The Unofficial Guide to Get to Stonehenge and Bath on Your Own

If you are reading this, I can already tell that you have an adventurous spirit. Why else would you have clicked on an article about how to get to Stonehenge or Bath on your own without a car? As a foreigner, taking public transport is certainly not the popular way to travel west of London. You could have easily chosen to be a part of a guided tour or attempted to rent a car, yet here you are! You are ready to be in charge of your own destiny.

There is not a lot of information out there about how to travel outside of London on your own, but luckily you have me. I already did the grunt work of figuring out a day trip to Stonehenge AND Bath, now all you gotta do is read my kickstart guide. In this guide you will find the route I took, how I timed it, how much it cost, and some of my recommendations.

You will notice that in this guide I mention “we” and “us” when describing certain aspects of how I executed this DIY Stonehenge/Bath Trip. Shout out to my little sister who joined me and made the trip special!

The Unofficial Guide to Stonehenge and Bath on your own

Alright, now that you are all fired up, let’s dive into the details…

London to Stonehenge to Bath to London

Step 1: The Route

Getting to Stonehenge/Salisbury from London (Estimated 90 mi/145 km)

Stonehenge was a bit tricky to figure out, as it is in the middle of nowhere. There are just fields around it that seem to go on for miles. The nearest major town is Salisbury (about 9ish miles away), so my first step was figuring out what mode of transport to use. I was left with two options when I decided I didn’t want to join a Tour Group and didn’t feel comfortable with renting a car.

London to Salisbury Transportation Options One Way

Transportation Type	Duration from Point A to B	Ticket Price
Public Bus	4-5 Hours	£20
Train	1.5 Hours	£30 – £60

Based on my research, I decided to take the train from London to Salisbury (as well as make that my main transportation through the rest of the trip). My reasoning was that 4-5 hours is too much time to spend on the road, and I figured that paying a bit more would result in more time to explore. So I ended up taking a train from London Waterloo Station to Salisbury Station. For a day trip that I may never get the chance to do again? Worth it.

Once in Salisbury, the question is how to travel the 9ish miles to Stonehenge.

There are 3 basic transportation options to get from Salisbury Station to the Stonehenge Visitor Center:

Transportation Type	Duration from Point A to B	Price
Walking/Biking	3+ Hours (through hilly fields)	Free (if you have your own bike)
Uber/Taxi	20 Minutes	£17-£23
“Public” Bus	30 Minutes	£15

For a day trip we didn’t have time to walk/bike, and I figured we didn’t need the luxury of a private cab, so I looked at the final option.

There is one “public” bus to get to Stonehenge from Salisbury, and I repeat only one bus. It is called The Stonehenge Tour, and is a double decker Hop On Hop Off service.

The Stonehenge Tour bus has a few starting points within Salisbury (including right outside Salisbury Station), and you can either purchase your ticket ahead of time or upon arrival. During the summer months it will run every 30 minutes, and the rest of the year it runs every hour. The bus ride from Salisbury Station to the Stonehenge Visitor Center will take you about 30 minutes and starting cost is £15 for a Bus Only Adult ticket. They will also throw in an audio guide as you ride.

Click here for The Stonehenge Tour bus stop timetable and route.

Your stop for Stonehenge will be at the Stonehenge Visitor Center, and then getting to the actual monument is either a 40 minute walk or 5 minute shuttle (via the visitor center). There is decent signage to guide you, otherwise follow the crowds. I have included my own little map below to give you an orientation of where all the landmarks are located.

Map of Stonehenge Visitor Center and Monument

Stonehenge Route Options — Google and the Google logo are registered trademarks of Google Inc., used with permission.

Once you are done with visiting, you can hop back on the Stonehenge Tour Bus where you were dropped off, and stay on the bus till you are back at the Salisbury Station stop.

Getting to Bath from Stonehenge/Salisbury (Estimated 40 mi/64 km)

Taking the train from Salisbury Station to Bath Spa Station takes about 1 hour, and I was able to purchase a ticket at £18.30.

