17 Best Car Free Trips from London under 1h

Looking for easy car free trips from London under 1 hour? Here are the best day trips from London by train. Some are better than others and I've indicated as such below.

These journeys depart from various train stations in London. (If you're looking specifically for journeys from London Waterloo,journeys from London Bridge, orjourneys from Paddington, click on the respective links.)

Boy has Folkestone changed!

I visited 10-ish years ago and found the view and Creative Quarter (lots of independent art shops) pretty, but the rest of the town very run down and not really the type of place I'd want to wander around alone after dark.

Today, the entire town has been revitalised, especially the Harbour Area, which is AMAZING! Despite it not being my 1st trip, I found a day trip to be insufficient and plan to go back for a week or two. It's a great place to slow down and just enjoy life.

Note: You can get to Folkestone by direct train from a number of stations such as London Bridge. However, for the journey to be under 1 hour, you'll need the High Speed train from St Pancras International.

Guildford is only around 32 minutes by direct train from London Waterloo (or about an hour from London Heathrow- it's 1 of my favorite things to do when on transit at London Heathrow.)

It has connections to Alice in Wonderland & Lewis Carroll- he used to visit his sisters there and is buried in the local cemetery- a Norman castle with beautiful grounds (free admission), picturesque High Street with sweeping views of the surroundings, and lovely riverwalk. (Click through for all the things to do in Guildford.)

If you're up for more exploring, you can take a direct bus from Guildford to the cute village of Shere, which is where part of both The Holiday and Bridget Jones: The Edge fo Reason were filmed.

A market was first established at Sevenoaks back in the 13th century. It's also where you find Knole Park: In 1456, the Archbishop of Canterbury purchased the estate and built Knole House there, now one of the 5 largest houses in England.

The house has since been owned by various Tudor monarchs, including Henry VIII before the Sackville family took over in the early 17th century. It is surrounded by a free-to-enter 1000-acre medieval deer park, though entry to the house is ticketed.

Where to Eat: Dulce’s Patisserie is supposed to be a good place for sweet treats, whilst Sevenoaks Bookshop has a hidden cafe that serves £2.50 cakes and £2.90 tea to enjoy amongst the books. (Dulce's Patisserie has a host of Good Taste Awards but I'll be honest and say the cake didn't really blow me away.)

Or why not get a pint of Kentish beer from The Restoration Pub, which also dates back to the 1616.

However, my personal favorite is the pie at No. Eight in the town centre!

Getting There: It is under 30 minutes from London Bridge station (direct train.)

St Albans has Roman Ruins, a Cathedral, as well as a nice High Street, with both independent shops and chains. I also recommend Sunday roast at a gastropub.

Getting there: There is a direct train from London Bridge, London Blackfriars, Farringdon, St Pancras and West Hampstead. In fact, it's only 1 stop from West Hampstead!

Only 45 minutes by direct train from London Liverpool Street, Colchester is perfect for Roman history lovers. The 1st Roman capital of Britain, it has a castle and Roman Museum.

Tip: The service is run by Greater Anglia which has much nicer trains than other companies such as Southwestern. (Cleaner and more spacious.) If you continue on the same train, you'll eventually reach Norwich, another lovely London day trip, though I always end up spending a few days there.

Unlike Sevenoaks, Royal Tunbridge Wells has a real community feel and is not just a London commuter town.

Don't miss the Pantiles, a lovely Georgian colonnaded walkway.

Getting There: Direct train from London Bridge

Rochester can be reached in 39 minutes from London Victoria or 37 minutes from London St. Pancras. It's 1 of the prettiest places to visit in Kent by train. (Some towns in Kent, especially around the River Medway, can feel a little dodgy to be honest.)

In fact, Charles Dickens grew up here and in nearby Chatham- his father worked at Chatham Dockyard- and set some of his works here. (There are plaques outside the buildings to indicated which ones were featured in his books.)

