trip from london to bath

How to Travel From London to Bath by Train, Bus, and Car

The charming city of Bath is only 115 miles away from London, close enough for a great weekend getaway but far enough for a real change of scene. Whether you are interested in Jane Austen, Roman antiquities, bathing in luxurious hot springs , or shopping till you're dropping, this lovely city should be in your travel plans.

If you're going for the day, you should plan ahead and reserve train tickets. The train is the fastest way to get to Bath, but tickets can become prohibitively expensive if you don't book well in advance. The bus is the cheapest method, but it takes more than twice as much time as the train. If you have a car, Bath is a great place to stop and explore while on a road trip in the southern U.K.

What Is the Cheapest Way to Get From London to Bath?

Buses provided by National Express leave about four times per day from London to Bath, and even though it's the slowest way to get there, it's also the most wallet-friendly. Tickets start at 7 pounds—or about $9—and don't fluctuate much even if you're making your purchase at the last minute. While train tickets can soar in price if you don't book in advance, even a same-day bus ticket shouldn't cost more than 13 to 18 pounds, or about $15–$20.

The total journey takes just under three hours by bus, making it a bit too long for a day trip. However, if you don't want to spend the night in Bath but don't want to make the long trip back to London by bus, you could spend the day in Bath and then go on to Bristol in the evening which is only 15 miles away.

Buses depart in London from Victoria Station with connections to the Circle, Victoria, and District lines of the Underground . The Bath bus station is located in the city center adjacent to the main train station and you can easily walk to most destinations in town.

What Is the Fastest Way to Get From London to Bath?

If you want to explore Bath for a day and then head back to London, the train is your most realistic option. The journey only takes one hour and 20 minutes and trains depart from London every 30 minutes, so it's easy to head out in the morning and be back in London by dinnertime. You can look at the schedule and reserve tickets through National Rail , but do so as early as possible. The "Advance" tickets are released about eight to 10 weeks before the travel date and are the most affordable. Once those sell out, tickets can double or triple in price. Flexibility is key to finding the best deals, so if tickets seem expensive, try looking at other times throughout the day or a day or two later.

Trains leave London from Paddington Station, with connections to the Circle, Bakerloo, District, and Hammersmith & City lines of the Underground. You'll arrive at Bath Spa station, which is centrally located and easily accessible to the rest of the town on foot.

Tip: If you're planning to return to London on the train, always purchase two separate one-way tickets instead of a roundtrip journey. That's the only way to take advantage of the cheapest pricing.

How Long Does It Take to Drive?

Bath is only 115 miles from London and if you're driving your own vehicle, the drive takes about two and a half hours barring traffic—and you should plan for traffic. Just getting out of London can cause significant delays, and the M4 highway that goes between the two cities is a popular commuter route. Once you arrive in Bath, it's not easy to park in the city center and the best option is to park outside of the city and take the shuttle into Bath .

If you're planning to visit just Bath, driving isn't the most feasible option. It's much slower than the train and only slightly faster than the bus, but in addition to gas, you'll likely need to pay congestion tolls in London and parking in Bath. If you're planning to drive, take advantage of having a vehicle by exploring around the local area . After Bath, you can continue on to Bristol, Exeter, or even Wales.

When Is the Best Time to Travel to Bath?

Bath and the neighboring cities are home to many workers who commute to London. As a result, weekday evenings are a particularly busy time on the roads and trains, when the workday ends and people are traveling back home. You'll usually find the cheapest weekday train tickets if you depart before 4 p.m. or wait until later in the night. Since Bath is a popular destination for a quick getaway, Saturday morning trains are also popular and quickly book up.

As with much of the U.K., the summer months are the most comfortable time to visit Bath to experience good weather. June, July, and August see temperatures hover around a pleasant 70 degrees Fahrenheit, perfect for walking around and seeing the main sites. Summer is also the high season for tourists and this small town can sometimes feel overwhelmed by visitors. If you can, visit in the shoulder season of May or September when you're still likely to see sunshine but with fewer crowds.

What's the Most Scenic Route to Bath?

The two main highways—called "motorways" in the U.K.—that lead from London toward Bath are the M3 and M4, and each one of them passes through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty—or AONB—designated by the British government. The M3 connects to the A303 and drives along the Cranborne Chase AONB with its rolling hills of chalk formations. The M4 cuts directly through the North Wessex Downs AONB and provides plenty of luscious green backdrop to spice up your drive.

Both of them take roughly the same amount of time in normal conditions, so check traffic if you're driving to make sure there aren't any serious backups on the route you choose.

What Is There to Do in Bath?

As the name implies, Bath is most famous for its ancient Roman baths, and visitors can tour these well-preserved pools and learn about their 2,000-year history. If afterward you're inspired to indulge in your own bathing experience, local spas in Bath continue the historic tradition but with modern facilities, such as the Thermae Bath Spa. If you're a shopper, Bath is also known as a retail hotspot in the local area . Apart from the chain stores that you can find in all parts of the world, the city is also full of special boutique shops where you can find one-of-a-kind articles to commemorate your trip.