The beautiful thing about the center of Bath is that it is ridiculously walkable. The city center has plenty of winding streets, however getting from one side of town to the other takes only 30 minutes walking. It gets hilly towards the outskirts of town, but for the most part the cobblestone streets and alleys are walking friendly.

There is a Hop On Hop Off bus option in town, however we were able to cover the city center all by foot within a few hours. Given a full day, the outer edges could be covered as well.

Getting back to London from Bath (Estimated 116 mi/187 km)

Getting back to London is pretty simple, as there is a train that runs from Bath Spa Station to Paddington Station. It takes about 1.5-2 hours depending on the train, and costs around £35.

London to Stonehenge to Bath Route — Google and the Google logo are registered trademarks of Google Inc., used with permission.

Now that you know the route, it is time for…

*Snapshot of Great Western Railway Timetable*

Step 2: Timing

Being a time-nut is kinda my thing. I like to know when and where I need to be in order to check everything off my list. While certainly there are moments where being time-conscious isn’t necessary, it can certainly be very helpful.

When planning this DIY Stonehenge/Bath trip, I needed to figure out timing that would maximize our experience at each stop while also being conscious of budget and opening hours. I spent quite a bit of time researching train timetables, comparing pricing, and studying maps in order to create the perfect plan.

Below is the personal schedule I created to explore Stonehenge and Bath in a single day:

Travel Segment	Departure Time	Arrival Time
Train from London Waterloo Station to Salisbury Station	9:20 am	10:45 am
Bus from Salisbury Station to Stonehenge Visitor Center	11:00 am	11:30(ish) am
Bus from Stonehenge Visitor Center to Salisbury Station	12:43 pm	1:14 pm
Train from Salisbury Station to Bath Spa Station	1:49 pm	2:30 pm
Train from Bath Spa Station to London Paddington Station	6:40 pm	8:15 pm

Using the above schedule, we spent:

Approx. 2.5 Hour at Stonehenge/Salisbury
4 Hours exploring Bath
Approx. 5 Hours in transit*

In total, we spent a little over 10 Hours traveling 255 miles. Certainly not an easy feat, but also very doable.

If you are are going to attempt a DIY day trip, I encourage you to use my timetable as a reference. That way you won’t get a headache wrapping your head around timetables like I did.

*5 hours on the road well spent I might add. We got to see a part of Britain that we may never have seen otherwise! And while on the train, we saw a variety of eclectic towns and green rolling hills that stretched for miles.

5 Pound Note

Step 3: Pricing

Fair warning, a day trip to 2 different cities outside London will not be the cheapest thing you can do while in the UK. However that doesn’t mean it should break the bank!

Below I will share a breakdown of the major costs, and then will compare the DIY version to a guided tour version. I will even include my suggestions to shave off some pounds! (Currency puns…)

Note: This trip was taken in the Off-Season (Early March)

Transport Ticket for One Adult*	Price (U.K. / U.S.)**
Standard Adult Train Ticket from London Waterloo Station to Salisbury Station	£40.60 / $56.86
The Stonehenge Tour Hop on Hop off Ticket (Adult – Bus, Old Sarum, & Stonehenge)	£30.00 / $42.01
Standard Adult Train Ticket from Salisbury Station to Bath Spa Station	£18.30 / $25.63
Standard Adult Train Ticket from Bath Spa Station to London Paddington Station	£34.30 / $48.03

*Your own transportation ticket prices may vary. The above shows what I paid.

** Currency conversion based off 2018 pricing

For the Attractions, I will provide the prices listed on their websites if you were to book in advance. Please note these prices are subject to change, so make sure to visit their websites as well!

