Line closed between Folkestone and Dover

The line between Dover Priory and Folkestone Central is closed until further notice following severe damage to a sea wall in Dover on Christmas Eve.

Trains are unable to run between Folkestone Central and Dover Priory. This means that most peak high speed Kent Coast services and most off peak services are unable to stop at Dover Priory, Martin Mill, Walmer, Deal or Sandwich.  

Expected reopening

We are pleased to tell you that Network Rail has agreed a repair and rebuild plan, and is working to re-open the railway between Dover and Folkestone in December 2016.

While this seems like a far off milestone, it is necessary to give engineers the time to re-build the wall and complete the complex work which is needed in order to get the line open.

As part of the £44.5m major project by Network Rail, engineers will need to completely rebuild the damaged section of the sea wall and railway. This work will take many more engineers, much more time and a great deal more money than a standard repair job, but this project will secure the line at Dover for many years to come. We thank you for your continued patience while waiting for a date and thank you for your on-going understanding while the work takes place.

Full details of the reopening

Timetable changes 

There are timetable changes as a result of this line closure, but they are included in our new Summer timetable. Download your timetable here or pick up a copy from any of our stations. 

Travel advice 

• Advice for passengers travelling from Deal 
• Advice for passengers travelling from Dover Priory 
• Advice for passengers travelling from Martin Mill  
• Advice for passengers travelling from Sandwich  
• Advice for passengers travelling from Walmer 

Compensation

Special arrangements are in place for passengers travelling to or from Sandwich, Deal, Walmer, Martin Mill and Dover Priory, to stations beyond Folkestone or Ramsgate.

Compensation advice

Changes to parking at Folkestone West 

From Monday 11 April, passengers with valid tickets from Sandwich, Deal, Walmer, Martin Mill or Dover Priory will be able to park for free by displaying a permit. Anyone who travels from stations outside of these should pay for and display a ticket as normal, and anyone without a valid permit or ticket will be subject to a fine. 

Details of Folkestone West parking permits

Until the line re-opens the following arrangements will be in place:

• From Monday 25 January a new peak high speed service which will attach/detach at Ramsgate, will leave Dover Priory at 06:45 and call at Martin Mill, Walmer, Deal and Sandwich before travelling via Ashford and arriving at St Pancras International at 08:42. The evening service, which will also attach/detach at Ramsgate, will leave St Pancras International at 17:50 and will travel via Ashford arriving at Dover Priory at 19:43. The service will call at sandwich, Deal, Walmer and Martin Mill.*
• From Monday 8 February a high speed train will call at Dover Priory at 05.42 and travel on to Martin Mill, Walmer, Deal and Sandwich. It will attach to the 06.15 Margate train, which will now begin its journey one minute early at 06.14 to accommodate the change, before heading to St Pancras via Ramsgate. 
• From Monday 28 March a new high speed service from Folkestone to St Pancras International. The service will call at Folkestone Central at 06:59, Folkestone West at 07:01 and continue on to Ashford International at the normal time of 07:16 and arrive in to London St Pancras at 07:54. 
• Changes have also been made to the timetable to reduce overall journey times and limit waiting times for connections to the five affected stations. Passengers on the 19.20 from St Pancras, which arrives at Ramsgate at 20.31, will now only have to wait 7 mins to catch the 20.38 to Sandwich and Deal. Those on the 20.12 arriving at Ramsgate at 21.31 will be able to catch the 21.38. Similarly, passengers on the 21.12 arriving at Ramsgate at 22.27 will be able to catch the 22.38 to the two stations.
• A bus replacement service running between Dover and Folkestone West calling at Folkestone Central. This will remain in place while repairs to the line take place.
• A bus replacement service during peak times will run from Martin Mill, Walmer, Deal and Sandwich ro Folkestone Central and West.
• A special train service running throughout each day from Dover Priory to Ramsgate stopping at Martin Mill, Walmer, Deal and Sandwich.
• Folkestone West car park will be free to all passengers with train tickets from affected stations Dover Priory, Martin Mill, Walmer, Deal or Sandwich who are now driving to Folkestone West to catch train services from there to be the quickest option. Fees are still payable to all other passengers. 

Please note...

• To accommodate these changes, the 06:24 from Faversham to Dover Priory will start from Ramsgate at 07:12. The 07:16 Margate to St Pancras International will start back from Faversham at 06:40 and stop at all stations to Ramsgate and then depart Ramsgate at 07:28 as scheduled via Canterbury West to St Pancras International. This service will call at Margate at 07:12 and Broadstairs at 07:18 – four minutes earlier than usual. It will make an additional stop at Dumpton Park at 07:21. Passengers are advised to check their journeys before they travel.
• We advise unless you are of reduced mobility or are travelling with heavy luggage, that you change at Folkestone West for the bus service. (Note: At Folkestone West, all buses will arrive / depart from the London bound side of the station (Platform 1).
• If you are of reduced mobility or are travelling with luggage etc, then we strongly recommend that you change at Folkestone Central to avoid the need to use the subway / negotiate stairs at Folkestone West.

Will passengers at the five affected stations be expected to pay high speed fares?

We would not expect our passengers to pay a high speed fare where we are unable to provide a high speed service, and are suspending high speed fares from Dover Priory, Martin Mill, Walmer, Deal and Sandwich while the work continues.

This means that once passengers arrive at Folkestone or Ramsgate by replacement bus or train services from these five stations they will not be expected to pay an extra supplement to catch a high speed service for their remaining journey.

Severe damage to sea wall

The line between Dover Priory and Folkestone Central is closed until further notice following severe damage to a sea wall in Dover on Christmas Eve.

Since then the condition of the wall has deteriorated further, with severe damage to a number of sections and a number of sink holes two to three metres deep along the length of the wall.

Major work is being carried out to repair the track and the sea wall will need to be rebuilt.

Network Rail are working on a solution that will not only allow the railway to be re-opened but also to act as a sea defence for many years to come. Such a complicated design takes time to achieve and Network Rail are working as quickly as possible to provide an indication as to how long the work will take. In the meantime more than 19,000 tonnes of rock is being placed on the beach to protect the railway from further damage.

• More images showing the extent of the damage

Check before you travel

• Southeastern live travel information
• Download our On Track app via the App Store or Google play
• Follow us on Twitter @Se_Railway #Folkestone
• ask station staff

• To plan your journey please go to www.nationalrail.co.uk
• Please allow extra time for your journey