Day trips from London
London has the best day-trip network in our set: Oxford, Windsor, Cambridge, Brighton, Canterbury and Bath are all one to one and a half hours from a central terminus, with trains every half hour or so. With a car, the Sussex cliffs, Leeds Castle, Whipsnade Zoo and the Kent and Surrey gardens and hills are one to two hours out, with all of Greater London inside the ULEZ.
Checked: 22 October 2026. Prices and hours can change; check the official site before you go.
9 places for a day out by train or bus, with the journey time, the fare and the last train back, and 7 outings by car for a weekend.
- Oxford
- Windsor
- Cambridge
- Bath
- Brighton
- Canterbury
- Salisbury and Stonehenge
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter
- Whitstable
- Seven Sisters and Birling Gap
- Leeds Castle
- ZSL Whipsnade Zoo
- Sissinghurst Castle Garden
- Box Hill and the Surrey Hills
- Cotswolds villages loop (Burford, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water)
- The New Forest
⚡ At a glance
| Destination | By | One way | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford | 🚆 Train | 56 min | from £36 return |
| Windsor | 🚆 Train | 56 min | from £16.60 return |
| Cambridge | 🚆 Train | 50 min | from £30.40 return |
| Bath | 🚆 Train | 83 min | from £62.50 return |
| Brighton | 🚆 Train | 58 min | from £20.50 return |
| Canterbury | 🚆 Train | 56 min | from £31.20 return |
| Salisbury and Stonehenge | 🚆 Train + bus | 84 min | from £32.80 return to Salisbury |
| Warner Bros. Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter | 🚆 Train + bus | – | from £14.40 return to Watford Junction |
| Whitstable | 🚆 Train | 78 min | from £24.50 return |
| Seven Sisters and Birling Gap | 🚗 Car | 119 min · 118 km | – |
| Leeds Castle | 🚗 Car | 75 min · 72 km | – |
| ZSL Whipsnade Zoo | 🚗 Car | 63 min · 57 km | – |
| Sissinghurst Castle Garden | 🚗 Car | 91 min · 89 km | – |
| Box Hill and the Surrey Hills | 🚗 Car | 57 min · 40 km | – |
| Cotswolds villages loop (Burford, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water) | 🚗 Car | 107 min · 119 km | – |
| The New Forest | 🚗 Car | 117 min · 144 km | – |
By train and bus
No car needed: go in the morning and be back for dinner.
🚆 56 minPhoto: Julian Herzog (Website) · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia
Oxford
The university city of colleges, libraries and spires, with the Ashmolean and the Bodleian, and Christ Church, whose Great Hall appears in the Harry Potter films. Fast, frequent trains make it the easiest historic day out from London.
- 🚆 Getting there: Train · London Paddington · 56 min · direct trains 2 to 3 times an hour
- 🎟️ Fare: from £36 return
- 🌙 Last train back: around 23:00 (direct)
- 🚶 On arrival: 10 to 15 minutes on foot from the station to the centre
- Map
What to see
- Bodleian Library and Radcliffe Camera: Inside the Radcliffe Camera only on a guided tour; Radcliffe Square around it is free to walk at any time. Website
- Christ Church: College, cathedral and the Great Hall from the Harry Potter films. Parts close at lunchtime and for services, so check its closures page. Website
- Ashmolean Museum: Britain's oldest public museum; booking is recommended.
🕗 daily 10:00–17:00, last entry 16:45 · 🎟️ free Website - Covered Market and the Bridge of Sighs: Free town sights between the colleges.
🎟️ free
- 📅 When to go: Colleges can close to visitors at short notice (exams, events): check each college's page before you go.
🚆 56 minPhoto: Ввласенко · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia
Windsor
The world's oldest and largest inhabited castle, in a royal town with an old high street and the Thames, and Eton across the footbridge. An easy half day, plus a riverside walk or the Long Walk in Windsor Great Park.
- 🚆 Getting there: Train · London Waterloo (direct) or London Paddington (change at Slough) · 56 min · about 2 trains an hour from Waterloo; every 30 minutes from Paddington via Slough
- 🎟️ Fare: from £16.60 return
- 🚶 On arrival: both Windsor stations are a 5 to 10 minute walk from the castle gate
- Map
What to see
- Windsor Castle: The King's weekend residence: State Apartments, Queen Mary's Dolls' House and St George's Chapel, where ten sovereigns are buried. Allow about 2.5 hours.
