Dartford to Ashford International Taxi
Ashford looks like it should be an easy train from Dartford, and it is not: the two towns sit on different Southeastern lines that rarely meet without a change. By road it is 35 miles of A2, M2 and M20, and Taxi On The Go does it from £60 fixed to the station forecourt, the Designer Outlet or the William Harvey. Quotes by online form, WhatsApp or a call to 020 8888 9988.
A taxi from Dartford to Ashford International costs from £60 for a saloon, one way. The 35-mile journey goes via the A2, M2, A249 and M20 to Junction 9, or the M25 to Junction 3 and the M20, and takes 40–60 minutes. Taxi On The Go drops at the station forecourt on Station Approach and runs 24/7 with fixed fares.
Dartford and Kent to Ashford International: fares
One-way saloon guide prices to Ashford International, the town centre, the Designer Outlet or the William Harvey. No tolls, no crossing, no ULEZ. Gravesend and Ebbsfleet are nearer Ashford along the A2 and cost less than Dartford; Bexley borough pickups add a few pounds.
| Pickup | Saloon (from) | Journey |
|---|---|---|
| Maidstone ME14–ME16 | £28 | 20–30 min |
| Gravesend DA11/DA12 | £52 | 35–50 min |
| Ebbsfleet International DA10 | £55 | 35–55 min |
| Bluewater & Greenhithe DA9 | £58 | 40–55 min |
| Dartford DA1/DA2 | £60 | 40–60 min |
| Swanley BR8 | £62 | 40–60 min |
| Bexleyheath DA6/DA7 | £66 | 45–65 min |
| Sidcup DA14/DA15 | £68 | 45–65 min |
| Gatwick → Ashford either terminal | £100 | 75–100 min |
Guide fares; postcode and vehicle set the final figure. A 6-seat MPV is around a quarter more and an 8-seater about half as much again.
Two ways from Dartford to Ashford, and which we use
Ashford sits at Junction 9 of the M20, and from Dartford there are two roads to it. The first is the A2 east past Gravesend to the M2, off at Junction 5 onto the A249 over Detling Hill, then the M20 at Junction 7 and east to Junction 9. The second is the M25 clockwise to Junction 3 at Swanley, the M20 from its start at Junction 1 and the whole length of it past Maidstone to Junction 9. They are within minutes of each other; the A2 side suits Dartford, Gravesend and Ebbsfleet, the M25 side Bexleyheath, Sidcup and Swanley.
Off the motorway, the A20 and the ring road bring you to the station, where the taxi set-down is on Station Approach on the town side of the tracks. The Designer Outlet is beside the station on Kimberley Way, and the William Harvey is at Willesborough, straight off Junction 10.
- Dartford to M2 Junction 5: 20–25 minutes
- A249 and M20 to Junction 9: 15–25 minutes
- Junction 9 to the station forecourt: 5–10 minutes
Why the train from Dartford to Ashford rarely works
Both towns are on the Southeastern network, and that is where the similarity ends. Dartford's lines run along the North Kent coast towards Gravesend, Rochester and the Medway towns; Ashford's run through Maidstone East, Tonbridge and the Marsh. Rail between them means a change onto a slow service, or in and out of London on the high-speed line. Neither is quick, and neither is any use at 5am.
Straight there
Forty to sixty minutes door to door, from £60, with the bags in the boot rather than on the luggage rack of a stopping train.
Timed to your train
Tell us the high-speed departure you want to catch and we set the pickup to land you on the forecourt with fifteen minutes in hand.
Any hour
Early trains, late arrivals from the coast, Sunday engineering days. The car runs regardless.
If you only want the high-speed line into London, Ebbsfleet is four miles away and a far cheaper cab; Ashford makes sense when you are heading for Canterbury, Folkestone, Dover or the coast.
What the station gives you once you are there
Ashford International is the junction for east Kent. From the forecourt you can walk to platforms for the high-speed service to St Pancras (around 38 minutes), Southeastern trains to Canterbury West, Dover Priory, Folkestone Central, Ramsgate and Margate, and the Marshlink line to Rye and Hastings. Eurostar does not currently call at Ashford; check Eurostar's current stopping pattern before planning an international connection, and if you need St Pancras directly see Dartford to St Pancras.
Where we drop and collect:
- Station Approach forecourt. The main entrance on the town side, closest to the ticket hall and lifts.
- Designer Outlet, Kimberley Way. Adjoining the station; we drop by the entrance nearest the shops you want and can wait or return for the bags.
- Town centre and Eureka Park. Elwick Road for the centre, Eureka Leisure Park off Junction 9 for hotels.
