Getting Around Aylesford
Aylesford is a village on the River Medway, just north-west of Maidstone, in the Kent borough of Tonbridge and Malling. Its best-known address is Aylesford Priory, also called The Friars: a Carmelite friary that welcomes guests for retreats and also works as a venue for events.
The village lies close to the M20, between junctions 4 and 5, so the motorway is the quick way out towards London or the coast. Aylesford station is on the Medway Valley Line between Strood and Maidstone West. Add the train and its arrival time to the booking, and the car is scheduled for that arrival.
For the Priory gate or a house in the village, send the full address with your booking; the confirmation then tells you where the car will stop. A day of visits between Aylesford, Maidstone and Rochester can be booked by the hour: one chauffeur and one vehicle stay with you for the time you reserve.
Airport Transfers in Aylesford
London City Airport is 33 miles, 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Gatwick, to the south-west, is 44 miles, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes. London Southend Airport is 46 miles, 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes, and Stansted Airport 57 miles, 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes.
Heathrow is 66 miles, 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes. Since 25 June 2026 the rail station serving Terminals 2 and 3 has been closed. Heathrow does not allow pick-ups on the terminal forecourts; collections take place from the terminal car parks. The right one depends on your airline and route.
Book with your flight number. For a retreat guest flying in from abroad, your chauffeur checks the flight status and times the pick-up to when you actually land, and your booking confirmation shows where to meet the chauffeur. For a departure from Aylesford, what counts is the length of the drive, not the time on the clock: the M20 gives a quick start, but the roads nearer London can slow down in the rush hours. Journey times vary with traffic and weather. You set the pick-up time yourself, and the confirmation shows it.
Long-Distance & Day-Trip Travel from Aylesford
West Malling, the market town to the west, is 4 miles, 20–30 minutes. Maidstone is 5 miles, 15–20 minutes. Rochester, for its cathedral and castle, is 7 miles, 20–30 minutes.
For a Tudor day out, Hampton Court Palace is 49 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 5 minutes.
Oxford is the long day out: 106 miles, 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 55 minutes, to walk among its university colleges. If you travel by car, there is no change of train in London, and the return can be set for the evening.
Groups & Event Travel in Aylesford
Groups come to Aylesford Priory for retreats, pilgrimages and events. A parish party arriving from abroad, or a choir travelling for a weekend at The Friars, may land on different flights and still need to arrive together.
When you book for other people, all their transfers can be kept in one account, each with its own booking and confirmation. If members of the group come in on several flights, every arrival gets a transfer of its own. For the last leg to the Priory, a Sprinter van carries up to 12 people with their bags, and bigger groups go by coach, with up to 56 seats; the vehicle is matched to the load, walking aids included.
Local vehicles and drivers are booked up early around Easter and the summer holidays. If your plans go beyond a standard booking, write to support with the dates, addresses, number of passengers, flights and luggage, and the team will arrange it.