🎟️ adults £32 booked in advance, £36 on the day; children 5–17 £16 / £18 Website - Windsor Great Park and the Long Walk: A 4 km tree-lined avenue to the Copper Horse statue; free to walk.
🎟️ free - Eton High Street and the Thames: Cross the footbridge to Eton for the old shops and a riverside stroll; river boats run in season.
- 📅 When to go: The castle is not open every day and closes for some state occasions: check its opening times before you go. Busy on summer weekends.
🚆 50 minPhoto: Sandra Humphrey · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia
Cambridge
College courts, King's College Chapel, punting on the Cam and the Fitzwilliam Museum in a compact, walkable centre, 50 minutes from King's Cross.
- 🚆 Getting there: Train · London King's Cross (or Liverpool Street) · 50 min · direct trains about 2 an hour
- 🎟️ Fare: from £30.40 return
- 🌙 Last train back: around 21:40 (direct)
- 🚶 On arrival: about 20 minutes on foot or a short bus ride to King's Parade
- Map
What to see
- King's College Chapel: The fan-vaulted chapel, the signature Cambridge building. Opening hours vary by day and it closes for services and events.
🎟️ adults £17 standard, children (5+) and students £14.50; cheaper when booked in advance Website - Punting on the Cam and the Backs: Take a chauffeured punt, or walk the Backs for free.
- Fitzwilliam Museum: Antiquities and art.
🎟️ free Website - Trinity College and Great Court: The Wren Library and the Great Court. Website
- 📅 When to go: Colleges close at exam time (April–June) and for events; the chapel sometimes closes early.
🚆 83 minPhoto: Suicasmo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia
Bath
A Georgian spa city with the Roman Baths, the abbey, the Royal Crescent and Pulteney Bridge in a compact UNESCO centre. The station is a 10-minute walk from the baths.
- 🚆 Getting there: Train · London Paddington · 83 min · one direct train an hour; other trains need a change and take over 2 hours
- 🎟️ Fare: from £62.50 return
- 🚶 On arrival: about 10 minutes on foot from Bath Spa station to the Roman Baths
- Map
What to see
- Roman Baths: The 2,000-year-old temple and spa around the hot spring.
🕗 daily 09:00–18:00, last admission 17:00 · 🎟️ adults £26.50 on weekdays, £29 at weekends and bank holidays, booked in advance; £2 more on the day Website - Bath Abbey: Fan vaults and the tower tour. Website
- Royal Crescent and the Circus: Georgian terraces, free to walk.
🎟️ free - Thermae Bath Spa: A rooftop pool; bookable. Website
- 📅 When to go: The day is long (about 85 minutes each way), so leave early. Christmas market from late November; busiest on summer weekends.
- 🍽️ Lunch: Sally Lunn's Historic Eating House · Home of the famous Bath bun, a short walk from the abbey.
🚆 58 minPhoto: Steve Daniels · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia
Brighton
The classic seaside day: the pier and the pebble beach, the Royal Pavilion, the Lanes and North Laine shops, and fish and chips on the front.
- 🚆 Getting there: Train · London Victoria (or London Bridge / Blackfriars via Thameslink) · 58 min · direct trains about 2 an hour
- 🎟️ Fare: from £20.50 return
- 🌙 Last train back: around 23:15 (direct)
- 🚶 On arrival: 15 minutes on foot to the Royal Pavilion, 10 minutes to the beach
- Map
What to see
- Royal Pavilion and Garden: George IV's Indo-Saracenic seaside palace.
🕗 October–March 10:00–17:15 (last admission 16:30); April–September 09:30–17:45 · 🎟️ adults £21.50, children 5–18 £13 Website - Brighton Palace Pier and the beach: Arcade and rides on the pier; walking onto the pier is free.
🎟️ free to enter the pier Website - The Lanes and North Laine: Independent shops, cafés and street art.
🎟️ free
- 📅 When to go: Best from May to September for the beach; the Royal Pavilion is a good rainy-day option. Summer weekends are crowded and trains are full. The Pavilion is closed all day on 18 November 2026.
🚆 56 minPhoto: Suicasmo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia
Canterbury
A medieval walled city with a UNESCO cathedral, old lanes and the River Stour, 55 minutes from St Pancras on the high-speed line.
