Southeastern rail company expands sea services during holidays

Rail operator Southeastern is providing extra capacity on trains to coastal towns in Kent and East Sussex this summer.

The company said it was making travel to the coast easier with extra trains during the school holidays and direct services between south-east London and the North Kent coast.

Julian Moosai, head of operations at Southeastern, said it would boost tourism in Kent and East Sussex, make it easier for London customers to explore the network and encourage people to leave their cars at home.

“We pride ourselves on serving the South East and its beautiful attractions all year round, but with so many stunning beaches and coastlines on our doorstep, we know summer is a great time to get out and about,” he said.

The company said a direct service starting on Monday from London Cannon Street to Ramsgate would connect more stations with Whitstable, Herne Bay, Margate and Broadstairs.

On Saturdays there are three extra services in each direction between London Victoria and Ramsgate.

At weekends, extra carriages are added to some trains to the Kent and Hastings coast.

The company also said it would continue to operate additional night-time services from Margate to support music events at Dreamland over the summer.

Deirdre Wells, Chief Executive of Visit Kent, said: “Encouraging more visitors to choose sustainable transport is a key priority in the Kent Sustainable Tourism Action Plan.

“We are therefore delighted that Southeastern is expanding its services to the Kent coast.”

She said visitors would be able to discover ‘gems’ across Kent, from the county’s attractions to its beaches.