This post covers how to reach Stonehenge from London.
We include by public coach, train, and organized bus tours, as well as tips on how to plan your day.
- By Organized Bus Tour
- By Train
- By Public Coach
- Where is Stonehenge?
- Other Nearby Destinations
- London Day Trips
HOW TO GET TO STONEHENGE ON AN ORGANIZED BUS TOUR
For most travellers from London, this is our recommended pick for visiting Stonehenge, and we even have a post that details bus tours to Stonehenge.
Below are the 3 reasons why you should consider an organized bus tour.
1 - Cheapest and Fastest Option
First, not only is it the fastest option and relatively hassle-free, it’s often the cheapest option as well.
Since these tours will take you directly to Stonehenge, there’s no need to travel to Salisbury (which is the case with the public train and public coaches).
Day tours from London to Stonehenge can take anywhere from 5-7 hours on average, which is much shorter than some of the other options, as you will discover below.
Entrance fees also include entry to the UNESCO World Heritage site, so you don't need to worry about choosing the right entry time.
You can also expect your tour guide to provide a lot of historical information about the attraction. While some of these outings are a full-day trip, others are a half-day tour.
Another nice thing about this option is that most of these companies offer an air-conditioned coach, so if you're planning to visit during the warmer months, you won't have to worry about getting too hot!
Tickets for a Stonehenge tour bus are typically around £55-£60 per person. As you will discover in the following sections, this is often the cheapest option.
2 - Free with a Tourist Attraction Discount Pass
If you are considering purchasing a tourist attraction discount pass for your time in London, several passes already include one of these Stonehenge tours for free.
A tourist attraction discount pass simply bundles together popular tours and attractions into one ticket price, with savings up to 55% off of retail prices.
Here are the two passes currently offering savings on Stonehenge tours:
For more details about these options, make sure to read our full post covering which London tourist pass is best.
3 - Only Way to Visit at Sunrise or Sunset
Lastly, if you are planning on visiting Stonehenge at sunrise or sunset, you will need to travel with an organized tour.
You can't visit this monument on your own at these premium times.
During these times and with special tickets, you might also have the opportunity to get closer to the stone circle or even walk around the interior.
Additionally, several tour companies offer day trips to Stonehenge that include additional destinations such as Bath, Oxford, and Windsor.
Tickets for those combo packages run from £65 - £125 on average and you can expect journey times of at least 10-12 hours to enjoy.
Can you experience Stonehenge in a day?
A lot of people wonder whether or not this landmark is too far from London to see and experience everything in just one day, and the answer to that question is yes!
If you take an organized bus tour, you can leave in the morning and be back in London by the evening.
For more details about this option, please read our post about Stonehenge-organized bus tours.
HOW TO GET TO STONEHENGE BY TRAIN
If you're wondering how to reach Stonehenge without a tour, traveling by train is relatively fast and can be the most economical and flexible option.
However, unlike organized bus tours or traveling by car, there are no direct trains to Stonehenge.
What is the closest train station to Stonehenge?
Trains depart from London’s Waterloo Station approximately every 30 min and arrive in the City of Salisbury which is 10 miles (16 km) south of Stonehenge.
Get train timetables or purchase a ticket to Salisbury. (affiliate disclosure).
From Salisbury, you will need to transfer to the Stonehenge Bus (£8 each way) or take a taxi to get to the historic site.
If you have 3 or 4 people, a taxi or an Uber X is probably the cheaper way to go.
Train ticket prices from London to Salisbury vary depending on the date and time of departure and how far in advance you purchase them.
How much is a train from London to Stonehenge?
Expect a round-trip ticket to cost as low as £23 (off-peak) up to £45 (peak) and take around 90 min.
Add on another 30-60 minutes to transfer to the bus to Stonehenge and arrive at the UNESCO World Heritage site.
With that in mind, travelers should prepare for a total travel time of 7 hours if planning to visit Stonehenge via train from London and back.
However, you’ll probably want to add an hour or two, at least, to visit Salisbury itself.
Purchase a train ticket to Salisbury. (affiliate disclosure).
How Much Will It Cost?
It should be noted that once you arrive at the Stonehenge visitor centre, you will have to pay for your own Stonehenge ticket (currently £19.50)
Tickets are timed, so be sure to purchase them in advance.
If you add this all up, it will cost you at least £58.50/adult including entry to the site, assuming you travel off-peak, which is why we recommend taking a bus tour from London.
However, there is a trip hack. If you are really on a budget or just want to have a less touristy experience, there is a way to visit Stonehenge for free, though you won’t be able to access the visitor center and museum.
In this case, you would save the admission fee and potentially make taking the train the most economical option.
HOW TO GET TO STONEHENGE BY PUBLIC COACH
Travelling by public coach bus to Stonehenge is always the slowest way, but sometimes could be the cheapest.
However, in our opinion, the savings aren’t usually worth it.
Return ticket prices for this public transport range from £19-£25 depending on when they are purchased and there are many departures daily.
National Express offers a majority of these services.
You can expect your trip by public coach to take approximately 3 hours to get to Salisbury, but you should factor in another 30-60 minutes to get to Stonehenge from Salisbury.
Travelers from London should plan on setting aside at least 10 hours if they plan to visit Stonehenge by public coach.
It should be noted that once you arrive at Stonehenge, you will have to pay for your own tickets (currently £19.50)
The transfer from Salisbury to Stonehenge costs £16 return. If you add this all up, it will cost you at least £54.50/adult.
