Want to travel from London to Stonehenge – one of the most historic landmarks in England? Find out how by car, bus, train and on a day trip.
Stonehenge is one of the most visited wonders in England, and when you consider its incredible historic significance, it’s hardly surprising! Not only is the landmark set within the spectacular Wiltshire countryside, there’s a chance to learn about our Neolithic ancestors, binge on historic objects in the visitor centre and even come face to face with a 5,500 year-old man.
It’s one of the most popular days trips from London, yet if you’re staying in the capital, you’ll quickly find that visiting Stonehenge isn’t as easy as you might think. The journey takes several hours, and unless you have your own car, you might need to use several forms of public transport.
One of the simplest ways to visit the historic site is on a Stonehenge day trip from London. You can book onto a tour, which includes transport, audio guides and more. Some of the tours also take in the delights of Bath, Windsor, Oxford and The Cotswolds. Such quintessentially British places, you’ll fall in love with the old-world charm and beauty of the country.
But perhaps you want to look at all the options? If you plan your own travel you’ll benefit from avoiding the big tour groups, have the flexibility to travel at times that suit you, plus you can spend as long as you like there.
To make your travel planning nice and simple, this post covers all the ways to travel from London to Stonehenge.
London to Stonehenge Map
If you’re planning a trip from London to Stonehenge, this map should help! I’ve marked on it the main spots you’ll need to be familiar with including bus stops, train stations and day tour options, so you can plan the route that works for you.
Useful information for planning your travel from London to Stonehenge
Distance from London to Stonehenge: 85 miles / 136 km
Travel time London to Stonehenge by car: 1 hour 30 – 2 hours 20 mins.
Travel time London to Stonehenge by train: 1 hour 23 train from London Waterloo to Salisbury, followed by a 33-minute bus journey to the visitor centre.
How to travel from London to Stonehenge by train
If you want to travel independently, but don’t have a car, I’d recommend this option. Travelling by train means you can avoid the crowds, take your time and enjoy the day at your own pace.
The best route is from London Waterloo to Salisbury. There are frequent trains that run in the morning from London towards Exeter St David’s and Yeovil, stopping at Salisbury. The journey takes just 1 hour 23, costs under £20 return (if booked in advance) and from Salisbury train station you can catch the Stonehenge Tour bus directly to the site (info below).
I’d recommend booking via Omio, a reliable booking platform that I use personally. It’s super simple, comparing prices across multiple forms of transport and most of the tickets are e-tickets, so you don’t have to worry about printing in advance. You can search and book here:
How to travel from London to Stonehenge by bus
Alternatively, you can book a National Express coach from London Victoria to Salisbury. The journey takes around 3 hours. In my opinion, you want the maximum time possible at Stonehenge or to explore Salisbury, so I’d recommend the train over the bus. Bus tickets start at £10 each way, but there are occasionally discounts which might make this option cheaper than the train.
How to travel from Salisbury to Stonehenge by bus
The green Stonehenge Tour bus from Salisbury train station to Stonehenge Visitor Centre takes just 33 minutes, and costs £16 per adult. You can check the latest schedule on the website here. It’s a tourist bus, and offers audio commentary in ten languages. Some of the buses are hop-on hop-off services, so you can also use it to get around Salisbury if you fancy checking out a few other sites on your visit.
You don’t have to specify a date or time for the bus you want to catch, so it’s pretty flexible. In fact, online tickets are valid for 6 months from the day of purchase. To board the bus, just show your e-ticket, printed confirmation or reference number.
Price to travel from London to Stonehenge by public transport
As a rough guide, visiting Stonehenge by public transport will cost approximately £34 per person (not including entry to the site).
£18 – return off peak train per person (if booked in advance)
£16 – bus ticket to Stonehenge
How to travel from London to Stonehenge by car
The easiest way to visit is by car. Pop the Stonehenge postcode SP4 7DE in your SatNav and off you go! If you leave early in the morning and beat the traffic, journey time is around 1 hour 30 minutes. The route is nice and simple, passing along the M3 and A303. Once you reach Stonehenge, you’ll see a visitor centre and plenty of parking spaces.
Parking at Stonehenge
Good news! Parking at Stonehenge is free for Stonehenge ticket holders and English Heritage members. Be sure to book your Stonehenge ticket in advance so that your parking is covered. From the car park there is a shuttle bus to get you close to the famous stones.
