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One of the most historic cities in all of the UK is undoubtedly Stratford-upon-Avon.
Home to Shakespeare, including his birthplace and grave, hundreds of thousands of visitors each year flock from London to Stratford-upon-Avon.
But how do you get from London to Stratford-upon-Avon?
That is the real question, as recent years have seen a decrease in direct transit routes despite it being a super popular destination.
The things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon mean that it’s worth figuring out the journey from London to Stratford-upon-Avon, however, as you can see a Shakespeare play, wander along the River Avon, see the church where Shakespeare is buried, tour through his birthplace, and enjoy the walkable and compact area.
In this guide, I’ll talk about the best way to get to Stratford-upon-Avon from London so you can plan your day trip, transfer, or weekend getaway in this charming English town.
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Expert tip for all types of public transportation in the UK: the best way to figure out your best options is to click here to use Omio (free), where it’ll show you the prices, options (including buses, trains, taxis, ferries, and even flights) and help you compare the cheapest and fastest routes.
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Distance from London to Stratford upon Avon
The actual distance from Stratford upon Avon to London is about 105 miles.
You can see on this map where it is in relation to London, which is to the northwest.
IMPORTANT: are you coming to the UK from abroad?
In case you’re reading this from outside the UK and will be a foreign visitor here, you need to know these 2 things to stay safe and save money.
- Travel insurance – you need it when going overseas! I use this site to get the best quotes and purchase my packages from. Do not skip this – having medical coverage abroad as well as other coverage in case of missed flights, lost luggage, etc is essential. As I said, I have never gone wrong using this site.
- International debit cards without fees – do not get stuck paying extortionate foreign fees when using your card abroad (and the UK is almost all card these days). I use the Wise debit and travel card which you can apply and learn more about here.
How to Get to Stratford-upon-Avon from London Using Public Transportation
As always, the best way to get to Stratford-upon-Avon from London is taking public transportation, whether that’s a bus to Stratford-upon-Avon from London or the train from London to Stratford-upon-Avon.
Public transportation is how the UK runs and operates – cities are well connected, and many people use trains and buses to commute and take day trips rather than driving.
Part of this is a culture thing, and part of it is because parking is so hard to find in parts of the UK (and you have to pay for it!), that going via public transportation is often easier and less expensive.
How to Get to Stratford-upon-Avon from London by Train
Despite the potential for a train change, which I’ll get to in a minute, if you want to know how to travel to Stratford upon Avon from London, my tip would be to take the train.
Not only can you get very cheap tickets from London to Stratford-upon-Avon if you purchase ahead of time (about £8 each way per person, which is a steal!), but it also means you can sit back and enjoy the ride without having to navigate traffic.
You can purchase your tickets online at Omio, and you can see here the different options and how the prices vary by time.
Purchasing them ahead of time will be cheaper than purchasing on the day.
The train time from London to Stratford upon Avon is about 2 hours to 3 hours depending on the route.
The one annoying thing about getting to Stratford upon Avon from London is that many of the routes require you to switch trains.
You can see on the example above which ones do, and if you click on each individual change, it will show you what you are supposed to do.
If you purchase a ticket, it will be valid on both of those lines.
That being said, train is still the best way to get from London to Stratford-upon-Avon, and many of the train stations that the routes change at are basic ones with only a few platforms so you can’t get too lost!
Keep in mind that a “single” ticket is one way, and a “return” ticket is round trip.
How to Get to Stratford-upon-Avon from London by Bus
Another option to get to Stratford-upon-Avon from London is by taking the bus (or a coach, as they call them in the UK when it’s a bus that takes you a long distance).
You can purchase tickets via the Omio website, and the buses leave from London Victoria Station to Stratford-upon-Avon direct.
The journey takes about 2 and a half hours, as given on the website, but keep in mind that it’s very possible to get stuck in traffic which could delay your journey.
Prices range from £7 to 10 each way per person if you book in advance, and this is definitely an option, particularly if you’re staying near London Victoria Station.
However, again, keep in mind the potential traffic issues and also any car sickness issues that are in your traveling group – roads in the UK can be quite winding!
There will also be fewer bus options, usually, whereas there are more trains leaving constantly.
Driving from London to Stratford upon Avon
For those who already have cars, it is of course possible to drive from London to Stratford-upon-Avon, but I don’t recommend it for London visitors who don’t have a car.
If you don’t have a car in the UK, you’ll want to rent one using Discover Cars for the best comparison prices.
Driving on the opposite side of the road (for most people) can be a difficult adjustment, particularly when you go from larger roads to smaller roads with fewer options for mistakes.
Renting a car can also be a nightmare that you don’t need to deal with as a visitor to London for a simple day trip.
You would need to navigate London traffic, deal with parking when you get to Stratford-upon-Avon, and it’s not worth the hassle!
Taking a Guided Tour from London to Stratford-upon-Avon
The final way to make it to Stratford-upon-Avon from London is to take a guided tour.
I’ve listed a few options below that I recommend if you’re more into being taken around somewhere so you don’t miss the major sights.
Oxford, Stratford, and Cotswolds Day Trip: this day trip from London takes you to three amazing places in the UK – Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, and the Cotswolds.
This is a real whirlwind day where you’ll see a lot, but keep in mind that you won’t experience a great amount of time in each place as the purpose of the trip is more for seeing “more” rather than “longer.”
However, if you do want to pack in as much as you can, this is a great option.
Want more UK travel help? Check out these guides!
- Exactly How to Get to Dover from London
- Exactly How to Get to Brighton from London
- Exactly How to Get to Disneyland Paris from London
- Exactly How to Get to Paris from London
- Exactly How to Get to Canterbury from London
- Exactly How to Get to Windsor from London
- Exactly How to Get to Hampton Court Palace from London
- Exactly How to Get to Stonehenge from London
- Exactly How to Get to Cambridge from London
- Exactly How to Get to Oxford from London
- Exactly How to Get to the Harry Potter Studio Tour from London
- Exactly How to Get to Bath from London
- Exactly How to Get to Edinburgh from London