Tip: there are free tours on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays during the summer months. Click here for more information about the Rochester tours.

Getting there: Direct train from London Waterloo.

The main claim to fame is Windsor Castle. You're not allowed to take photos of the inside of the castle- only the grounds- so you'll have to visit if you want to see it for yourself! The ticket is pretty pricey (£30+)

Although Windsor town is not bad, I personally find it much too busy. The nearby Eton is quieter and much cuter- definitely worth a visit!

Getting There: One of the most popular day trips from London, you can reach Oxford by direct train from London Paddington.

This University town is a must- visit for fans of English Literature, as Oxford was home to J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Percy Shelley (Romantic poet), Oscar Wilde, Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland) and more.

If you're deciding between a day trip to Cambridge or Oxford, there's slightly more to do in Oxford, so that can be kept for a longer weekend trip.

Getting There: This University town is only 50 minutes from Kings Cross (direct train.)

Cambridge is a great place to punt down the river (you get amazing views from the flat bottomed boat), enjoy the stunning architecture, or bike round town.

However, I'll be honest- it didn't really inspire me to linger. In my opinion, it was a beautiful place, but too commercialised and waaaaaay too crowded- good if you are ticking travel locations of a bucket list or looking for brag appeal (it's super famous, after all!) but not one of my favorite London car free trips.

Tip: visit in June to catch the spectacular May Ball fireworks!

Getting There: Direct train from London Bridge

The White cliffs of Dover, need I say more?!

Besides the White Cliffs, there's also Dover Castle, Henry II’s medieval royal palace where you can follow lifelike hologram figures around, enjoy panoramic views from the roof, and experience the 1940s war tunnels.

However, the town is something I would personally skip!

Only 45 minutes from central London is a 2,400-hectare slab of ancient woodland- the perfect antidote to London's hustle and bustle!

There are also a few pubs where you can grab a hearty lunch after all that walking.

Otherwise, there's not much else to do in the area.

Getting there: There are direct trains from London Victoria (58 minutes), Gatwick Airport and London Bridge (1h 3-8 minutes).

Brighton is a quirky seaside town south of London where you can also find lots of independent shops. It's creative, vibrant, and fun.

I've been visiting since I was 4 years old and love the arts scene which some call "hippie." Just know that if you're looking for a quiet or posh escape, Brighton may not be the place for you- it's quite packed with tourists and a bit scruffy!

The most famous attraction in Brighton is obviously the Asian-inspired Royal Pavilion, but you can also have a "no-spend day" in Brighton and just roam around the waterfront.

Tip: if you're looking for a small plates restaurant, I HIGHLY recommend Palmito, towards Hove.

Getting There: There are 2 train stations in Canterbury that you can get to by direct train from London, so choose the one that's closest to where you stay. (e.g. London bridge (journey time: 1 h 7min) or St Pancras International (51 min).)

Home to England's oldest cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury is part of many pilgrimage treks. I highly recommend getting the audioguide! (Or going early for the free mini talk- they end around 2 pm.)

Unmissable for Harry Potter fans! For those who don't want to struggle with the public transport, delays and all, you can book transport to the Harry Potter studios, and/ or a ticket to the studios here. (The transport and admission ticket are booked SEPARATELY.)

Getting there: You can get to Greenwich in various ways, but my favorite is by boat. It's also the most pricey so if you want to save money, you can take a bus, tube or train.

Yes Greenwich is still part of London but it's outside of central London and there is SO much to do at Greenwich that I couldn't leave it off this list. The town centre, Royal Park, and some institutional buildings are a UNESCO World Heritage Site; beautiful walks by the river; vintage market (in addition to Greenwich Market, which doesn't sell just vintage); the beautiful Painted Hall (see above).... you really have your pick of things to do!

You can actually reach this picturesque town by tube! On the metropolitan line, it's only 55 minutes from Baker Street. (Alternatively, you can also take a train there.)

Any questions about the best car free trips from London under 1 hour Let me know in the comments!