Stonehenge tours from London
So, I’ve mentioned driving is the easiest way to visit Stonehenge, but if you don’t have a car, I’d recommend looking at day tour. As it’s such a popular place to visit, there are plenty of amazing Stonehenge tours from London each day. Most include return transport by coach from a central London pickup location, a tour guide or audio headsets and entrance tickets.
I often book with GetYourGuide, a tour booking service which is really easy to use and offers high quality, great value, interesting tours. This 6-hour tour, departing from Victoria Station via an express coach service, is especially good value and gets excellent reviews.
Check latest prices and availability for a half-day tour from London to Stonehenge
If you’re interested in making the most of your day, many London to Stonehenge tours also include stops at places including Bath, Windsor, Oxford and The Cotswolds. It’s a great way to see more of England, especially if you’re only visiting for a short time.
Multi-stop Stonehenge tours from London
My top picks of the multi-stop Stonehenge tours are:
Windsor, Stonehenge And Oxford Tour From London – On this full day tour from London, you’ll explore Windsor Castle (one of the Royal residences), enjoy a wander around the historic university city of Oxford, and take in the mysterious standing stone circle of Stonehenge.
Check latest prices and availability for a Windsor, Stonehenge and Oxford tour from London
Stonehenge, Bath And West Country Day Trip From London – The perfect intro to the southwest of England, this tour gives you a good amount of time to explore Stonehenge and its visitor centre, before visiting Bath where you can see the Royal Crescent and see the Roman Baths.
Check latest prices and availability for a Stonehenge, Bath and West Country day trip from London
Windsor Castle, Stonehenge And Bath Full-Day Tour From London – Mix the two tours above together and you have some of the greatest highlights of England, with stops at historic royal residence Windsor Castle, an exploration of Roman Britain in Bath and of course, time to explore the mysterious neolithic history of Stonehenge.
Check latest prices and availability for a Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath day trip from London
Stonehenge, Stratford, Bath And Cotswolds Day Tour From London – Pack in some of the greatest spots in the south of England in one day! Along with Stonehenge, this tour also includes stops in Shakespeare’s historic home of Stratford-upon-Avon, time in the beautiful Georgian city of Bath and a little drive through one of the most picturesque regions in the country – The Cotswolds.
Stonehenge, Glastonbury And Avebury Small Group Tour From London – A little different to the others tours I’ve mentioned, this tour has a maximum of 16 people, so you know you’ll be really well taken care of. After leaving London you’ll visit historic Stonehenge, then continue west to Glastonbury Tor and finish at the World Heritage Site of Avebury, which is famed for having the largest Stone Circle complex in the world. For anyone wanting to get to grips with the historical background of Stonehenge, this tour is my top recommendation.
Private tours from London to Stonehenge
If you want a little more flexibility, or to travel as a small group or family, I’d recommend these private tours from London to Stonehenge. They run in a similar way to the general group tours above, but can pick you up from your chosen destination, or be adapted depending on your timings.
Private Tour Of Stonehenge, Winchester And Salisbury From London – This private tour will pick you up from anywhere in central London, before taking you to see England’s former capital, Winchester where you’ll see the spectacular Norman cathedral. Then it’s on to the 13th-Century city of Salisbury, for a glimpse of a spectacular and very different cathedral. Then it’s on to Stonehenge, for a historic and mysterious finale to your day.
Private Full-Day Tour Of Stonehenge And Bath From London – After being picked up in central London, it’s time to drive down to Bath to explore the spectacularly preserved Roman baths. Then it’s time to admire the historic standing rocks of Stonehenge before returning home.
Check latest prices and availability for a private tour of Stonehenge and Bath from London
Full Day Trip to Stonehenge, Windsor, Bath & Salisbury From London – After being picked up in north or west London, this tour will show you four historic locations in England. You’ll see Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral, the Magna Carta and explore the Roman baths in Bath.
Check latest prices and availability for a private tour of Stonehenge and Salisbury from London
I hope this guide has helped you plan your journey from London to Stonehenge. I hope you have a fantastic trip, and enjoy discovering such a wondrous piece of English history.
Looking for other trips within England? I’d recommend reading my post about visiting the cathedral cities of Durham, York and Lincoln. Or for something totally different, read about my day trip in Oxford and my tips for spending 24 hours in Bath.