How to get to Camber Sands

The nearest train station to Camber Sands is Rye, and the journey from London to Rye by train usually takes just a little over an hour. To get there, catch a Southeastern service from London St Pancras to Ashford International, and at Ashford, change on to a Southern service to Rye.

Keep in mind that Rye station is displayed in our app and on our website as ‘Rye (Sussex)’.

From Rye station, you can catch the 102 Wave bus right to the beachfront. The bus journey takes around 20 minutes depending on traffic (it can get very busy on hot days!) and buses usually depart hourly from the station and they're often synced up with the train timetable. Make sure you check bus timetables on the Stagecoach website before planning a trip.

There are a few stops you can alight at along the beach; jump off at the Pontins bus stop for the beach amenities like the local convenience store, changing rooms and beachfront shops, or you can also hop off at the Camber Sands Holiday Park stop too if you prefer to head to a less-busy part of the beach with more space to spread out.

　　Can I walk from the station to the beach?

Capacity is currently limited to half on the 102 bus to allow for social distancing, so you may find the bus is full before you can get on. If you’re not in a rush, consider walking to the beach! From the station, head east along the A259, across the river. Just beyond the bridge, you’ll see a footpath adjacent to a sheep field with signs for Camber and Lydd. Follow the trail until you hit Camber Road. Continue along Camber Road past the golf course, where you’ll eventually see signs for the beach.

　　How much are train tickets to Rye?

Although you can sometimes buy Advance Single tickets if you know when you're going to travel, or you're planning a weekend with the family to Pontins or Camber Sands Holiday Park, this could work out to be the cheapest option if you book in Advance.

If you're flexible or just chasing the sun, grab a Super Off-Peak Return ticket. These are slightly more expensive, but comes with increased flexibility so in most cases you can catch any Super Off-Peak service, of which there are several throughout the day into the evening and on weekends in the summer months. Please note that due to increased demand, the train operators could change the fare conditions and timetables.

If you have a Railcard, or even an Annual Gold Card which comes free with many London-based Annual Season Tickets, you will get 1/3 off the fare price too during Off-Peak times and on weekends too! 

　　Things to do around Camber Sands

Chances are you’re going to the beach to sunbathe all day long, but if not, there’s plenty to do around Rye and Camber too if you're keen to explore!

　　Camber Castle

Just 35 minutes on foot from Rye station, Camber Castle is a wonderfully preserved slice of history. Originally built by King Henry VIII, the fortress was rebuilt in the 16th century and still stands in excellent condition to this day. The interior is only accessible on guided tours (every first Saturday of the month at 2pm), but you can wander around the exterior for free.

　　Rye Watersports

Rye Watersports offers paddle boarding, windsurfing, kitesurfing and sailing lessons on a lake near to Camber Sands. The lake offers calm water to get to grips with the basics, before taking to the open waters!

　　Explore the town

There’s more to Rye than its proximity to Camber Sands. The town itself is wonderfully quaint – medieval, low-roofed houses line the town’s cobbled streets. There are plenty of eateries and tea rooms to sample, plus the Rye Castle Museum and Rye Heritage Centre for the local history buffs. It's a fairly small town, so you can see it all if you set aside a few hours, or stop by a local pub or restaurant and have some dinner on the way after dark.

If you want to discover more beaches to reach by train from London, check out our dedicated guide to the best beaches near London by train.