- 🚆 Getting there: Train · London St Pancras International (high-speed to Canterbury West) · 56 min · about one high-speed train an hour
- 🎟️ Fare: from £31.20 return
- 🌙 Last train back: around 22:20 (direct)
- 🚶 On arrival: 15 minutes on foot from Canterbury West to the cathedral
- Map
What to see
- Canterbury Cathedral: The mother church of the Anglican Communion and the site of Becket's shrine. It closes at times for services and events.
🕗 Mon–Sat 10:00–17:00, last admission 16:00; Sunday 11:30–17:00, with the cathedral church opening at 12:30 · 🎟️ adults £18 from October to March, £19.50 from April to September (valid for 365 days) Website - City walls, Westgate Gardens and punting: River boats and walks along the old walls.
- 📅 When to go: The cathedral church is closed to sightseeing on Sunday mornings. Christmas market in December.
- 💡 Tip: Whitstable is about 12 minutes away by train, so the two combine into one long day.
- 🍽️ Lunch: The Goods Shed · Farmers' market and restaurant next to Canterbury West; closed on Mondays.
🚆 84 minPhoto: Sumit Surai · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia
Salisbury and Stonehenge
The world's most famous prehistoric monument plus the medieval city of Salisbury, with its cathedral and a copy of Magna Carta. The Stonehenge Tour bus from Salisbury station makes it work without a car or a coach tour.
- 🚆 Getting there: Train + bus · London Waterloo (train to Salisbury, then the Stonehenge Tour bus) · 84 min · direct trains to Salisbury about every 30 minutes
- 🎟️ Fare: from £32.80 return to Salisbury, plus the bus
- 🪑 Seat reservation needed
- 🌙 Last train back: around 22:25 (direct)
- 🚶 On arrival: the Stonehenge Tour bus runs from Salisbury station to the stones; check the operator for times and price
- Map
What to see
- Stonehenge: Stone circle, visitor centre and Neolithic houses. Allow about 2.5 hours.
🕗 daily 09:30–17:00 until mid-March 2027, last admission 2 hours before closing; closed 25 December · 🎟️ adults £27.20–£32.30 booked in advance depending on the date and time, £32–£38 on the day; children 5–17 about half Website - Salisbury Cathedral: The tallest spire in Britain and one of the best-preserved copies of Magna Carta.
🕗 last visitor entry 16:15; times vary by day Website
- 📅 When to go: Book a timed Stonehenge ticket in advance in summer. Winter days are short.
🚆 Train + busPhoto: Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia
Warner Bros. Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter
The real film sets and props of the Harry Potter films at Leavesden: a family day out that needs only a short train ride and a shuttle bus. Allow 3.5 to 4 hours inside.
- 🚆 Getting there: Train + bus · London Euston (train to Watford Junction, then the studio shuttle bus) · several trains an hour to Watford Junction; fast trains take 14 to 20 minutes
- 🎟️ Fare: from £14.40 return to Watford Junction, plus the shuttle
- 🪑 Seat reservation needed
- 🚶 On arrival: a shuttle bus runs from Watford Junction to the studio; check the studio's website for times and fare
- Map
What to see
- The Great Hall, Diagon Alley, Platform 9¾ and the Forbidden Forest: Original sets and props across two soundstages and the backlot.
🕗 timed entry only; times vary by season · 🎟️ adults (16+) £58.50 in 2026, £61 in 2027 Website
- 📅 When to go: Tickets are for a timed slot and must be booked well ahead. Hogwarts in the Snow runs from 14 November 2026.
🚆 78 minPhoto: Oast House Archive · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia
Whitstable
A Kent harbour town known for oysters and seafood, the Harbour Market, beach huts and a pebble beach, about 1 hour 20 from London Victoria.
- 🚆 Getting there: Train · London Victoria (or St Pancras via Faversham) · 78 min · about one direct train an hour
- 🎟️ Fare: from £24.50 return
- 🌙 Last train back: around 22:40 (direct)
- 🚶 On arrival: 10 to 15 minutes on foot from the station to the harbour
- Map
What to see
- Whitstable Harbour and Harbour Market: The fishing harbour, with oyster shacks and stalls.
🎟️ free - Seafront walk to Tankerton Slopes: A free promenade lined with beach huts.
