Stonehenge has no train station of its own, and no direct bus from London either. Every practical route from the capital passes through Salisbury, about 9 miles from the stones, and from there you finish the journey by bus, taxi or shuttle. That single fact shapes almost every decision about how to do this trip: whether to travel independently by train and bus, join a guided coach tour that handles the connections for you, or book a private transfer. All three are genuinely workable as a single day out from London; which one suits you depends on budget, how much you want to see in one day, and whether you’d rather manage your own timings or hand that off to someone else.

The Three Ways to Do It, at a Glance

Option	Approx. cost, per adult	Time, door to door	Best for
Train + Stonehenge Tour Bus	£65–£100+ (train, bus, admission)	About 5–6 hours round trip travel, plus time at the site	Independent travellers who want control over timing
Guided coach tour	£60–£150+, often includes Bath or Windsor	Typically a 9–12 hour day, fixed schedule	No transport planning, seeing more than one place, no car needed at either end
Private transfer or driver	£300–£600+ per vehicle, not per person	Most flexible; door to door, your own schedule	Groups of 3 or more splitting the cost, or anyone wanting a fully private day

Figures above are broad, current ranges gathered from multiple operators and should be treated as a planning guide, not a quote; get a specific price for your dates before booking any option.

Option 1: Train to Salisbury, Then the Stonehenge Tour Bus

This is the cheapest independent route, and the one to choose if you’d rather control your own schedule than follow a tour group’s timings.

Step 1 — London Waterloo to Salisbury: South Western Railway runs direct trains roughly every 30 minutes throughout the day, taking around 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes. Advance single fares can start from around £10–£15 if booked early, rising well above £30 for an unreserved Anytime fare bought on the day, so book ahead through South Western Railway or National Rail if your dates are fixed.

Step 2 — Salisbury to Stonehenge: The Stonehenge Tour, a hop-on hop-off bus run by Salisbury Reds, departs from right outside Salisbury railway station and takes around 30 to 45 minutes to the Stonehenge Visitor Centre, also stopping at Old Sarum on the way. It runs roughly hourly, more often in summer, with a reduced winter timetable; a return ticket typically costs somewhere in the £15 to £25 range depending on whether it includes admission. A handful of smaller private shuttle operators run a similar direct service from near the station at a comparable price, with a reserved seat and a shorter, non-stop journey; either works, but check which is genuinely available and priced for your date before booking, since prices and operators shift over time.

Step 3 — Stonehenge admission: English Heritage requires a pre-booked timed-entry ticket; walk-up admission isn’t guaranteed. Adult tickets typically run from around £22 up to £30 depending on date and time slot, cheaper booked online in advance than at the gate. Book your entry slot to line up with your bus arrival, since Stonehenge uses timed entry to manage numbers throughout the day.

Timing a single day: An early train, in the 08:00 to 09:00 window from Waterloo, gets you into Salisbury in good time for one of the first Stonehenge Tour departures and a full few hours at the site before working back. Doing this as a day trip from London is entirely realistic, but it is a full day out: allow for around 5 to 6 hours of travel time alone, on top of however long you spend at Stonehenge itself.

Our suggestion is to also check Trainpal for split tickets. A split ticket books one journey as two or more consecutive tickets, and the combined price can come in below a single through fare. This is most likely with Anytime and off-peak tickets bought close to your travel date. You stay on the same train, provided it calls at the station where the tickets split. Compare the total against the direct advance fare before you buy. We may earn a commission if you book through our link, at no extra cost to you.

Worth knowing: our full Stonehenge guide covers ticket types, the free public byway view, accessibility and the site’s history in detail, if you want the full picture before you book.

Option 2: A Guided Coach Tour

Several established operators run coach day trips from central London to Stonehenge, almost always bundled with at least one other stop, most commonly Bath, Windsor, or both. This is the option that removes every logistical decision above: one pickup point, one ticket, and a guide who handles the Stonehenge admission and timing for you.

What’s typically included: Return coach travel from a central London pickup point, Stonehenge admission, and often a guided walking tour or free time in Bath or Windsor as well. A full-day Stonehenge, Windsor and Bath itinerary is a genuinely long day, commonly 10 to 12 hours door to door; a shorter, Stonehenge-focused half-day option exists with some operators but is less common and less widely available than the full-day combined tours.

Price range: Broadly £60 to £90 for a Stonehenge-only or Stonehenge-plus-one-stop tour, rising to £100–£150 or more for a full Windsor, Bath and Stonehenge day, depending on operator, season, and whether admission and lunch are included. Compare what’s actually bundled into the price, since ‘Stonehenge tour’ listings vary widely in what they include.

