4 people, 4 suitcases

Dover port: the best way to central London for four people

Four people on the high-speed train pay 194.40 pounds for the Anytime fare, plus a taxi from the terminal to Dover Priory. Four slower-train tickets from 28.90 each come to about 115.60. A pre-booked car at around 150 pounds carries up to three, with a larger car for four or five costing more, so for a group of three the car is the cheapest, fastest option with luggage. A taxi at about 150 to 230 pounds is level with four Anytime train tickets at the low end and takes you to the hotel. Couples with one case can take the train.

← Back to the full comparison for Dover cruise terminals (London cruises)

Dover port to central London

People4

Bags4

Verdict for your case

National Express coach to Victoria is the best value: £32 for the group, about 3 h 10 min.

Bus

National Express coach to Victoria

Our pickCheapest

3 h 10 min

For the group£32estimate

National Express route 007 · Dover Pencester Road to Victoria Coach Station

Per person: £8
Door to door: 3 h 10 min
Runs: 04:35–16:50
Frequency: 4 a day
Board at: Pencester Road bus station in Dover, a taxi ride from the terminals
Suitcases: Awkward

Train

Taxi to Dover Priory, then high-speed train to St Pancras

Fastest

1 h 40 min

For the group£194.40

Southeastern high-speed · Anytime single, cheaper tickets in advance

Per person: £48.60
Door to door: 1 h 40 min
Runs: 05:45–22:48
Frequency: about every hour
Board at: Taxi rank at your terminal, then Dover Priory station
Suitcases: Awkward

Train

Taxi to Dover Priory, then slower train to Victoria or Charing Cross

2 h 30 min

For the group£115.60

Southeastern · slower and cheaper than high-speed

Per person: £28.90
Door to door: 2 h 30 min
Runs: 04:50–21:28
Frequency: about every hour
Board at: Taxi rank at your terminal, then Dover Priory station
Suitcases: Awkward

Taxi

Taxi to central London

2 h 5 min

For the group£150–£230estimate

Local taxi, price agreed or metered

Per person: £150–£230 per vehicle
Door to door: 2 h 5 min
Runs: 24 hours
Frequency: Rank at both cruise terminals
Board at: Taxi rank at your terminal
Suitcases: Carried for you

Private car

Pre-booked private car

2 h 5 min

For the group£3002 vehicles · estimate

Fixed price, meeting your ship's disembarkation

Per person: £150 per vehicle
Door to door: 2 h 5 min
Runs: 24 hours
Frequency: Pre-booked
Board at: Meeting point at your terminal
Suitcases: Carried for you

Sources: official operators, airport and port authorities, city taxi regulations.Checked on October 4, 2026How we compare: method and sources

Every option in detail

Train

Taxi to Dover Priory, then high-speed train to St Pancras

£48.60
1 h 40 min
05:45–22:48
→ London St Pancras International

The Anytime Day Single is 48.60 pounds on the Southeastern page. Off-Peak and advance tickets are cheaper, but we could not confirm a fixed amount, so check the date you travel. The train takes about 1 hour 7 minutes, with the fastest around 1 hour 3 minutes. Dover Priory is about 2.5 km from the terminals, a 30 to 40 minute walk and a short taxi ride. Taxis can be scarce on a busy disembarkation morning. On weekdays the first train from Dover Priory is about 05:45 and the last about 22:48, with fewer services on Sundays. Trains call at Folkestone, Ashford International and Ebbsfleet.

Source: Southeastern ↗

Train

Taxi to Dover Priory, then slower train to Victoria or Charing Cross

£28.90
2 h 30 min
04:50–21:28
→ London Victoria or Charing Cross

Direct trains to Victoria take about 2 hours 10 minutes and trains to Charing Cross about 1 hour 55 minutes. Southeastern lists fares to Charing Cross from 28.90 pounds, which is well under the high-speed single. Weekday first trains are about 04:50 to Victoria and 05:27 to Charing Cross, and the last are about 21:18 and 21:28. Choose this if your hotel is near Victoria or the Strand, or if the price matters more than an hour of travel.

Source: Southeastern ↗

Bus

National Express coach to Victoria

£8 (estimate)
3 h 10 min
04:35–16:50
→ London Victoria Coach Station

There are only four coaches a day, with the first leaving Dover at 04:35 and the last at 16:50 on Mondays and Fridays and at the weekend, or 17:50 Tuesday to Thursday. The coach calls at Folkestone, Canterbury and south-east London before Victoria. The journey is roughly 2 hours 40 minutes to over 3 hours. Advance fares start at about 8 pounds one way, a figure from a third-party listing, as National Express shows fares only in its booking tool. It suits one or two travellers with one case and a flexible schedule.

Source: National Express ↗

Taxi

Taxi to central London

£150–£230 per vehicle (estimate)
2 h 5 min
24 hours
→ Door to door in central London

The port says taxis wait at the ranks outside both cruise terminals, but there is no official fare to London. Expect roughly 150 to 230 pounds for around 115 km, which is our estimate. Agree a price before you get in, as taxis at the port often prefer local jobs. Allow about 2 hours, longer on Fridays and at weekends. Booking a car in advance is usually safer.

Source: Port of Dover ↗

Private car

Pre-booked private car

£150 per vehicle (estimate)
2 h 5 min
24 hours
→ Door to door in central London

A standard saloon for up to three passengers is around 150 pounds on the listings we checked, though prices vary a lot by supplier. The fare is fixed when you book and the driver adjusts to the time you leave the ship. Allow around 2 hours, more in traffic on the M20 and M25. It is the sensible choice for a group or heavy cruise luggage.

Practical tips

On disembarkation morning taxis queue fast, so book a car or arrive at the rank early. Check your cruise line's colour-coded time.
Dover Priory is about 2.5 km from the terminals, a 30 to 40 minute walk, so take a taxi or the cruise shuttle if your line offers one.
Ask your cruise line whether it runs a free shuttle to Dover Priory. Some do, and the hop-on, hop-off port shuttle does not always stop at the station.
On embarkation day, allow 1 hour 7 minutes on the train from St Pancras plus a short taxi from Dover Priory to your terminal. Aim to reach Dover well before your boarding slot.
The last train from St Pancras to Dover Priory is 23:37 Monday to Saturday and 22:37 on Sunday, so do not plan a late evening return.
The port has two cruise terminals, CT1 and CT2, plus another berth at WD4, so check which one your ship uses before choosing a route.

Questions travellers ask

Dover port with four people: what is the cheapest way?

National Express coach to Victoria: £32 for the group of four, about 3 h 10 min door to door.

Dover port: what is the best option for four people with four suitcases?

National Express coach to Victoria is the best value: £32 for the group, about 3 h 10 min.

Dover port: is a taxi cheaper than four tickets?

No. National Express coach to Victoria costs £32 for four tickets, against Taxi to central London at £150–£230 for the group.

Dover port: is one taxi enough for four people?

The fare here is counted for up to 4 passengers per taxi, so four people go in one taxi for £150–£230.

Dover port: which options are easiest with four suitcases?

The comparison marks these as awkward with suitcases: National Express coach to Victoria, Taxi to Dover Priory, then high-speed train to St Pancras, Taxi to Dover Priory, then slower train to Victoria or Charing Cross. Luggage is carried for you with: Taxi to central London, Pre-booked private car.

Dover port: where do these prices and times come from?

Prices and times were checked on October 4, 2026 against Southeastern, National Express, Port of Dover, linked in the list of options on this page.

Arrival around 00:30