Our verdict
Best overall
From London: White Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury Day Trip
White Cliffs of Dover plus a Canterbury walking tour for about £79, rated 4.6★ from 3,200+ reviews. Doing both by train costs more and takes more planning.
4.6★ · 3,292from £79 GetYourGuide →
Best with kids
From London: Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral & Dover
Adds Leeds Castle to Canterbury and Dover for about £105. The moated castle has a birds of prey centre and a little road train, which buys a lot of goodwill from children. 4.4★ from 800+ reviews.
4.4★ · 811from £105 GetYourGuide →
Best value
Canterbury by train
A Super Off-Peak day return is £32 on the slower trains, or £43.10 on the high-speed line from St Pancras. Add £18 for the cathedral in autumn and winter and you’re done for about £50–£61.
Skip it if
You only want the cliffs
Walking onto the White Cliffs is free. Take a train to Dover Priory and walk or taxi up to the National Trust visitor centre, with no coach day needed.
London to Dover and Canterbury: is a tour worth it?
For one place, no. Canterbury and Dover both sit on Southeastern’s high-speed line out of St Pancras, so a London to Dover or Canterbury day trip by train is quick and simple. A Super Off-Peak return to Canterbury costs less than half the cheapest coach tour.
The coach tour pays off when you want two or three places in one day: Canterbury Cathedral, the White Cliffs, and sometimes Leeds Castle. The rail connections between them are fiddly, and the cliffs are a climb from Dover station. At about £79 for Canterbury and the cliffs, a tour costs roughly what one person would spend on high-speed rail plus the cathedral, with the logistics done for you.
Tour vs DIY: the Kent ladder
| Option | £ per adult | Time on the road (return) | Time on site | Flexibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coach tour: Dover cliffs + Canterbury | ~£79 | ~4–5 h by coach | Split between two stops | Fixed |
| Coach tour: Leeds Castle + Canterbury + Dover | ~£105 | ~4–5 h | Three short stops | Fixed |
| Train to Canterbury (Super Off-Peak) | £32 slow / £43.10 high-speed + £18 cathedral | ~1 h 45 min high-speed | As long as you like | Any train after 10am |
| Train to Dover Priory (high-speed) | roughly £50–£60 off-peak return (check on the day); cliffs free | ~2 h 10 min | As long as you like | Any off-peak train |
| Train to Bearsted for Leeds Castle | roughly £30 off-peak return (check on the day) + £34.50 ticket (20% off with train ticket) | ~2 h 30 min + taxis | As long as you like | Any train |
| Private driver-guide | £760 per group, full day (Guild rate) | ~4 h by car | Your choice | Total |
Tour prices are the “from” prices in our partner feed today. Canterbury rail fares are Southeastern’s published fares. The Dover and Bearsted figures are cautious ranges, because the operator doesn’t publish them. Use the journey planner for your date. The driver-guide figure is the Guild’s 2026–27 starting rate for a Blue Badge driver-guide.
Which Kent day trip is best?
| Tour | Price | Length | Rating | What’s in it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Cliffs of Dover & Canterbury | ~£79 | 10 h | 4.6★ (3,200+) | Cliff walk plus a Canterbury walking tour |
| Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral & Dover | ~£105 | 10 h | 4.4★ (800+) | Three stops; most ground covered |
| Canterbury Cathedral, Dover Castle & White Cliffs | ~£110 | 10.5 h | 4.6★ (1,100+) | Includes Dover Castle; next runs March 2027 |
| Leeds Castle & Hever Castle with tickets | ~£125 | 11 h | 4.3★ (20) | Two castles, no coast; next runs January 2027 |
The last two aren’t bookable for the next few months, according to our feed, so they don’t appear in the picks below.
Kent day trips you can book now
From London: White Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury Day Trip
from £79
See on GetYourGuide
From London: Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral & Dover
from £105
See on GetYourGuidePrices and ratings checked 21 Oct 2026; they change daily.
- Cliffs and cathedral, first visit: the £79 Dover and Canterbury tour is the best-reviewed and cheapest.
- Castles: Leeds Castle is the draw. Its moat, gardens, birds of prey and little train suit families, and it’s an easy train ride on its own from Victoria.
- History buffs: Dover Castle’s wartime tunnels deserve half a day. Do it by train on a day when you aren’t also trying to see Canterbury.
If you’re weighing Kent against other castles, Windsor is far closer. For more train-friendly ideas, see day trips by train. If the coast is what you’re after, the Seven Sisters cliffs in Sussex are covered on our UK multi-day and coast page. For crossing the Channel itself, see Paris and Europe day trips.
Practical tips
- Canterbury Cathedral hours: 10am–5pm Monday to Saturday (last entry 4pm). On Sundays the church opens from 12.30pm. Services and events can close parts of it.
- Leeds Castle in autumn: until 19 November 2026, the grounds open 10am–5pm and the castle 10.30am–3.30pm, with last entry 3pm. The Black Swan ferry stops after October.
- Wind on the cliffs: the White Cliffs path is exposed and unfenced in places. Wear proper shoes and keep children close.
- Tour admissions vary: some Kent tours include the cathedral or castle, others don’t. Compare like with like.
Questions people ask
How far is Dover from London?
How do I get to the White Cliffs of Dover from London?
How much is the train from London to Canterbury?
Can you do Canterbury and Dover in one day by train?
How do you get to Leeds Castle from London?
How much does it cost to visit Canterbury Cathedral and Leeds Castle?
Sources
- Southeastern — London St Pancras to Canterbury West (journey times) (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- Southeastern — London St Pancras to Dover Priory (journey times, frequency) (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- Southeastern — Super Off-Peak tickets (Canterbury fares) (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- Southeastern — Off-Peak tickets (Canterbury, Folkestone fares) (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- Office of Rail and Road — Rail fares index 2026 (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- Canterbury Cathedral — tickets and opening times (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- Leeds Castle — opening times, directions and admission (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- National Trust — planning your visit to the White Cliffs of Dover (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- English Heritage — Dover Castle prices and opening times (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- GetYourGuide — Canterbury tours (partner feed)
Written and checked by the Private Tours London desk