London is connected to so many beautiful places in the UK, there are so many places you can easily reach by train. However, I'm only including places which can be reached in under 2.5hours (i.e. no more than 5 hours both ways, which gives you at least 5 hours to explore) If the journey is longer, it'll be much too hectic for slow travellers like myself.
Here's a sample itinerary for your London day trips by train:
10 am-1230: Travel from London
Note: You can obviously leave at any time, but I'm choosing after 10 am to avoid peak travel, especially on the tube (if you need to take the tube to the departing train station) If you have a railcard, some of the railcard discounts can only be used on train journeys after 930 am.
1230- 6 pm: 5.5 hours to explore your destination
6-830: Return Journey back to London
This way, you also arrive after peak travel hours on the tube!
Tip: If you have a choice of days, I recommend not travelling on Sundays as there are often unexpected works on train routes. I've lost count of the times my train was cancelled or delayed.
Rye
Rye is only slightly over an hour from London but unfortunately the train is not direct (you need to make 1 change.)
However, Rye is so lovely with its cobbled streets and historic houses that it still deserves a place on this list! For more information about a weekend train trip to Rye, click here. (I spent 5 days there!)
St. Albans
The town of St. Albans that dates back to Roman times has Roman ruins, England's 2nd oldest cathedral, independent cafes and restaurants, and lots of cute buildings!
Plus it's super easy to get to from London by direct train: only 1 stop from West Hampstead, but you can also reach it from London Bridge and St. Pancras International!
Windsor Castle & Eton
I've combined Windsor & Eton as they are only a short walk from each other. The famous attraction is Windsor Castle but the town of Windsor also has a cute high street.
How to get there: Direct train from London Waterloo
Journey time:
Tip: get the audio guide if you go to Windsor Castle AND go for the guided tour
Canterbury
This town is famous for Canterbury Cathedral and being the hero of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. However, few people know that you can also go punting here, like in Cambridge.
There are TWO train stations so make sure you go to right one when catching the train back.
I'll be honest, the towns in the East of England haven't aged as well as the ones in the West. The high streets haven't survived as well and Canterbury is no exception. I wouldn't come to Canterbury just for a day out on the high street but, all in all, it's a lovely weekend trip from London.
It's close to The Pig at Bridge, a country hotel outside a tiny town where you can find a Michelin-starred restaurant which does great-value lunch sets!
How to get there: Direct Train
Journey time: 52 minutes from St Pancras International to Canterbury West
Lewes
Lewes, in Sussex, is such a cute town I'm surprised it's not on more "best day trips from London" lists!
It has its own castle, Anne of Cleves house (she didn't live there but was given the house in her divorce settlement from King Henry), a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, a bustling High Street with lots of antique shops, and amazing views thanks to its sloping streets.
Brighton
There's so much to Brighton besides the Royal Pavilion! I've been visiting this seaside resort since I was 4 years old (more years ago than I care to remember.)
It is a great place to visit if you're boho or like crafts. It's a very quirky place where you can find lots of independent shops (especially at the Lanes.)
How to get there: Direct train from London bridge station
Journey time: 58 minutes from Victoria or slightly over 1h from London Bridge.
Bath
This is one of the best day trips in England within easy reach of central London (in my opinion.) It has so much rich history, the entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage site!
Bath is such a beautiful town, I've been several times over the years and even lived there for a few weeks. It has good food - these are some of my favorite Bath restaurants- though be warned that the prices are about the same as London!
Things to see/ do: Ancient Roman Baths, wander round the city centre etc
Tip: there are usually wonderful buskers outside of Bath Abbey.
How to get there: Direct train from London paddington train station. Click here for other day trips from London Paddington- London is so large, it can take quite a while to commute to different train stations so I usually plan day trips by train based on what train station I'm closes to. For example, here are the best London day trips from Lon Bridge.)
Journey time: About 1h 15 minutes
Rochester
For: fans of Charles Dickens
Rochester can be reached from both Kings Cross and London Bridge. It's 1 of the prettiest places to visit in Kent by train. (Some towns in Kent can be quite 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.
Hampton Court Palace
This is one of the easiest day trips from London.
How to get there: There are direct trains (every 30 minutes) from London Waterloo which also call at Vauxhall, Clapham Junction and Wimbledon along the way.
In the summer, you can also take a boat from Westminster but it will take 4 hours!
Journey time: It's about 40 minutes from London Waterlooo (so less from the other 3 stations as they're stops along the way.)
Winchester
Things to see/ do: Winchester Cathedral
How to get there: There are direct trains from more than 1 London train station.
Journey time: 52 minutes from Clapham or 1h 15 minutes from Waterloo
Whitstable
This beautiful harbour town is a wonderful one day getaway from the hustle and bustle of London. The coastal town is a gorgeous place but not as inundated with tourists as some of the other places on this list.
