Taxi from Gatwick Airport to Dover

The road to the coast

From Gatwick, the driver heads up the M23 and east along the M25 to junction 5, then takes the M26 to join the M20. The M20 runs past Maidstone and Ashford to Folkestone, and the A20 then climbs over the hill and drops down into Dover. Alternatively, the driver can take the M2 and A2, coming into Dover from the north past Whitfield, which is often quicker for addresses on that side of town.

On a clear road it is an hour and a half to an hour and forty minutes. The M20 between Maidstone and Folkestone can be affected by traffic-management schemes when the ports are very busy, and on summer weekends the queues for the Eastern Docks can reach back onto the A20. Our drivers check conditions before leaving and choose the A2 or M20 accordingly.

Catching a ferry from the Eastern Docks

The cross-Channel ferries to Calais and Dunkirk leave from the Eastern Docks at the far end of the seafront. If you are travelling as a foot passenger, check your ferry company's arrangements before you travel, since not every sailing takes foot passengers and the check-in point is specific. Tell us your ferry operator, sailing time and whether you are a foot passenger when you book, and we will drop you at the right place.

Allow plenty of time. Port security, passport checks and the French border controls at Dover all happen before boarding, and at peak times they can take a while. We suggest arriving at the port at least an hour before the latest check-in time your operator gives, and longer in the school holidays.

Around Dover and the White Cliffs coast

We drop off anywhere in the CT15, CT16 and CT17 postcodes: the town centre and the seafront, River and Temple Ewell up the Dour valley, Whitfield, Aycliffe and the streets climbing towards Dover Castle. We also cover the coast and villages beyond, including St Margaret's at Cliffe, Kingsdown, Deal, Walmer, Sandwich, Folkestone and Hythe.

Some of the hillside streets in Dover are steep and narrow, especially around Tower Hamlets and Castle Hill. If you are in a house with tricky access, tell us when you book.

Gatwick to Dover by train

There is no direct train. The usual routes are either into London and then the high-speed Southeastern service from St Pancras to Dover Priory, or across Kent via Redhill and Tonbridge with a change at Ashford. With good connections expect around two to two and a half hours. Dover Priory is in the town, but the Eastern Docks are a long walk away with luggage.

The train suits solo travellers with light bags and a flexible day. With two or more people, or holiday luggage, one car from the arrivals hall to the door is easier, and the fixed fare compares well with several tickets plus a taxi at Dover.

Drop-off charges at Gatwick

On your way back out, remember that Gatwick charges £10 for the first ten minutes in its forecourt drop-off zones, rising by £1 a minute up to thirty minutes, with cameras enforcing it since January 2026. If a friend drives you, the free Long Stay car park gives two hours free and a shuttle bus. If you book with us, the fixed fare covers it.

Meeting your driver

Your driver tracks your flight and waits in the arrivals hall with a name board. Gatwick private hire pickups are in the short-stay car park, a short walk from arrivals. If your flight is late, there is no extra charge, and if you have a ferry to catch, the driver leaves the moment you are in the car.

Vehicles for the Channel crossing

A saloon suits up to four people with two large cases. For families going on holiday, an estate or MPV gives room for the luggage. Groups of friends heading to France together can share an eight-seat MPV, which works out cheaper per head than several cars and keeps everyone together through the port.

Frequently asked questions