For the return, give us the train you are on and the driver waits on Station Approach; free waiting is fifteen minutes, and if the train is running late we adjust.
William Harvey Hospital and medical transfers from Dartford
The William Harvey at Willesborough is east Kent's main acute hospital, and Dartford-area patients are referred there for specialist departments. It is the easiest Ashford destination to reach: straight off the M20 at Junction 10, along the A20 Hythe Road, and into the hospital site on Kennington Road. We drop at the main entrance, the outpatients entrance or the department you name.
- Appointments. Wait-and-return keeps the same driver with you, priced per quarter-hour after the free allowance.
- Discharges. Collection from the ward entrance at the time the staff confirm, with room in an estate for a wheelchair or walking frame.
- Transfers from Darent Valley. Patients moving between Darent Valley Hospital and the William Harvey can be driven directly, with a relative alongside.
- Visiting. Families visiting a patient for the day can book two singles or a wait-and-return, whichever is cheaper for the hours involved.
For anything needing a ramp rather than a folded chair, see our wheelchair accessible taxi page.
Eurotunnel, the Channel ports and where we pick up
Ashford is fifteen miles short of the LeShuttle terminal at Folkestone and twenty from Dover's Eastern Docks. Fares onward to Folkestone Eurotunnel and Dover ferry port are on those pages, and a Dartford to Dover run through Ashford is quoted as one journey.
Pickups for Ashford run from Dartford DA1 and DA2, Stone, Greenhithe and Bluewater, Swanscombe and Ebbsfleet, and Gravesend and Northfleet along the A2. From the west, Bexleyheath, Crayford, Sidcup and Swanley join the M25 for the M20 route. Maidstone and Leeds Castle are on the way and priced accordingly, and passengers landing at Gatwick can be driven straight to Ashford from £100. Fares in and around the town are on Dartford taxis; runs across the country are on long-distance taxis; and the town at the other end is covered on Ashford taxis.
Booking Dartford to Ashford International
Send the trip
Pickup postcode, Ashford destination, train time if catching one, passengers and luggage. Any hour, by form, WhatsApp or phone on 020 8888 9988.
Set fare back
One figure for the vehicle you need; no booking fee, no card charge.
Driver named
Driver, car and registration by text the day before.
M20 to the forecourt
Collected on time, dropped on Station Approach or at the hospital door. Card, cash or invoice.
Every booking includes
- A fixed price to Ashford agreed before departure
- Pickup timed to the train you need to catch
- Station Approach forecourt drop-off and collection
- Hospital wait-and-return with the same driver
- Saloon, estate, MPV or 8-seater
- Child and booster seats at no charge when asked for
- Available every hour of every day
- Drivers vetted by DBS, vehicles licensed and insured
Dartford to Ashford International — asked and answered
What does a taxi from Dartford to Ashford International cost?
From £60 for a saloon one way. Gravesend is from £52, Ebbsfleet £55, Bluewater £58, Swanley £62, Bexleyheath £66 and Sidcup £68. Maidstone to Ashford is from £28.
How long does Dartford to Ashford take by taxi?
Forty to sixty minutes for around 35 miles. The A249 over Detling and the M20 around Maidstone slow slightly in the weekday peaks; outside those hours it is usually under 45 minutes.
Where do you drop off at Ashford International?
On the Station Approach forecourt at the main entrance on the town side, next to the ticket hall and lifts. For the Designer Outlet we drop on Kimberley Way beside the station.
Does Eurostar stop at Ashford?
Not at present. Check Eurostar's current stopping pattern before you plan on it. If you need to board at St Pancras we can take you there directly from Dartford instead.
Can you take me to the William Harvey Hospital?
Yes. It is off M20 Junction 10 at Willesborough and the quickest Ashford destination from Dartford. Tell us the department and we drop at its door, wait for an appointment, or collect on discharge.
Do you go via the M2 or the M20?
Both. From Dartford, Gravesend and Ebbsfleet the A2, M2 and A249 is usually quicker; from Bexleyheath, Sidcup and Swanley the M25 to Junction 3 and the M20 makes more sense.
Is it quicker to catch the train from Dartford to Ashford?
Rarely. The two towns sit on different Southeastern lines, so rail means a change onto a slow service or a loop through London on the high-speed line. The car is 40–60 minutes door to door.
Can you carry on to Eurotunnel or Dover?
Yes. Folkestone's LeShuttle terminal is fifteen miles beyond Ashford and Dover's Eastern Docks about twenty. A Dartford to Folkestone or Dover journey is quoted as a single fare.