Kent & East Sussex with Kids: Tenterden Steam Train Review

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If you fancy a ride on the Tenterden Steam Train, for a fun day out with the kids on the Kent and East Sussex Railway, then keep reading my review to find out all about it and how kids can ride for free! We were fortunate to bag a free National Trust Family Day Pass – hopefully you saw me share the offer on my social media pages – so we decided to pair a trip on the Tenterden Steam Train with a visit to Bodiam Castle. With Kent and East Sussex railway running a ‘kids go free’ offer as well, it made it rather affordable day out. So let me tell you all about our day on the Tenterden Steam Train (Kent and East Sussex Railway) – I’ve included some photos as well as information about ticket prices, and where the train goes to, in my review as well.

Visit: August 2023 (Updated February 2026)

What’s the Kent and East Sussex Railway like?

Tenterden Steam Train brings back such fond memories for me – we lived nearby when I was a child so we often visited the station to watch the trains, or took the same journey we went on with our children to Bodiam Castle for a picnic. It hasn’t changed much at all, and has certainly retained the history of the station and the trains itself. If your kids are into trains (mine seem to love all vehicles!) then it’s a sweet day out. Unfortunately, on the day that we visited, there weren’t any steam trains but we enjoyed our trip on the diesel train all the same.

Where does the Tenterden steam train go to?

The railway line is 10.5 miles long, and it takes around 50 minutes to reach Bodiam from Tenterden Station, with Northiam Station in between. The train is dog friendly too, aside from special event days, so you can bring your furry friend on your trip to Bodiam. At the station, when we were collecting our tickets, the staff gave us a ‘things to look out for’ sheet which kept the kids busy on the journey as they looked for certain animals etc. The journey itself is through beautiful countryside, making it an enjoyable ride for all ages.

Can you walk from Bodiam Train Station to Bodiam Castle?

The National Trust’s Bodiam Castle is just a short walk along a roadside pathway from Bodiam Train Station – so it definitely goes well with a trip on the train – it’s literally about 300 yards away. As I mentioned above, we used our Free National Trust Family Day Pass to get into Bodiam Castle. Keep your eyes peeled as they usually give them away in places like the national newspapers several times a year (follow my social media as I always share the offer when it’s running) but if you have a National Trust membership then you can visit the castle for free anyway.

Despite its picturesque exterior, Bodiam Castle is more ruins than castle as the interior is largely just remains. Whilst there’s not a huge amount to see or do, it is a beautiful setting and a lovely place to have relaxing picnic. For more info, check out: East Sussex with Kids: Bodiam Castle Review, National Trust.

What facilities are there at Tenterden Train Station?

There are toilets, a railway museum and a lovely tea room at Tenterden Station (if you need any refreshments). They often run events too so that’s something to look out for – there’s a popular 1940s weekend, ‘Steam Up’ Gala, Teddy Bears picnics, Fish & Chip supper trains and, later in the year, Santa Specials. The weekend that we visited they had free buses running, from a wide range of eras, to local areas. The timetable varies, as does which trains are available, so take a look on their website to see what’s on offer when you plan to travel. Locally, in Tenterden, there’s a high-street with shops and restaurants, a swimming pool and a great play park if you’re looking for other things to do in the area too.

How much are tickets for the Tenterden steam train?

For the last few summers, K&ESR have offered free travel for kids aged 3-15 – hence why we thought it would be a great time to visit – so have a look and see what’s on offer for 2026. However they’ve also since introduced a family ticket which, if you’re visiting with two adults anyway, essentially means that the kids go free whenever you travel. So, this makes it easier to visit in a more affordable way whenever you’d like – however the ‘buy on the day’ prices are significantly higher than the pre-booked tickets so make sure that you buy your tickets in advance online. The ticket prices vary slightly by date but for 2026 they’re typically around £30 per adult; £5 per child / children go free; and around £60 for a family ticket.

Events, trips with food and special days will likely cost more – so make sure that you check their website before you plan your day out. It’s not a cheap activity, but if you look out for offers (like kids travelling free) then it can be more affordable. It’s certainly not something that we would do often, but if your little ones love a trip on the train then it’s a lovely treat – there’s definitely something special about it! I hope that my review of Tenterden Steam Train has been useful – have a lovely time exploring Kent with the kids!