Ebbsfleet Valley is a new town in Kent.

Ebbsfleet was once a small village occupied since the stone age, in 2005 work begun to transform Ebbsfleet into a modern village. Ebbsfleet Valley village will become important to travellers and local commuters resulting from Ebbsfleet International station which operates Domestic Highspeed trains and International Eurostar trains, and because of the Ebbsfleet United Football Club which has been bought by 30,000 web based fans.

Ebbsfleet International is a railway station located in Ebbsfleet, which provides transports between UK and Europe. Several trains operate each hour direct between Ebbsfleet and Paris, Lille or Brussels.

By 2009 Ebbsfleet was re-developed as part of a regeneration project to host Ebbsfleet International railway station and a modern village Ebbsfleet Valley near the town of Gravesend on the River Thames in the north of the English county of Kent. Together with its neighbouring villages of Northfleet and Gravesend it forms a large urban area known as Gravesham, to the south west of Gravesend town and south east of Dartford.

Get in

By car

• From London, take the A2 arterial road from either London or the M25 Orbital motorway.
• From Canterbury, take the M2 and the A2 to Junction for Ebbsfleet International exit.

International

Eurostar high-speed trains running from Paris (Gare du Nord), Lille (Europe), Calais (Fréthun) and Brussels (Zuid-Midi) stop at Ebbsfleet International station. The station is located on purpose developed land, with onsite car parking for over 9000 vehicles.

Passengers travelling by Eurostar to the UK from Paris (Gare du Nord), Lille (Europe), Calais (Fréthun) and Brussels (Zuid-Midi) stations undergo UK passport/identity card checks in France/Belgium before boarding, rather than on arrival in the UK. The UK passport checks take place after the French/Belgian passport/identity card exit checks in the stations. However, UK customs checks take place on arrival in the UK.

Passengers travelling to France/Belgium from Ashford International go through French passport/identity card checks in the station before boarding the train, whilst selective customs checks take place on arrival in France/Belgium following disembarkation.

Ashford International is also served by domestic trains from several major London stations (see below). Ashford International station was re-opened on 28 February 1996 and first operated international trains departing from Waterloo, London. The station was the first stop in England on the Channel Tunnel rail link, allowing trains to link from the UK directly to France and Belgium via the Channel Tunnel.

In 2007 a new high-speed rail line was installed at Ashford International called High Speed 1. All International trains now depart from St Pancras International railway station in London, which was reopened in 2007 to replace all services previously operating from Waterloo, London. In 2009 Ashford International train station further improved its domestic train services with the launch of Britain's first high-speed domestic trains to St Pancras International, London and Ebbsfleet International, Kent.

Domestic

Domestic trains are operated by SouthEastern From London St Pancras to Ebbsfleet (typical journey time 15 – 17 minutes). By 2010 trains from Ashford International and Stratford International will also serve Ebbsfleet, although for alternative London stations it may be necessary to change at Ebbsfleet. As of 2009 the new high-speed trains on the St Pancras International - Ebbsfleet route will have a full timetable.

Get around

Local Fastrack [1] buses are operated by Arriva [2].

See

Landmarks

• Ebbsfleet Landmark. Project commissioned and announced in May 2007 by the art foundation in England. Five internationally acclaimed artists drafted proposals for a landmark at Ebbsfleet; Daniel Buren, Richard Deacon, Christopher Le Brun, Mark Wallinger and Rachel Whiteread. 

Once complete, the plans may see a 40-50m high landmark, one of the biggest artworks standing in the UK.

Do

Bluewater [3] is a local shopping center, offering retail and leisure activities, with over 330 stores, 40 cafes, bars and restaurants plus a 13-screen cinema.

Eat

Bluewater is a local shopping center with late opening bars and restaurants.

Sleep

Various hotels are available in the local vicinity, Ebbsfleet Valley have plans for new hotels, amenities and shops.