Where to compare options: We suggest checking GetYourGuide for the best tour options. It lists many operators side by side, so you can compare itineraries, inclusions, group sizes and recent traveller reviews in one place. Check whether Stonehenge admission is included before you book. We may earn a commission if you book through our link, at no extra cost to you.

Good for: First-time visitors who’d rather not plan train and bus connections, anyone wanting to see more than one place in a day without driving, and travellers without a UK rail app or card set up in advance.

Trade-off: less time at Stonehenge itself than the train-and-bus route, since a shared itinerary has to fit in the other stops too, and you’re on the group’s schedule rather than your own.

Option 3: A Private Transfer or Driver

A pre-booked private car or minibus collects you in London, drives you directly to Stonehenge (about two hours each way via the M3 and A303, traffic permitting) and back, with the itinerary entirely up to you.

Price: Priced per vehicle rather than per person, typically from around £300 up to £600 or more for the day depending on vehicle size, distance covered, and whether extra stops are added. Split between three or four people, this can work out close to, or even cheaper than, individual coach tour tickets, while giving a fully private, flexible day.

Good for: Groups and families splitting the cost, anyone with mobility needs better served by door-to-door transport, and travellers who want to add their own stops, adjust timings on the day, or combine Stonehenge with somewhere a coach tour doesn’t go.

Where to book: We suggest looking at UK Airport Transfer Services for a private car at disposal for the day. “At disposal” means the vehicle and driver are yours for the whole booking, so the day runs to your schedule rather than a fixed route.

The main benefits over the other options:

• Your own timetable. You choose when to leave London and how long to stay. If you book an early admission slot, or want the quieter part of the afternoon, the car fits around it. There are no coach departure times and no connections between train and bus.
• Door to door. You are collected from your hotel or address and returned to it. That saves the Tube or taxi to a station or meeting point at each end. It also helps if you are travelling with young children, luggage, or someone who finds long walks or crowded transport difficult.
• Time saved. A direct drive avoids the two-leg journey by train and bus, and the extra stops that come with a coach itinerary. That means more of the day at Stonehenge itself.
• Room for extra stops. You can combine Stonehenge with somewhere a coach tour doesn’t go, such as Avebury, Old Sarum or a lunch stop on the way back. Agree these with the operator beforehand, as extra distance and waiting time can change the price.
• A private, quiet journey. Your group travels together with no strangers, which many families and small groups prefer after a long flight.
• Shared cost. Because the price is per vehicle, the cost per person drops as the group grows. This is why it can compare well with coach tickets for three or four people.

Which Option to Choose

Solo or a pair, budget-conscious, comfortable planning your own connections: train and bus via Salisbury.

First visit to the UK, want Bath or Windsor in the same day, don’t want to think about tickets: a guided coach tour.

Group of three or more, mobility needs, or want full control of the day: a private transfer.

Prices, timetables and journey times last checked: September 2026; all three options are priced by third parties and change by season and demand, so confirm the current fare directly with the operator before booking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you do Stonehenge as a day trip from London?

Yes, comfortably, by any of the three main routes: train and bus via Salisbury, a guided coach tour, or a private transfer. Allow a full day either way, since round-trip travel time alone runs to several hours.

Is there a direct train from London to Stonehenge?

No. There’s no station at Stonehenge itself. Take the train from London Waterloo to Salisbury, the nearest station, about 9 miles away, then the Stonehenge Tour Bus or a private shuttle for the final leg.

What is the cheapest way to get from London to Stonehenge?

Train to Salisbury booked in advance, followed by the Stonehenge Tour Bus, is generally the cheapest independent option, especially for solo travellers or pairs. Guided coach tours can work out similarly priced once transport, admission and another stop are all bundled in.

Do Stonehenge day trips from London include Bath or Windsor?

Many guided coach tours do, since Stonehenge alone is a relatively short visit and operators commonly combine it with a stop in Bath, Windsor, or both, to fill a full day.

Do I need to book Stonehenge tickets in advance for a day trip?

Yes. English Heritage uses timed entry and doesn’t guarantee walk-up admission, so book your slot in advance and time it to match your bus, tour or transfer’s arrival.

For everything else about the monument itself, including its history, the solstice alignment and the free public byway view, see our full Stonehenge guide. Browse more Plan Your Trip guides, or visit the England hub.