East Kent Railway Experiences

The East Kent heritage railway is near Dover in Kent, operating between Shepherdswell and Eythorne stations. The main headquarters is located at Shepherdswell station.

If you're visiting by public transport, East Kent Railway's Shepherdswell Station is served by mainline Southeastern Trains  connecting London and Chatham to Dover Priory, making it easy to visit EKR by train. If you're driving, the main car parking is at Shepherdswell station, just off the A2 - and it's free.

The East Kent Railway was built between 1911 and 1917 to serve the local Kent coalfields such as Tilmanstone Colliery. Freight and commercial operations finally ceased in the 1980s which is when volunteers got together to preserve the line and forming the East Kent heritage railway.

Yes. The East Kent Railway operates on standard 4ft 8 1/2 inch tracks.

The line runs from Shepherdswell to Eythorne along a 2.4-mile scenic route through the Kentish countryside toward the coast. The route included the historic, 500-metre long Golgotha Tunnel.

Through Into The Blue, book hands-on train driving experiences, rides in the cab alongside the driver and tickets to ride the East Kent line and visit all the on-site attractions. 

A return journey from Shepherdswell to Eythorne and back covers just over four miles and takes around 30 to 45 minutes.

As well as the steam and diesel train ride, visitors can explore the main headquarters at Shepherdswell where they'll find the heritage museum, miniature railways and a large cafe. There is also a 15-acre area of woodland offering very pleasant walking routes.

The main train operating season at East Kent Railway is from late March through to late October, with running days on Sundays plus some Bank Holidays and during the main summer holidays too. Trains are limited in winter. The Shepherdswell station and in particular the popular Colonel's Cafe are open (usually Tuesday to Sunday) all year round.

Due to the fact that East Kent Railway operates on selected days and driving experiences in particular have limited availability, it's highly recommended to book your voucher and reserve your preferred date well in advance