by Sam Lennon

The new high speed rail service will be extended to weekends, starting this Saturday.

Operators Southeastern will provide hourly trains between Ashford International and St Pancras International and a half-hourly service to Ebbsfleet.

It says the new service, operating on both Saturdays and Sundays, will allow people to travel to central London for shopping, visiting attractions or matinee theatre trips.

The first train leaves Ashford International on Saturday at 9.18am and the last return one leaves St Pancras at 6.38pm.

Ebbsfleet's first service to London leaves at 9.38am and the last train to London leaves at 6.08pm.The last train back leaves at 6.38pm.

Chris Horton, managing director for Southeastern, said: “The introduction of the weekend trains is another vital part of extending our preview services.”

These began at the end of June and the full high speed service starts on December 13.

The preview trains proved to be so popular that they were recently extended to Dover, Folkestone, Canterbury and Ramsgate during the week.

Sample off-peak fares include £12.50 return from Ebbsfleet and £24.90 return from Ashford. Singles are 10p cheaper.

Southeastern has confirmed that from the end of this week passengers will be able to buy monthly and longer season tickets for high speed services from railway stations or online.

Peak return fares from Ashford International to St Pancras are £48.70 on the high speed service and £40.60 on the mainline service.

The cost from Folkestone is £52.50 for high speed and £44.40 for mainline.
Savings can be made by buying weekly or monthly tickets, for instance the weekly high speed cost from Ashford is £113.40.

From Canterbury West the high speed fare is £27.90 single and £49.80 return, from Ramsgate it is £32.50 single, £55.10 return, Chatham £16.70 single and £31.60, and from Dover it is £32.70 single and £55.10 return.