Visiting Bath is one of the most popular day trips from London and over six million people visit the city every year! The good news for your is that is it super easy to travel from London to Bath!
Although I will say that you probably don’t want to rush your trip to Bath. There is more to see in Bath than just the Roman Baths, so I suggest you spend two days in Bath if you have the time!
There are three main ways to travel from London to Bath: train, bus, or on a group tour. I think the train is the best way to travel from London to Bath. It is the quickest, affordable, and gives you the freedom and flexibility to tour Bath at your own pace rather than be on the tour guide’s schedule.
Of course, it all comes down to your travel style and preferences.
You may be like me and enjoy solo, independent travel or your might before the convenience of taking a group tour to Bath from London.
This post will help you decide what is best for you!
We’re covering all the different ways to travel from London to Bath and breaking down the pros and cons of each transportation method.
By the end of this post, you’ll have a much better idea which transportation method to Bath from London is right for you!
Before We Get Started
I enjoy writing these transportation guides for you because frankly I hate trying to figure out how to travel from one city to another.
It takes too much time, and the information is rarely in one place.
So once I figure out how to travel between cities, I like to give you all my insider knowledge in one place to make your life easier than mine was!
I often find myself referring back to my own transportation guides when I revisit a country or city, so I rely on them too!
Here are the other UK transportation guides I’ve written. Hopefully they help you plan your UK holiday!
Option One: Taking the Train from London to Bath
As I said before, taking the train is my favourite way to travel to Bath from London.
It is the quickest way to travel to Bath, and it gives you the most freedom to have the day or weekend trip that you want.
Plus it is significantly less expensive than paying to go on a guided tour of Bath from London.
If you book your tickets in advance that is!
The Great Western Railway is the train line that operates between London and Bath.
The good news about Great Western Railway is that they have a good wifi program and most trains offer guests reliable free wifi onboard the train!
The trip from London to Bath doesn’t take long, but it is still nice to be able to access the internet.
Even if it is just to access a map and figure out what you want to do in Bath.
Just be sure you’re being internet safe and using a VPN on your phone while connected to public wifi.
You never know what the intentions of the other people using the internet are.
In most cases, they are just casual users, but you want to protect your online data from the few bad apples out there.
Nothing ruins a holiday more than having your banking information stolen and having to cancel all your bank accounts when you’re supposed to be relaxing!
How Long Does the Train from London to Bath Take?
The train from London to Bath takes about 90 minutes!
Of course, there are some trains that take a little longer and some that are a bit shorter.
It depends on how busy the rail lines are, but it will definitely be less than 1 hour and 45 minutes!
A complete guide to wifi in London
How Much Does a Train Ticket Cost?
This is where things get a little bit merky.
Train tickets in the UK are a bit of a pain, and aren’t made for the spontaneous.
You get a better price on your train ticket the earlier you purchase it, and you pay a premium price if you purchase your ticket to Bath from London just a day or two in advance.
It is difficult to pin down exactly what your train ticket will cost because of how much they fluctuate.
On average, your train ticket from London to Bath will cost between £15 and £40 each way.
Again, this depends a lot on how far in advance you purchase your ticket.
Tickets go on sale three months in advance. The closer to the three month mark you can buy your ticket, the better price you will get!
Things like the time of day and day of the week you travel from London to Bath also play a roll.
If you buy your ticket in advance and travel during off-peak time on a weekday, you will get the best ticket price.
You will pay a lot more for your ticket if you purchase it last minute and travel during peak times on a weekend.
This needs to play a role in your decision on how to travel to Bath from London.
If you like to plan things last minute, taking a guided tour or the bus may be a better option than taking the train.
Where to Purchase Train Tickets
You have two choices when it comes to buying your train tickets:
- Buy them online in advance (recommended)
- Buy them at the train station before departure
Both options work perfectly fine, but I recommend buying your tickets in advance to save some money!
Tickets can be purchased online through the Great Western Railway website.
The website is super easy to use and accepts foreign credit cards as payment.
Just be sure to read whether or not you need a hard copy of your ticket, have to pick up your ticket at the station, or if an electronic ticket will suffice.
It depends on the route, but, in general, you will most likely have to either print your ticket or pick it up at the station before getting on the train.
Most of the time an electronic ticket will not be accepted.
The other option you have is to purchase your tickets at the station before departing.
You can purchase them the day you leave or go to the station a few days in advance and buy your ticket.
The earlier the better!
Where Does the Train Depart from in London?
Trains from London to Bath depart from Paddington Station.
It is in the centre of London and has a massive Underground hub attached to the train station.
The following Underground lines service Paddington Station:
- Hammersmith and City
- Bakerloo
- District
- City
That makes it pretty convenient, and you should have no trouble easily getting to the train station.
Tips for surviving the London Underground
Where Does the Train Arrive at in Bath?
Every train to Bath from London arrives at Bath Spa Station.