🎟️ free
- 📅 When to go: Good in any season.
- 💡 Tip: Canterbury is about 12 minutes away by train, so the two combine into one day.
By car: a weekend out
For people who live in London, or anyone with a car: nature, castles and family days that are much easier to reach by road.
🚗 118 km · about 119 minPhoto: PAUL FARMER · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia
Seven Sisters and Birling Gap
The white chalk cliffs of the South Downs coast: a cliff-top walk from Birling Gap to Seaford Head or Cuckmere Haven, with a beach at low tide.
- 🚗 Drive: 118 km · about 119 min
- 🛣️ Tolls: none, unless you cross the Dartford Crossing on the M25 east: £3.50 pay as you go, £2.80 pre-paid, 06:00–22:00
- 🅿️ Parking: Birling Gap (National Trust): £2 up to 1 hour, £4 up to 2 hours, £8 for longer; free for members. Seven Sisters Country Park at Exceat: £3.50 up to 2 hours, £5 up to 4 hours, £7 for longer
- 🌿 Low-emission zone: Leaving London: the whole of Greater London is in the ULEZ, which costs £12.50 a day for a car that does not meet the standard; there is no low-emission zone at the destination.
- Map
What to see
- Birling Gap and the beach: Steps down to the chalk foreshore, with a café.
🎟️ free (parking is charged) Website - Seven Sisters cliff walk: Seven chalk headlands to Cuckmere Haven, about 9 km.
🎟️ free Website - Cuckmere Haven and Exceat: The meandering river and shingle beach, with a country park car park and café. Website
- 📅 When to go: Best from April to October on clear days; busy on sunny weekends, so arrive before 10:00. The cliff edges are unstable: keep to the path.
- 💡 Tip: Park at Exceat or Birling Gap early and walk the clifftop in one direction.
- 🍽️ Lunch: Birling Gap café (National Trust) · Hot baps, soup and pasties.
🚗 72 km · about 75 minPhoto: Barbara van Cleve · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia
Leeds Castle
A moated castle on an island with gardens, a maze and a falconry display: a family favourite for a day out in Kent.
- 🚗 Drive: 72 km · about 75 min
- 🛣️ Tolls: none on the M20
- 🌿 Low-emission zone: Leaving London: the whole of Greater London is in the ULEZ, which costs £12.50 a day for a car that does not meet the standard; there is no low-emission zone at the destination.
- Map
What to see
- Leeds Castle and gardens: The castle interior, the Culpeper Garden and the maze. Your ticket is valid for 12 months from the day you choose.
🕗 opens 10:00; castle last entry 15:00 in winter · 🎟️ adults from £34.50, children from £24.50 (2026 season) Website
- 📅 When to go: Best from April to September for the full gardens; Christmas lights in winter. School holidays and bank holiday weekends are busy.
- 💡 Tip: A ticket is valid for a year, so a second visit costs nothing extra.
🚗 57 km · about 63 minPhoto: Lumos3 at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo
Europe's largest zoo: 600 acres of open-range animals and a drive-through area, a family classic in the Chilterns.
- 🚗 Drive: 57 km · about 63 min
- 🛣️ Tolls: none
- 🅿️ Parking: free car park opposite the entrance; driving your own car through the park costs £30 until 1 November 2026 and £15 from 2 November to 12 February 2027, paid on arrival
- 🌿 Low-emission zone: Leaving London: the whole of Greater London is in the ULEZ, which costs £12.50 a day for a car that does not meet the standard; there is no low-emission zone at the destination.
- Map
What to see
- ZSL Whipsnade Zoo: Rhinos, elephants and lions; you can drive your own car round the Passage through Asia.
🕗 opens 10:00; 24 October–12 February closes 16:00 (last entry 15:00); 26 March–31 August closes 18:00 (last entry 17:00) · 🎟️ adults £27.70–£34.75 online (the higher figures include a donation); children 3–15 from £21.35; under 3s free Website
- 📅 When to go: Open all year; winter is cheaper and quieter, school holidays are busy.
- 💡 Tip: Park in the free car park opposite the entrance instead of paying the car entry fee, unless you want to drive through the park.