The city of Bath is only 115 miles away from London.

The M4 highway is the main route between the two cities, and the drive takes about 2.5 hours without traffic.

Bath is located in the English county of Somerset, west of London.

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7 Best Day Trips to Bath from London

By: Author Tracy Collins

Posted on Last updated: August 9, 2023

Discover the best day trips to Bath from London in our complete guide. Includes popular things to see and do in this beautiful English city.

Taking Bath tours from London are one of the most popular options for those touring the UK. This gorgeous, honey-hued city is awash with glorious Georgian architecture, and steeped in history. Bath day trips from London are also an attractive prospect due to the short distance, as there’s only a little over 100 miles between the two. 

If you want to plan a trip to Bath from London, then this guide is for you. Covered briefly here is how to get to Bath from London and things to do in the city. As well as the top seven options for an organised Bath day tour from London in more depth. 

Whether you want to take a Bath and Stonehenge tour from London where everything is taken care of for you, would prefer to organise your own trip, or feel like including some other destinations too, this is the complete guide to planning a day trip to Bath from London by train.

Don’t miss our complete travel guide to Bath!

How to get to Bath from London

A brief day in bath itinerary, our top 3 picks: day trips to bath from london, private tour to bath and stonehenge with my tailored tours, private trip to bath and windsor castle with my tailored tours, private trip to bath, the cotswolds and avebury with my tailored tours, day trip to stonehenge and the roman baths , day trip to bath, stonehenge and windsor castle, day trip to bath, stonehenge and stratford-upon-avon, day trip to bath, stonehenge and windsor castle with pub lunch.

• BATH TRAVEL RESOURCES
• By train: London Paddington to Bath Spa | 1 hour & 20 min | 2 trains per hour
• By coach: London Victoria to Bath Spa | 2 hours & 35 min+ | up to 9 coaches per day
• By car: Postcode BA1 1TP for Southgate Shopping Centre Car Park | 2 hours & 30 minutes (approx) | 110 miles

Find out more about getting from London to Bath here

• The Roman Baths | Bath Abbey | Sally Lunn’s Tearoom | Pulteney Bridge | The Circus | Assembly Rooms | Royal Crescent | Jane Austen Centre | Pump Room (afternoon tea)

Discover more things to do during a day in Bath here

#1 TOP PICK 🏆

Private tour to Bath and Stonehenge ✔️ Hotel pick-up and drop-off included  ✔️ Includes private driver guide ✔️ Private tour of Stonehenge & Woodhenge

Private trip to Bath and Windsor Castle ✔️ Hotel pick-up and drop-off included ✔️ Includes private driver guide ✔️ Panoramic tour of Bath included

Private trip to Bath, the Cotswolds and Avebury ✔️ Hotel pick-up and drop-off included ✔️ Avebury, Lacock and Bath tours ✔️ Includes private driver guide

7 of the best day trips to Bath from London

• Duration: 10 hours
• Destinations: Stonehenge, Woodhenge and Bath including panoramic tour
• Departure time: 07.30 
• Departure point: Hotel pick-up and drop-off included 
• What’s included: Transport, experienced driver guide, private Stonehenge and Bath tours
• What’s not included: Entry fees, lunch and snacks

This private Stonehenge and Bath day trip from London means having an expert driver guide at your service all day long. After being collected from your London hotel, you’ll visit the famous site of Stonehenge for a private tour.

Close to Stonehenge is Woodhenge, another site that’s equally shrouded in mystery. Woodhenge is also linked to the summer and winter solstice rituals that take place at Stonehenge. Your private guide will explain the history and theories behind both sites.

Beautiful, historic Bath is next on the itinerary. The Roman Baths here are a must, and as this is a private tour you can also include other sites of interest as you wish. The ten hour tour ends with a panoramic tour of Bath before being driven back to London. 

Click here to book this private tour to Stonehenge and Bath

• Destinations: Bath including panoramic tour, Windsor Castle and St George’s Chapel
• Departure time: 07.30 (summer) or 09.00 (winter) 
• What’s included: Transport, experienced driver guide, panoramic Windsor and Bath tours

Also operated by Tailored Tours is this Windsor and Bath tour from London. It’s a good alternative to a Stonehenge and Bath tour from London. Windsor Castle is a must on many a list of sights to see while in the UK. Not least St George’s Chapel, where Queen Elizabeth II and other Royals are buried. 

Your time in Bath includes a panoramic city tour, the Roman Baths and a lunch break. In the afternoon, you’ll head to Windsor to explore the castle and chapel for a couple of hours before heading back to London. 

During this tour, your day includes a panoramic tour of Bath. Plus a private tour of Windsor Castle and St George’s Chapel, which is led by an expert guide. 

Click here to book this private tour to Windsor and Bath

• Destinations: Avebury, Lacock, Bath and Castle Combe
• What’s included: Transport, experienced driver guide, Avebury, Lacock and Bath tours

Taking a Bath and Cotswolds tour from London is another option. Again this one is a private tour, and it begins at Europe’s largest stone circle in Avebury. Next up is the pretty Cotswolds village of Lacock, which was used as a filming location for the Harry Potter movies. 

