Strood

Strood is a town on the River Medway in the north of the English county of Kent. Together with its neighbouring towns of Rochester and Chatham it forms a large urban area known as the Medway Towns.

High Street, Strood

Get in

By car

• From London, take the A2 arterial road (32 miles, 51 km) or continue on to the M2 to Junction 2.
• From Canterbury, take the A2 and the M2 to Junction 2 for the Rochester exit (32 miles, 51 km, about 40 min).

Town Centre car parking

It is recommended that you park in Commercial Road car park (enter from Commercial Road) or Strood Retail Park car park (enter from Knight Road).

By train

• 🌍 Strood (SOO) Station, Canal Road, ME2 4DR (at the far end of Strood (Near Rochester Bridge)). Trains are operated by SouthEastern From London Charing Cross (via Dartford) (typical journey time 65–70 minutes) and London Victoria (typical journey time 75–80 minutes). Trains from Ramsgate and Dover also serve Chatham and Rochester. The Javelin high speed service operates every 30 minutes from London St Pancras with a journey time of 30-35 minutes. There is a supplement for using this service unless travelling from outside of the London region. (updated Apr 2017)

Get around

By bus

Local buses are operated by Arriva Kent and Surrey, Nu-Venture and ASD Coaches

Buy your ticket from the driver when you board the bus.

Paper timetables can be obtained at the Chatham Waterfront bus station (Globe Lane, Chatham, Kent). The Traveline and Medway Council websites provide journey planners and route maps.

By taxi

• Strood Cabs - [phone]
• Computer Cabs - [phone]
• Ace Taxis - [phone]

See

• 🌍 Temple Manor, Knight Road, ME2 2AH. Apr-Nov: Sa - Su 11AM-4PM). Temple Manor is a historic building. It is a manor house of the Knights Templar, built in about 1240. Free. (updated Mar 2019)
• 🌍 Ranscombe Farm Nature Reserve (Ranscombe Farm), Sundridge Hill, Cuxton, Kent. Walk: 24 hr, 365 days, Car park varies. See:
  April: Bluebell, Early purple orchid
  May: Lady Orchid, Fly Orchid, Man Orchid
  June: Meadow Clary, Hairy Mallow, Ground Pine, common milkwort
  July: Corncockle, Clustered Bellflower, Four species of poppy (Common, Rough, Prickly and Long-headed) Free. (updated Apr 2017)

Do

A Eurostar train passing Strood heading for the Medway Viaduct

Medway Valley Park:

• 🌍 Diggerland, Medway Valley Leisure Park, Roman Way, ME2 2NU, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Open weekends Mar - Oct and daily during Jul, Aug and most school holidays 10AM - 5PM (4PM in winter). An assortment of rides based on construction equipment. The rides include sitting in the modified bucket of a digger and operating some of the diggers. General admission: adults to age 65 & children 90 cm or over £23.95 per person, age 65+ (ID required) £11.95 per person, groups of ten or more £19.95 per person; children under 90 cm free; disabled carer free. (updated Jan 2019)
• 🌍 Hollywood Bowl Strood (Rochester), Medway Valley Leisure Park, Chariot Way, ME2 2SS, ☎ [phone]. M-Th 10AM-10PM, F Sa 10AM - 12:30AM, Su 10AM - 11PM. Under 16s £5.29 per game, adults £6.29 per game, families (2 adults and 2 under 16s or 1 adult and 3 under 16s) £20.19 per game. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Cineworld Strood (Rochester), Medway Valley Leisure Park, Chariot Way, ME2 2SS, ☎ [phone]. Adult (18 or over) £11.80, child (14 or under) £8.80, student (proof of status required) £9.30, senior (proof of status required) £9.30, family (max 3 children, max 4 tickets for the same film) £35.20. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Buzz Bingo, Medway Valley Leisure Park, Chariot Way, ME2 2NU, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M-Th 11:30AM-midnight, F-Su 11:30AM-1AM. (updated Dec 2018)

Buy

The main shopping area is the High Street between Papa Johns (Gun Lane/Cuxton Road) and Rochester Bridge. This has a mixture of shops, There is also a Retail Park on Commercial Road.

On Tuesdays an open air market is held at Commercial Road car park. This has various food, clothes and hardware stalls.

Eat

Strood has a range of places to eat.

Strood & Strood town centre

The far end of Medway Valley Leisure Park.

• 🌍 The Three Crutches, Old Watling Street, ME2 3UG, ☎ [phone]. M-Sa noon-8:30PM, Su noon-7:45PM. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Morrisons Cafe, Knight Road, ME2 2BD, ☎ [phone]. Cafe: M-Th 8AM-7PM, F 8AM-8PM, Sa 8AM-7PM, Su 9:30AM-4PM Store: M-Sa 7AM - 10PM, Su 10AM - 4PM. Large supermarket with a cafe. (updated Mar 2019)
• 🌍 Naz's Rasoi, 135 High St, ME2 4TJ, ☎ [phone]. Daily 5:30-11:30PM. (updated Dec 2018)

Medway Valley Park

• 🌍 Coast To Coast Strood (Rochester), Chariot Way, ME2 2SS, ☎ [phone]. M-Th 9:30AM-11PM, F 8AM-11PM, Sa 8AM-11PM, Su 8AM-10PM. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Frankie & Benny's, Chariot Way, ME2 2SS, ☎ [phone]. M-Th 9AM-11PM, F 8:30AM-11PM, Sa 8AM-11PM, Su 8AM-10:30PM. American themed chain restaurant. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Waters Edge, Chariot Way, ME2 2SS, ☎ [phone]. M-F 11AM-11PM, Sa Su 10AM-11PM. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Chiquito, Chariot Way, ME2 2SS, ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 9AM-11PM, Su 9AM-10:30PM. (updated Dec 2018)

Drink

The Prince of Wales pub in Strood

• 🌍 The Prince of Wales, 9 High Street, ME2 4AB, ☎ [phone]. (updated Dec 2018)

Sleep

• 🌍 Premier Inn Strood, Medway Valley Leisure Park, Chariot Way, ME2 2SS, ☎ [phone]. Rooms from £30.50 per night. (updated Dec 2018)

Go next

• Rochester
• Chatham
• Gravesend

Routes through Strood

London ← merges with ←

NW  SE

→ Chatham → Dover