- Ebbsfleet International railway station
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Ebbsfleet International Location Place Ebbsfleet Valley, Kent Local authority Borough of Dartford Operations Station code EBD Managed by London and Continental Railways Number of platforms 6 Live arrivals/departures and station information
from National Rail EnquiriesAnnual rail passenger usage 2009/10 * 284,342 - Interchange 25,036 History Opened 19 November 2007 National Rail - UK railway stations A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z * Annual passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Ebbsfleet International from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. Please note: methodology may vary year on year. Ebbsfleet International railway station is a railway station in Ebbsfleet Valley, in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, 10 miles outside the eastern boundary of Greater London, England. It is near Dartford and the Bluewater shopping centre to the west and Gravesend to the east. Ebbsfleet International station is a part of the Thames Gateway urban regeneration, a project of national priority. It is sited on the High Speed 1 rail line, just 400 yards west of Northfleet railway station. The station lies off the A2 trunk road, about 5 miles from its junction with the M25 motorway.
Contents
Opening
The station opened to the public on 19 November 2007, later than St. Pancras International because the security equipment was transferred from Waterloo. The station was formally opened and dedicated in a ceremony by Dame Kelly Holmes on 29 January 2008.[1]
Layout
Two platforms serve international Eurostar services and four platforms serve Southeastern Highspeed services within Kent. There are also avoiding lines in each direction. North Kent Line domestic services use the junction to the north of the station. Northfleet Station is 400 yards to the east, although the walking distance between the two is longer, as there is no direct connection.
Eurostar services Legend0:00 London St Pancras Stratford International Not calling 0:15 Ebbsfleet International 0:30 Ashford International Channel Tunnel (UK–France border) 0:54 Calais-Fréthun 1:20 Lille-Europe France–Belgium border 1:51 Brussels-South 2:15 Paris Gare du Nord 2:33 Marne la Vallée-Chessy (Disneyland) 5:40 Avignon Centre (summer only) 6:27 Moûtiers (winter) 6:59 Aime-La Plagne (winter, set down only) 7:17 Bourg-Saint-Maurice (winter) Times shown are fastest timetabled journey from St Pancras.
Facilities
The Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) Act allows a total of 9,000 car parking spaces to be constructed,[2] with an initial 6,000 built. The car parks are in a number of geographical areas around the station - north of the North Kent Line, between the North Kent Line and High Speed 1, south of the High Speed 1 and south west of the station building. The station is served by National Express coach services running between London and Dover, and by Fastrack buses operated by Arriva, which connect it to Dartford, Bluewater, Greenhithe, Swanscombe and Gravesend.[3] Taxis are located at a Taxi rank directly outside the station entrance/exit. Car rental services for both leisure and business are located in the concourse. The interchange facilities lie at either end of the main station box - taxis, buses and set down at the northern end (to also serve the NKL platforms) and coaches to the south of the station box. It was formerly planned that Crossrail would terminate at the station, but under the current plan, Abbey Wood further west will be the eastern terminus.
Naming
"Ebbsfleet International Station" was the name originally proposed for the station, but "Dartford International Station" was later proposed at the urging of Eurostar, who felt that Dartford was a name with greater national recognition. Opposition to Eurostar’s ‘Dartford International’ proposal came from Gravesham Borough Council, whose administrative centre at Gravesend is just two miles away (even though Ebbsfleet International is in the Dartford constituency and therefore outside of Gravesham council's authority); Southfleet Parish Council; and Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council, both in the Borough of Dartford.[4] The similarity of its name to that of Dartford railway station, 6 miles away, was also of concern.
Services
Daily there are six (seven on Fridays) Eurostar services to Paris, and three to Brussels, and the same number arriving from the continent. It is not permitted to use Eurostar services for domestic journeys in the UK, though journeys between Calais and Lille/Paris are possible.
On 29 June 2009 Southeastern started a weekday preview service between London St Pancras and Ebbsfleet International, extending to Ashford International during peak hours.[5] On 7 September the service was enhanced with a few services to Ramsgate via Canterbury West or Dover.[6] A regular service commenced on 13 December 2009.[7]
The typical off-peak service is:[7]
- 4 trains per hour to St Pancras International, taking 17 minutes;[7]
- 2 trains per hour to Faversham;
- 1 train per hour to Margate via Ashford International and Canterbury West;
- 1 train per hour to Dover Priory via Ashford International, Folkestone West and Folkestone Central.[7]
Preceding station National Rail Following station London St Pancras
InternationalEurostar
High Speed 1Ashford
InternationalStratford
InternationalSoutheastern
High Speed 1
London-BroadstairsGravesend Southeastern
High Speed 1
London-Margate/DoverAshford
InternationalReferences
- ^ Kelly Holmes opens Eurostar’s Ebbsfleet station | New Consumer
- ^ Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 1996 Section 9 4b
- ^ Fastrack A/B Map
- ^ "Row over Euro-link station name". BBC News. 2004-10-29. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/3963589.stm.
- ^ "Preview timetable". http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/app/webroot/files/cache/Preview%20Timetable.pdf. Retrieved 1 June 2009.[dead link]
- ^ "Preview Timetable". Southeastern Railway. 7 September 2009. http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/app/webroot/files/cache/Preview%20timetable%20from%207%20September.pdf. Retrieved 7 September 2009.[dead link]
- ^ a b c d Southeastern Highspeed: 13 December 2009 timetable
External links
- Train times and station information for Ebbsfleet International railway station from National Rail
- Always touch out project details
- BBC picture gallery
- Kent Rail page on the station and related works on CTRL phase 2
- Ebbsfleet Gateway
Gallery
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Details of the track, looking west, showing descending link from the North Kent Line.
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Showing the North Kent link line with a 12 car unit on the North Kent Line approaching the junction.
Coordinates: 51°26′34.94″N 0°19′15.18″E / 51.4430389°N 0.3208833°E
Eurostar Stations< London St Pancras International · Ebbsfleet International · Ashford International · Calais-Fréthun · Lille-Europe · Brussels-South · Paris Gare du Nord · Marne la Vallée-Chessy (Disneyland Paris) ·
Summer only: Avignon-Centre
Winter only: Moûtiers · Aime-La Plagne · Bourg Saint MauriceLines Rolling stock Class 373 · Eurostar e320 (planned)Proposed Other Categories:- Railway stations in Kent
- Transport in Dartford
- Eurostar railway stations
- Railway stations opened by Network Rail
- Railway stations opened in 2007
- Railway stations served by Southeastern
- Railway stations served by Eurostar
- DfT Category B stations
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