Lacock is only around half an hour’s drive from Bath, your next stop. Time to visit the Roman Baths is then included, before you’re taken on a panoramic tour of key Bath sites. These include the magnificent Georgian architecture of The Circus and Royal Crescent. 

Castle Combe is also around 30 minutes’ drive from Bath. Here you can see terraced 17th century cottages and the five star Old Manor House hotel before settling down for the journey back to London. 

Click here to book this private tour to Avebury, Bath and the Cotswolds

• Duration: 11 hours
• Destinations: Stonehenge, Bath and the Roman Baths
• Departure time: 08.15 (check-in 08.00) 
• Departure point: Victoria Coach Station, London
• What’s included: Stonehenge & Roman Baths entry fees, transport, audio guide
• What’s not included: Lunch, snacks and tips

If you want to go from London to Stonehenge to Bath without paying for a private tour, this coach trip is a more pocket-friendly option. This day trip to Stonehenge and Bath from London lasts for 11 hours and departs from Victoria Coach Station in central London, near Buckingham Palace. 

Your first stop is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stonehenge. A site shrouded in myth, mystery and legend, no one yet knows exactly how the standing stones got to be where they are. The type of stone originated in Wales. 

Bath then awaits. The Roman Baths are the number one sight to see in the city, and you can spend a while here. Next, some free time is on the agenda so you can discover spots like Bath Abbey, Pulteney Bridge, the Jane Austen Centre, the Assembly Rooms and the Pump Rooms. The latter is a very popular afternoon tea spot in the city. 

Click here to book this coach tour to the Roman Baths and Stonehenge

• Destinations: Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor Castle
• Departure time: 08.00 (check-in 07.30) 
• What’s included: Selected entry fees, transport, guide and audio tour
• What’s not included: Lunch, snacks, tips and optional entry fees

This highly rated tour has a Badge of Excellence and includes three of England’s biggest sites. If you want a Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath tour from London with admission, simply make sure you select the appropriate options when booking. 

The day trip takes in Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and the historic city of Bath. At Royal Windsor Castle you can tour the State Apartments and St George’s Chapel, before heading to Stonehenge near Salisbury. 

Your final destination for the day is Bath, famed for its stunning Georgian architecture and of course the Roman Baths the city is named for. An audio guide supplied here will help you to fully make sense of what you’re seeing. 

Click here to book this coach tour to Windsor Castle, Bath and Stonehenge 

• Duration: 12 hours
• Destinations: Stonehenge, Bath and Stratford-upon-Avon
• Departure time: 07.45 (check-in 07.30) 
• What’s included: Stonehenge entry fee, transport, Shakespeare’s school tour
• What’s not included: Lunch, snacks, tips and entry to Shakespeare’s birthplace

Stratford-upon-Avon is the home of William Shakespeare, the English playwright who is quite possibly the most famous ever. This day trip to Stonehenge and Bath from London also includes Stratford, so you can discover the history of this renowned writer. 

Again the tour starts at Stonehenge after departing London. The next stop is Bath, via the picturesque Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Once you arrive in the city, you can choose where and how to spend your time. 

Stratford-upon-Avon then awaits. Here you can see places like the playwright’s birthplace, old school, and the church which is his final resting place. The Warwickshire town is also home to the world famous Royal Shakespeare Company. 

Click here to book this coach tour to Stonehenge, Bath and Stratford-upon-Avon

• Duration: 12.5 hours
• Destinations: Stonehenge, Bath, Windsor Castle and Lacock
• What’s included: Selected entry fees, transport, guide, pub lunch, Bath tour
• What’s not included: Lunch, snacks, tips and entry to Roman Baths

This Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor tour from London includes a traditional pub lunch in one of the Cotswolds’ most scenic villages. The pub you’ll dine in dates from the 14th century, and the village is where parts of the Harry Potter movie series were filmed. 

When in Windsor, you can choose either to take a walking tour of the town or to explore the famous Royal Castle and its chapel and grounds. Also on the itinerary is Stonehenge, where you’ll uncover the history of this fascinating, ancient site. 

This day trip from London to Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor Castle also gives you free time in Bath, the former residence of the celebrated British novelist Jane Austen . She is famous for several works of fiction, most notably Pride and Prejudice .

Which of these day trips to Bath from London will you book?

Whether you wanted to find a London day trip to Stonehenge and Bath or would rather visit another location such as Shakespeare’s birthplace , Royal Windsor Castle or the rolling Cotswolds , there are some excellent coach and private tours to the city to choose from. 

Though you can make your way to Bath by taking a drive, a train or a coach, why stress over car rental , timings, tickets and directions when a guided tour can take care of all that for you?

For more Bath travel ideas, check out our articles on the best day trips from Bath , things to see and do in Bath and where to stay in Bath

B ATH TRAVEL RESOURCES

Book your accommodation – Booking.com or VRBO

Book tours & tickets in Bath – Get Your Guide or Viator

Car Hire – Discover Car Hire