Canterbury Travel and Transport
Canterbury travel and transport includes Canterbury bus station, Canterbury East and West (HS1) train stations, taxis, cycle routes, footpaths, and riverboats.
Canterbury Bus Service
Canterbury bus station is located within the city walls, opposite Whitefriars shopping centre.
Stagecoach, the local bus company, provides regular, reliable, and affordable busses in Canterbury and other areas in Kent.
Stagecoach also provides a range of discounted bus passes. So, if you regularly travel by bus in Canterbury, you should consider buying a discounted bus pass. Think of it as an investment, as it could help you save money when you buy bus tickets.
It's worth noting, without tens of thousands of students studying in Canterbury, the Canterbury bus service would not be half what it is today. So, thank you to Canterbury students for helping to improve the public transport in Canterbury and surrounding areas.
Is there a Canterbury student bus pass?
Yes! There is a Canterbury student bus pass, whatever your travel needs or budget.
UniRider: available to students studying at the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University. The UniRider gives you unlimited, discounted student bus travel for a year.
Uni of Kent 7 Day MegaRider: available to students studying at the University of Kent. The Uni of Kent 7 Day MegaRider gives you unlimited, discounted student bus travel for 7 days.
Uni of Kent DayRider: available to students studying at the University of Kent. The Uni of Kent DayRider gives you unlimited, discounted student bus travel for 1 day.
Where can I buy a Canterbury student bus pass?
You can buy your Canterbury student bus pass through the Stagecoach website, bus app, and bus drivers.
Money-saving tip: Save money on bus journeys and buy bus tickets through the Stagecoach bus app. It's cheaper and more environmentally friendly (no printed ticket). A double win!
If you have any questions, the Stagecoach FAQs on student bus travel is where you will find any answers.
What Canterbury bus do I need to get?
Moving house is exciting but challenging. Using public transport for the first time is one of those challenges.
There are many Canterbury housing estates, and each one has its own bus route to and from Canterbury bus station. This makes catching the right bus easier.
The following Cantebury bus routes cover most student housing locations.
Please note: the following Cantebury bus routes are for guidance only. You should not rely on these for deciding bus journeys without first checking the official Stagecoach Canterbury bus timetable.
University of Kent
- 4 (every 30 mins)
- 6 (every 30 mins)
- Uni1 (every 30 mins)
- Uni2 (every 30 mins)
Hales Place/St Stephens
- 21 (up to every 15 mins)
- 21a (up to every 15 mins)
- Uni2 (every 30 mins)
- 5 (hourly)
St Dunstans
- 21 (up to every 15 mins)
- 21a (up to every 15 mins)
- 4 (every 30 mins)
- Uni1 (every 30 mins)
- Uni2 (every 30 mins)
- 27 (off-peak only)
Sturry Road
- 4 (every 30 mins)
- 6 (every 30 mins)
- 7 (infrequent)
- 8 (every 30 mins)
- 8a (every 30 mins)
- 9 (hourly)
Military Road
- 4 (every 30 mins)
- 5 (hourly)
- 6 (every 30 mins)
- 7 (infrequent)
- 8 (every 30 mins)
- 8a (every 30 mins)
- 9 (hourly)
- 21 (up to every 15 mins)
- 21a (up to every 15 mins)
- Uni2 (every 30 mins)
Spring Lane
- 23 (every 20 mins)
- 23a (hourly)
London Road Estate
- 22 (every 15 mins)
- 27 (off-peak only)
Wincheap/Thannington
- 1/1a/1x (hourly to Canterbury/30 mins to Wincheap/Thannington)
Hospital
- 25/25a (up to every 10 mins (Mon-Fri) every 20 minutes (Sat)
Canterbury Cycle Routes
Canterbury cycle routes are safe and stretch for miles, in and outside the city. In fact, depending on your fitness level, it's surprisingly easy to visit places cycling in kent.
In addition to this, there are many bike racks and storage locations in Canterbury, all strategically placed to encourage cycling.
It's not surprising the bicycle is becoming the ideal, environmentally friendly mode of travel in Canterbury.
Canterbury Train Stations
Canterbury has two train stations, Canterbury East [CBE] and Canterbury West [CBW], operated by Southeastern Railway.
Canterbury East [CBE] Train Station
Trains from Canterbury East [CBE] train station depart from two platforms.
Platform 1
From platform 1 you can take trains to London.
At Faversham, you can take connecting trains to the coastal towns of Whitstable, Herne Bay, Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate, etc.
Platform 2
From platform 2 you can take trains to Dover Priory.
At Dover, you can take connecting trains to Ashford Int. and other coastal towns: Folkestone, Deal, Sandwich, Ramsgate, etc.
Canterbury West [CBW] Train Station
Trains from Canterbury West [CBW] train station depart from two platforms.
High-Speed 1 (HS1) operates from here, connecting you to London in just under an hour!
Platform 1
From platform 1, you can take trains to London.
At Ashford, you can take connecting trains to the coastal towns of Folkestone and Dover; Southern Railway services to Hastings, Eastbourne and Brighton; and when operational, Eurostar services to Europe – France, Belgium, and The Nederlands.
Platform 2
From platform 2, you can take trains to the coastal towns of Ramsgate, Broadstairs, and Margate.
At Ramsgate, you can take connecting trains to the coastal towns of Dover, Whitstable, Herne Bay, etc.
Canterbury Taxis
There are many Cantebury taxi firms, and most can be found at taxi stands/ranks around the city.
Popular taxi locations in Canterbury are:
- Canterbury bus station
- Canterbury East & West train stations
- Canterbury clock tower
- Supermarkets (Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's)
Canterbury River Boats
The River Stour flows through Canterbury, creating a network of scenic river walks and boat journeys.
There are several river tours in Canterbury. All are unique due to their locations, routes, history, story-telling, and even the mode of transport; boat or punt.
Last updated: 24 March 2022