How to get there:
Journey time:
Knole House & Deer Park
This is 1 of my easy train trips from London Bridge- you can a bit of shopping and a bit of nature. The deer at Knole Park are free-roaming and magnificent to see!
How to get there: Take the train to Knowle then walk or cab to Knowle Park.
Getting There: Direct train from London Bridge
Journey time: About 30 min train journey + a 30 min walk (You go through Knole town on the way, so you don't have to worry about being in the "wilderness" and there are cafes where you can stop for a rest.
Royal Tunbridge Wellls
Not to be confused with Tonbridge- whilst Tonbridge has an interesting castle ruin, it's definitely not as nice as Tunbridge Wells!
Tunbridge Wells has quaint streets and some independent shops.
How to get there: Direct train from London Bridge
Journey time: About 30 minutes
Bletchley Park
How to get there: 40 minutes by train from London Euston (to Bletchley train station) + a short walk
Journey time: Under 1 hour
Leeds Castle
Do not confuse this with the city Leeds- Leeds Castle is NOT in the city of Leeds!
How to get there: Direct train from London Victoria (70-75 minutes) + 5 minute taxi or 30-40 minute walk
Total Journey time: Just under 2 hours (train + walk)/ 1.5 hours (train + taxi)
Warwick Castle
How to get there: 1h45 minute direct train journey from London Marylebone to Warwick Railway Station + 15 minute walk (1 mile)
Total Journey time: 2 hours
Cambridge
This university town is one of the most popular day trips from London. It's a very vibrant University town where you can go punting on the river.
How to get there: Direct train from Kings Cross
Journey time: 48 minutes
Oxford
Things to see: Ashmolean Museum
How to get there: Direct train from Paddington
Journey time: 45 minutes
Blenheim Palace
How to get there: Blenheim Palace is in between 3 train stations- Oxford, Oxford Parkway and Hanborough. The quickest way is to take the train from Marylebone to Oxford Parkway then transfer to Bus 7 which will take you to Blenheim.
Journey time: Approximately 2 hours
For Shopaholic Bargain Hunters
If you love shopping and discounts, there are 2 shopping outlets you can reach by direct train from London.
Note: I'm not including London Designer Outlet in Wembley as you can get there by tube and don't need the train.
Bicester Village
I'm sort of embarrassed to say that I have been here more times than I can count. For shopaholics, this will be one of your favorite day trips. There are a lot of designer shops in this outlet as well as high-street brands where you can get discounted goods. Personally, I find the designer items still quite expensive, so I usually stock up on stuff from L'Occitane and Clarins- they make great gifts or small luxuries for oneself.
Tip: sign up for the Bicester card to get special treats. I've gotten quite a few free macarons from Laduree!
Where to Eat: I like La Tua Pasta (Italian) & Ottolenghi's best.
How to get there: Direct train from London Marylebone
Journey time: About 1 hour (it can vary by 15 minutes depending on the train you take.)
Ashford Shopping Outlet
Ashford shopping outlet is much more down to earth than Bicester: you find more High Street shops here and very few designer ones. I think the most upmarket shops would be Boss and Russell & Bromley. (I say "think" as everyone's scale of upmarket-ness Is different!)
Where to eat: I usually grab a hot dog from the stand or eat at Pizza Express.
Getting there: Direct train from London Bridge. You can also combine this with a stay at the beautiful Boys Hall, which is about a 10 minute taxi ride away.
Tip: download the McArthur Glen app & become a member for additional discounts.
Europe
Within 2.5 hours, you can even take a train from London to Europe!
Getting there: For the following Europe train trips, you'll take the Eurostar from London St Pancras International
Lille
The train trip to Lille from London isn't as famous as the Eurostar to Paris but I do like Lille and have been there more than once.
It's a small town and safer than Paris so is a great introduction to France for those who are more cautious and concerned about safety. Hotel prices are also much cheaper so you can also use it as a base for Paris if you're on a budget. (It's about an hour's train journey from Lille to Paris.)
For more information on what to do and see, click on the link above.
Journey time: 1 h 22min
Paris
Things to see/ do in the French Capital beyond the Eiffel Tower
- walk along the River Seine
- instead of the Louvre, go to Musee d'Orsay or Musee de l'Orangerie (my 2 favorite Museums in Paris)
- Or if you like sculpture, visit the Rodin Museum
- Stroll around Le Marais
Journey time: 2h 16 minutes
Brussels
I'll be honest, traveling to Brussels from London is definitely not my first choice for a weekend trip. (I've been more than once- you can find out why by clicking through the link.) If you want to visit Belgium, Bruges is so much prettier (but at over 3 hours by train from London is out of the scope of this article.)
Journey time: About 2 hours
Any questions about the best weekend and day trips from London by train? Let me know in the comments!