If you are really on a budget, there is a way to visit Stonehenge for free, though you won’t be able to access the visitor center and museum.
If you’re interested in traveling here by public coach, head to London Victoria Coach Station and book a ticket to Salisbury.
Purchase a bus ticket to Salisbury.
HOW FAR IS STONEHENGE FROM LONDON?
Stonehenge is located approximately 87 miles (140 km) from Victoria Station in Central London.
The ride to this historic sight takes less than 2 hours by car or organized bus tour, approximately 2 1/2 hours by train, and roughly 3-4 hours by public coach.
Use this Google Maps link to help plan your journey with directions. There are parking facilities on site.
Here are a few additional locations you might want to visit before or after making a trip to Stonehenge:
- Bristol – Stonehenge: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Bath – Stonehenge: 1 hour
- Oxford – Stonehenge: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Windsor – Stonehenge: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Due to their proximity, it’s fairly easy to squeeze in a stop at one or more of these UNESCO world heritage sites if you are starting from and returning to London.
If you’re curious about visiting any of the above attractions, please read our section about other nearby destinations for more details.
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO SEE STONEHENGE?
This historic landmark is open to the public every day of the year, but depending on what type of experience you're hoping to have, you might want to consider visiting during a specific time of the day or during a specific month.
What's the best time of day?
Many guests feel the best time of day to visit Stonehenge is either early in the morning or late afternoon, as there are fewer crowds and you can experience the attraction in a more tranquil setting.
What is the best time to take photos of Stonehenge?
According to some, the best time to take photos is in the morning, as the light hits the structure just perfectly. That said, the sunset also ensures excellent opportunities for photos during the golden hour.
What's the best time of year to see Stonehenge?
Being that this structure may have played an important role in determining the seasons, it makes sense that a lot of people like to visit either for Summer Solstice or Winter Solstice.
That said, the winter is definitely an off-peak season, spring and autumn are both much more popular times to visit, and summer is the peak season for Stonehenge.
OTHER NEARBY DESTINATIONS
If you want to see more than just Stonehenge while you’re traveling outside of London, there are some popular destinations nearby that you can include in your trip with ease.
Oxford
This historic college town has a lot of notable sites to see, and it’s also the filming location of notable TV shows like Downton Abbey as well as the Harry Potter films.
In addition to various walking tours of Oxford, there are also several museums and libraries you can visit for free in the area.
Oxford is only 1 hour and 20 minutes from Stonehenge, so it won’t take much more time to make a stop here.
Windsor
Known as the site of Windsor Castle, this is an excellent location to visit if you’re interested in the history of England and want to see more of the English countryside.
There are guided tours and other fun activities to enjoy at Windsor Castle and throughout the area.
Windsor is about 1 hour and 20 minutes outside of Stonehenge, making it pretty easy to visit while you’re visiting the nearby landmark.
Bath
Not only is this the historic site of the Roman Baths and several other notable locations, but it’s also a great place to visit a spa!
Visitors in Bath can also enjoy several different types of guided walking tours and boat tours which cover both the history and the culture of this destination.
There are a variety of other sites to see in this area, including the Royal Crescent townhomes and Bath Abbey.
The city of Bath is only 1 hour away from Stonehenge, so it’s actually one of the easiest places to visit if you’re already planning a trip to this part of England.
Bristol
With several great museums and historic landmarks to see, this is a pretty popular destination which is fairly close to Stonehenge.
Whether you want to see sites such as the Clifton Suspension Bridge, discover the street art of Bristol, or perhaps even see a show at the historic Anson Rooms, there’s plenty to do in this city.
Bristol is roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes outside of Stonehenge, and it’s fairly easy to make a stop here while taking a trip to see this landmark.
Stay Near Stonehenge Overnight
Whether it gets too late or you just want to spend more time at this historic site, there are several hotels in Salisbury and other surrounding areas near Stonehenge.
While these hotels don’t always provide transportation to and from the landmark, you can always either drive there yourself or head to the Salisbury train station to take a bus there.
One advantage of staying in this area is that you might have some extra time to do sightseeing here as well. Here are a few of the most noteworthy attractions and highlights in and around Salisbury:
- Old Sarum
- Salisbury Cathedral
- Salisbury Museum
- Mompesson House
- Wilton House
- Cotswolds
- Arundells
- Avebury
- And more!
Cost By Public Coach
- Up to £20 for a return ticket to Salisbury
- Up to £16 for a return bus ticket to Stonehenge
- Another £19.50 for admission to Stonehenge
- Total Price: £55 per person
- Total Time: 7-8 hours
Cost By Public Train
- Up to £40 for a return ticket to Salisbury
- Up to £16 for a return bus ticket to Stonehenge
- Another £19.50 for admission to Stonehenge
- Total Price: £75 per person
- Total Time: 6-7 hours
Cost For Organized Bus Tour
- Ticket directly to and from Stonehenge included
- No need for a return ticket from Salisbury to Stonehenge
- Admission to Stonehenge included
- Total Price: £50-£55 per person
- Total Time: 5-7 hours
As you can see, although you might be able to save some money by taking a public coach, you won’t save much – and it’ll actually take you more time to do it that way.
An organized bus tour may cost a few more pounds at most, but you’ll save a lot of time by going directly to Stonehenge, and it’s still cheaper than taking a train.
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