Attraction	Price (U.K / U.S)**
Stonehenge Adult Entrance Ticket	£17.50 / $24.51
Old Sarum Adult Entrance Ticket	£5.20 / $7.28
The Roman Baths Adult Entrance Ticket	£16.50 / $23.11 (Winter) £17.50 / $24.51(Summer)
Jane Austen Center Adult Entrance Ticket	£12.00 / $16.80
One of Sally Lunn’s Buns (Takeaway)	£2.50 / $3.50 (each)

**Currency conversion based off 2018 pricing

Here are 4 ways to save money:

Pack your own food
Purchase train tickets in advance/compare pricing online
Book attractions online (purchasing in advance is usually cheaper!)
Purchase The Stonehenge Tour Bus Only ticket instead of the Bus, Old Sarum, & Stonehenge version, and walk 40 minutes through the fields up to the ticketed area fence. You are a bit further back from the monument in the “free” zone, but Stonehenge is so large you will still get a clear view for free. #BudgetTravelHacks

So, How Does Getting There On Your Own Compare to Getting a Guided Tour?

This DIY trip took a little over 10 hours to complete and (for transparency) cost me £146.37 ($204.98) total. The price includes transport, attractions, and food for one person in the month of March. In retrospect, I could have shaved off some cost by packing my own lunch, purchasing cheaper train tickets in advance, or opted for the cheaper version of The Stonehenge Tour Bus (I purchased a combo ticket that got me closer to Stonehenge). Theoretically, the price could have been dropped to around £120.00 ($168.05).

In comparison, I found on Viator a guided tour with almost the exact same route. It estimates it will take 11.5 hours, and cost £107.24 ($150.18). That is quite a price difference from my DIY, because it does not include the Roman Baths, the Jane Austen Center, or food. If you were to factor in those items (£16.50 for Roman Baths, £12.00 for Jane Austen Center, and £15.00 for lunch/snack), you are looking at a price point closer to £150 ($210.06).

The prices between going on your own or with a tour guide are pretty similar. In the end, it is up to you how you want to experience your day trip. If you are up for an adventure definitely try the DIY. If you are looking for a more relaxing time, finding a reputable tour guide isn’t a bad idea!

Roman Baths

My Recommendations

Now that you know how to get to Stonehenge and Bath on your own (as well as what to expect), I will share some suggestions for your trip.

In Salisbury/Stonehenge

For a full experience of Stonehenge and the surrounding area, purchase a combo ticket from The Stonehenge Tour. This isn’t a bad option if you want to spend more time visiting, and you will have access to more exclusive areas.
Definitely check out:
- Salisbury Cathedral – It has the largest spire, close and cloister in the U.K.! One of four original Magna Carta is also inside.
- Salisbury Market – 10 minutes from Salisbury Cathedral is a large square where you can wander through stalls of vegetables, fruits, and other goods.
- Take a walk – Visit the city center along roads like High Street and New Canal.
- Poultry Cross – For a bit of medieval architecture in the midst of the 21st century, make sure to stop by this striking landmark.
A visitor can easily spend 2-3 hours or more in the Stonehenge/Salisbury area.

In Bath

The Roman Baths is a must see, as it is full of history and artifacts. Definitely worth the money. If you want to take some sick pictures, make sure to visit early or near closing time for less crowds.
Skip the Jane Austen Centre – Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Jane Austen. Unfortunately I was disappointed with the exhibition, as it was short in length and was sparse in presentation. The staff there were really nice, and the potential is there for a great exhibition. However for the price I felt it wasn’t worth it.
Wander the streets and parks of Bath! Notable landmarks include Pulteney Bridge, Bath Abbey, The Circus, The Pump Room and The Royal Crescent
Apparently Sally Lunn’s has the best buns? I tried it plain and untoasted which was a mistake, so if you do try it, do it the right way! Toasted and with your favorite toppings. 🙂
People commute in/out of Bath Spa Station, so it can be a bit crowded towards commute hours. Just bear that in mind the later in the evening you travel.
A visitor can easily spend a day exploring Bath and surrounding area.

Alright, Now It is Time For You to Start Planning

This kickstart guide is one of many ways you can visit Stonehenge and Bath. There are certainly other ways to experience these historical places, so get creative! My hope is that this guide serves as a jumping off point for your own adventure.

If you do make it out to Stonehenge and Bath, I would love to know how you were able to make it happen. Let me know in the comments section!