🚗 89 km · about 91 minPhoto: Michael Garlick · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia
Sissinghurst Castle Garden
Vita Sackville-West's famous garden rooms around an Elizabethan tower in the Weald of Kent, easy to pair with a village pub lunch in nearby Cranbrook or Biddenden.
- 🚗 Drive: 89 km · about 91 min
- 🛣️ Tolls: none
- 🅿️ Parking: £4.50, paid at Visitor Reception; free for National Trust members
- 🌿 Low-emission zone: Leaving London: the whole of Greater London is in the ULEZ, which costs £12.50 a day for a car that does not meet the standard; there is no low-emission zone at the destination.
- Map
What to see
- The garden rooms and the Tower: The White Garden, the Cottage Garden and the view from the tower.
🕗 garden closes 17:30, last entry 16:45; opening time and the shorter day vary by date · 🎟️ adults £20 (£22 with a Gift Aid donation), children £10 (£11) Website - Estate walks: The moat walk and farm trails.
- 📅 When to go: Best from April to June (tulips and roses) and in September; weekends in May and June are busy.
- 💡 Tip: Go on a weekday or arrive when the garden opens; there is little shade at midday.
- 🍽️ Lunch: Granary restaurant and Old Dairy coffee shop · National Trust, with ingredients from the garden.
🚗 40 km · about 57 minPhoto: Calvinsky · Public domain · Wikimedia
Box Hill and the Surrey Hills
The nearest proper hill walk to London: box woods, the Stepping Stones over the River Mole and views over the Weald, 40 km from the centre. Also reachable by train to Box Hill & Westhumble.
- 🚗 Drive: 40 km · about 57 min
- 🛣️ Tolls: none
- 🅿️ Parking: National Trust car parks: £2 up to 1 hour, £4 up to 2 hours, £6 up to 4 hours, £9 all day; free for members
- 🌿 Low-emission zone: Leaving London: the whole of Greater London is in the ULEZ, which costs £12.50 a day for a car that does not meet the standard; Box Hill itself is outside it.
- Map
What to see
- Salomons Memorial viewpoint and the summit: Views to the South Downs.
🎟️ free Website - Stepping Stones and the River Mole: An easy riverside walk from Westhumble.
🎟️ free
- 📅 When to go: Open all year; clear days give the best views. Busy on sunny weekends.
- 💡 Tip: Park at the main car park before 10:00 on summer weekends; the zigzag climb is steep.
- 🍽️ Lunch: Box Hill café (National Trust) · Café and servery at the top of the hill.
🚗 119 km · about 107 minPhoto: Saffron Blaze · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia
Cotswolds villages loop (Burford, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water)
Honey-stone villages, antique shops and country pubs. Awkward by train, easy by car: a scenic loop through several villages that a day trip by train cannot do.
- 🚗 Drive: 119 km · about 107 min
- 🛣️ Tolls: none
- 🌿 Low-emission zone: Leaving London: the whole of Greater London is in the ULEZ, which costs £12.50 a day for a car that does not meet the standard; there is no low-emission zone at the destination.
- Map
What to see
- Burford: A steep high street of old shops.
🎟️ free - Bibury and Arlington Row: The famous row of weavers' cottages.
🎟️ free - Bourton-on-the-Water: A shallow river crossed by low bridges; very busy.
🎟️ free
- 📅 When to go: Open all year; villages are very crowded on summer weekends and bank holidays.
- 💡 Tip: Go on a weekday, do Bibury first and Bourton last.
🚗 144 km · about 117 minPhoto: Joana Kruse joanaimages.com · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia
The New Forest
Heath and ancient woodland with wild ponies and deer, walking and cycling, Lyndhurst and Beaulieu. A long drive for a day, but a firm favourite of Londoners.
- 🚗 Drive: 144 km · about 117 min
- 🛣️ Tolls: none
- 🌿 Low-emission zone: Leaving London: the whole of Greater London is in the ULEZ, which costs £12.50 a day for a car that does not meet the standard; there is no low-emission zone at the destination.
- Map
What to see
- Lyndhurst and the New Forest Centre: The visitor information centre and museum.
- Forest walks and ponies: Free walking and wildlife.
🎟️ free Website
- 📅 When to go: Autumn colours and the deer rut (September–October) are a highlight; summer and school-holiday weekends are busy.
- 💡 Tip: Leave London early and head back before the evening M3 queues.
Plan your trip → Put these places in a day plan with walking times.
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