - Revelation Ashford
Arts centre with family shows
see site · more
Family restaurants: Harvester The Bybrook Barn, Ashford; Harvester The Bulldog, Ashford.
Baby changing & feeding: Ashford International: baby changing when staff present (Southeastern). County Square shopping centre publishes facilities on its site.
Child seats: licensed private hire cars are exempt from the child-seat law when a seat is not available, but we would rather fit one – give us the children’s ages when you book and we will bring the right seat where we can (free, subject to availability), or you are welcome to bring your own. Pushchairs and travel cots go in the boot at no charge.
Car park, car hire, rail and accessibility details are as published by the operators and airports (seen October 2026) and from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors) – check before you rely on them; TfL Journey Planner times are for a weekday 10:00 departure. Our fares are the fixed saloon price on the linked route page.