It is right by the water and a stone’s throw from the historic centre of Bath.
It is a very convenient arrival location, and in most cases you can walk to your hotel from the station without much hassel.
Pros of Taking the Train from London to Bath
- Quickest option
- Convenient arrival and departure locations
- Many departures every day
Cons of Taking the Train from London to Bath
- You have to book your tickets in advance to get a decent price
- Limited luggage storage on the train
- The train may be busy, and you might be stuck standing
Option Two: Taking the Bus from London to Bath
Your next option to get to Bath from London is to take the train.
This is a good option for people on a longer trip, are spending more than one day in Bath, and more time to spend in transit.
I don’t recommend people visiting Bath as a day trip from London take the bus. You spend too much time in transit and not enough time exploring Bath.
The bus is also the best option for people on a super tight budget.
It is the least expensive way to travel from London to Bath and is the least likely form of transportation to hurt your wallet.
How Long Does the Bus from London to Bath Take?
It is a little trickier to nail down exactly how long the bus from London to Bath takes.
A lot of it depends on how busy the roads are, and if you get stuck in a traffic jam or not.
On average, the bus to Bath from London takes just over three hours.
So, twice as long as the train does.
But that’s not too bad, and it doesn’t cut into your time at Bath too much if you’re spending more than a day in the city.
How Much Does a Bus Ticket Cost?
This is without a doubt the best part of taking the bus! It is super affordable and is the best option for budget travellers.
You can expect to pay anywhere between £5 and £15 for a bus ticket to Bath from London!
That’s absolutely amazing and is a steal of a deal in the UK!
Where to Purchase Bus Tickets
Just like the train, you can either purchase your bus tickets online in advance or in person at the bus station.
I suggest buying them in advance just to be sure you get on the bus you want.
Sometimes the buses are full (especially during peak season), and you have to wait around for the next bus before you can get on.
That isn’t a huge issue since there are buses running frequently between the two cities, but I still like to be prepared and buy my ticket in advance.
You can purchase your ticket online through the National Express Website.
In most cases, you can show an electronic ticket and don’t need to print out your ticket.
It is always best to read the fine print and double check before assuming an electronic ticket will work though!
The second option of purchasing your tickets at the station on the day of departure works fine too.
You just need to be sure to arrive at the bus station early enough to make sure you have enough time to buy your ticket before the bus departs.
You don’t want to show up at the station, find a long queue, and then miss your bus because you’re still in line!
Where Does the Bus Depart from in London?
The bus departs from London Victoria Coach Station.
It is right in the heart of London and is just a few steps away from the Victoria Underground station.
The following lines stop at Victoria Station:
- Victoria
- Circle
- District
Victoria Station is the second busiest underground station in London, and it covers a lot of territory.
You will have to do a fair bit of walking to get from the underground station to the bus station, so be sure to budget in a lot of time for that!
I suggest at least ten minutes.
Where Does the Bus Arrive at in Bath?
The bus arrives at Bath Spa Bus Station.
It is steps away from the train station in Bath and just a short walk from the heart of the city.
It is a super convenient location, and you can walk pretty much anywhere you want to go from the bus station.
Pros of Taking the Bus from London to Bath
- By far the least expensive route
- Don’t have to book your ticket in advance to get a decent price
- Dedicated luggage storage under the bus
Cons of Taking the Bus from London to Bath
- It takes twice as long as the train
- Not a good option for people taking a day trip to Bath
- May run into traffic and be delayed
Option Three: Taking a Guided Tour to Bath from London
The next option you have is to take a guided tour from London to Bath.
This is without a doubt the most popular way to travel to Bath, but it is also the most restrictive.
You don’t have any control of your trip to Bath.
You’re 100% at the whim of the tour guide and the other passengers on the tour.
On the other hand, it is the least stressful way to travel to Bath.
Basically everything is looked after for you, and all you have to do is show up and have a good time!
A guided tour can also end up being quite expensive.
You really need to weigh the pros and cons and figure out what the best choice for you is!
In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve never taken a guided tour to Bath from London, so I can’t give you a personal recommendation. This tour looks pretty decent though!
Oh, by the way, that isn’t an affiliate link. It is just a tour that I thought was an okay price and an okay option. Do your own research and find the right tour for you!
Option Four: Driving from London to Bath
Your last option is to rent a car and drive to Bath from London.
I don’t recommend this unless it is part of a larger road trip around the UK.
It isn’t worth the hassel of picking the car up, driving, parking, and gassing up before you return the car.
If you’re going to use the highway to get to Bath, you may as well take the bus!
Conclusion
Are you any closer to deciding how you want to travel from London to Bath?!
I hope this article helped you figure out the pros and cons of each transportation method and start you on the path of deciding how to travel to Bath.
Bath is one of the most popular tourist destinations in England and for good reason!
It is well worth taking the time to leave London for a day or two and explore the city!