Serviced Apartments in Ashford

Discover the best activities and attractions Ashford has to offer, and find out what makes this city a vibrant and exciting place to live or visit.

Ashford Designer Outlet
Ashford Designer Outlet is a major regional shopping destination featuring discounted designer and high-street brands alongside cafés and restaurants. It draws day-trippers and tourists (including rail users to/from continental connections), boosting footfall to the town, creating local retail and hospitality jobs, and keeping consumer spending within the area. Its mix of outlet shopping and dining makes it a key reason many visitors travel to Ashford rather than neighbouring towns.

Godinton House & Gardens
Godinton is a historic house and extensive gardens noted for its well-preserved period architecture, intimate collection of antiques, and seasonal horticultural displays. As a heritage attraction it supports local tourism, hosts weddings and events, provides volunteering and education opportunities, and helps preserve local history and green space. The gardens and events (plant fairs, guided tours) also attract gardening enthusiasts from across Kent, benefiting local B&Bs, cafés and specialist suppliers.

Ashford Museum
Ashford Museum presents the town’s industrial, cultural and social history through collections, temporary exhibits and community-led displays. As a local cultural hub it strengthens community identity, offers school and research visits, provides volunteer and skills-building roles, and encourages heritage tourism. The museum’s programmes and exhibitions help keep local stories alive while supporting small-scale cultural employment and visitors to nearby shops and cafés.

Victoria Park (and Town Park spaces)
Victoria Park is a popular green space in central Ashford offering play areas, sports facilities and open lawns used for family outings, exercise and community gatherings. Parks like this improve residents’ quality of life, support public health, and host village- and town-level events (fetes, outdoor concerts), which bring people into the town centre and support nearby businesses. Well-used public parks also raise local property appeal and provide informal meeting places for community groups and clubs.

Ashford Markets & Food Events (including local farmers’ markets and seasonal festivals)
Ashford’s regular markets and periodic food/drink events showcase local producers, street food traders and artisans, forming an important part of the town’s food culture. Markets provide low-barrier trading opportunities for small businesses and start-ups, circulate money locally, and draw visitors who also shop at other town-centre retailers or dine in local restaurants. Seasonal festivals and market weekends further activate public spaces, strengthen community ties and promote Ashford as a destination for local produce and food-focused experiences.

Explore the diverse transport options available in Ashford, from efficient public transportation systems to convenient road networks. Whether you're commuting to work or exploring the city, this section will give you an overall look at the available transportation systems.

Public Transit System
- Ashford International (rail) - The town’s main station offering High Speed 1 (HS1) domestic high‑speed services to London St Pancras (Class 395 “Javelin” trains; journey typically ~35–40 minutes) plus classic Southeastern services to London and Kent destinations; the station has international platforms (Eurostar use has varied — check operator timetables for current international services), staffed facilities, car park, taxi rank and cycle parking.
- Regional & commuter rail services - Regular Southeastern services link Ashford with Canterbury, Dover Priory, Folkestone, Ramsgate and other Kent towns via a mix of HS1 and classic routes, providing frequent commuter and regional connections across the county.
- Local buses - A town and local-network of services (operated principally by Stagecoach South East and smaller operators) serve Ashford town centre, suburbs and surrounding villages with an urban bus interchange at the bus station; routes connect to nearby towns, business parks and retail destinations (e.g., Designer Outlet).
- Long‑distance coaches - National Express and other coach operators run services from Ashford (station/bus interchange area) to London and other UK cities/airports; schedules and stop locations vary by operator.
- Taxis & ride‑hailing - Licensed taxi ranks at the station and town centre plus app-based private hire services operate across Ashford for local trips and airport transfers.
- Community transport & demand‑responsive services - Social transport schemes and dial‑a‑ride/community minibuses provide door‑to‑door or booked services for older and mobility‑impaired residents and for rural areas with limited fixed‑route coverage.

Major Highways
- M20 - Primary motorway serving Ashford, linking west to the M25 and London and east to Folkestone, the Channel Tunnel and Dover; key freight and commuter route.
- A20 - Historic trunk route running roughly parallel to the M20, providing local access toward London and the Channel ports and serving communities closer to Ashford.
- A28 - Main radial route connecting Ashford to Canterbury and coastal areas in east Kent, important for regional traffic and local commuting.
- A2070 - Dual‑carriageway route linking Ashford to the south coast/A21 corridor (Hastings area) and providing a strategic connection for regional traffic and freight movements.
- M25 (via M20) - London orbital motorway accessible from Ashford by taking the M20 and connecting routes, giving access to the wider national motorway network.

Cycling Infrastructure
- Cycle lanes and multi‑use routes - Ashford has a mix of on‑road cycle lanes, traffic‑calmed streets, off‑road multi‑use paths and routes through the Ashford Green Corridor, plus secure cycle parking at the station and town centre; Kent County Council and the borough have ongoing projects to expand segregated lanes, improve route signage and link neighbourhoods and employment areas to encourage active travel.

Recent and Upcoming Improvements
- M20 Junction 10A and link road - A new junction and link road serving southern Ashford developments was delivered in recent years to improve access, relieve local congestion and unlock housing/employment land.
- Ashford International station upgrades - Station capacity, passenger facilities, concourse and interchange improvements have been delivered in the 2010s/2020s and smaller upgrades continue to improve accessibility, parking and cycle facilities (operator and council projects).
- Sevington freight / HGV management facility (freight park) - A government and local authority backed freight management/HGV holding facility near J10A has been proposed/implemented to manage cross‑Channel freight disruption and reduce roadside HGV parking (status and details change over time — check the latest project updates).
- Local bus priority and interchange enhancements - County and borough plans include bus priority measures, timetable/service improvements and bus station enhancements to boost reliability and modal shift to public transport.
- Cycle network expansion and active travel schemes - Ongoing investments under local transport strategies are extending segregated cycle routes, improving junctions for cyclists and adding secure parking to encourage commuting by bike.
- M20 resilience & freight management measures - Work to improve resilience of the M20 corridor (junction upgrades, contingency measures such as Operation Brock infrastructure and local traffic management) continues to be a focus given Ashford’s role on cross‑Channel routes.
- Service and timetable adjustments on HS1/classic routes - Rolling stock and timetable changes introduced over recent years have increased capacity and improved journey times for commuters; international service patterns (Eurostar) have changed periodically and remain subject to operator decisions.
- Sources & where to check current status - For the latest timetables, roadworks and project status, consult National Rail / Southeastern, Eurostar (for international services), National Highways (Highways England), Kent County Council and Ashford Borough Council transport pages.