If you have the time while in London, it’s well worth taking the kids to Bath – whether that is a Bath day trip from London or even spending a few days there. If you are planning a trip to Bath – then your next question will be how to get from London to Bath.
It’s relatively easy getting from London to Bath, and there are a few options, depending on your budget and how much time you have.
To help you plan how to get to Bath from London, this guide covers the following:
- How to get from London to Bath by train;
- How to get the bus to Bath from London;
- Tips for driving from London to Bath; and
- Bath day tours from London.
After reading each option, you can choose the best way to get to Bath from London that suits your budget and family needs.
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How to get from London to Bath
Firstly how far is Bath from London? The distance from London to Bath is around 115 miles (185 km). By car, going to Bath from London takes about 2.25 hours, depending on traffic; by train, it takes only 90 minutes and by bus is close to 3 hours.
As to which method of transport you take to Bath depends on a range of factors – such as your budget, how many are travelling in your group, how much luggage you have and whether or not you’re short on time.
To help you decide how best to visit Bath from London, below we’ve provided in detail the different transport options.
How to get from London to Bath by train
For those short on time or without a vehicle, the best way to get to Bath is by train. With a journey time of approximately 90 minutes (although some trains take just 75 minutes), the London – Bath train is the fastest way to make the trip.
So how to get to Bath from London by train? Well, the Bath from London train leaves Paddington Station around every 30 minutes. The train station in Bath is very central and you can walk to all the attractions from here. So this is perfect for those wanting to do a DIY Bath day trip.
Trains leave all day, with the first train leaving Paddington at around 4.30 am and the last leaving at 11.30 pm.
To downside of getting the train is the London to Bath train tickets can be quite expensive – particularly if purchased at the last minute. For the cheapest tickets, buy your train ticket well in advance – at around 3 months in advance, you should get some well priced tickets from around £20. However, purchase them on or before the day, and the price could be closer to £100.
Click here to purchase your train tickets to Bath.
How to get the bus to Bath from London
For the cheapest way to get to Bath from London. However, the bus from London to Bath also has the longest journey time, almost 3 hours long – so not ideal for a day trip – but perfect for those on a tight budget.
The National Express runs buses from Victoria Station in London to Bath around every 1-2 hours or so. The first bus leaves London around 7 am, and the last buses are around 11.30 pm.
Return buses from Bath leave at around 4 am, and the last leaves at around 10.30 pm. Buses leave Bath regularly throughout the day every 1-2 hours.
The buses are super comfortable with onboard washrooms, so no concerns about the kids needing to go to the toilet mid journey!
Tickets are cheap, starting at just £5 per passenger each way. Plus, one child aged 0-2 can travel free with each adult.
So if you’re just after the cheapest way to get from London to Bath – the bus is the way to go.
Click here to purchase your bus tickets to Bath.
Tips for driving from London to Bath
Now if you’re like us and are doing a road trip of England, you may well be after tips for getting from London to Bath by car.
If you don’t have a car in London – but picking up a hire car to drive to Bath – it’s recommended not to pick it up in Central London. The traffic in London is mental, and it’s much easier to take the tube out to Heathrow and pick up a hire car there. This is what we did, and we found it super easy.
We combined our drive to Bath with a visit to Stonehenge – you can read more about visiting Stonehenge with kids here.
If you plan on driving from London, expect the journey to take around 2.5 hours or even more if you’re driving during peak hour traffic.
If you’re just heading to Bath for the day from London – it’s really not worth hiring a car. It’s only a little faster than a bus but much more expensive. Plus, you’ll have to factor in parking in Bath as well.
Bath day tours from London
Another way to get to Bath is by taking a guided tour from London. A Bath day tour from London will usually include your transportation, entry to the Baths, and perhaps a guided walking tour.
While you can easily spend a few days exploring Bath, most Bath day trips from London include a stop in Bath and a stop in another nearby location such as Stonehenge, Windsor or Brighten. This means that you’ll only see the highlights of Bath.
If you want to have a good look around Bath – I’d recommend taking the train and exploring on foot rather than taking a guided tour.
Most guided tours start at around £75 per person up to £100+ depending on what is included.
Click here to see a range of Bath day tours from London or read our guide here on the best Bath day tours from London.
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Hopefully, you found this guide to getting to Bath from London helpful. Other great guides which you may also find helpful include things to do in Bath with kids, where to stay in Bath with kids and things to do in London with kids.