Day Trip to Stonehenge from London via Salisbury

London to Stonehenge is one of England's great day trips. The route via Salisbury is the most direct, the most comfortable, and ÔÇö with the Salisbury to Stonehenge Shuttle ÔÇö leaves almost nothing to chance. Here's the complete guide.

Train: London to Salisbury

South Western Railway operates direct trains from London Waterloo to Salisbury. The journey takes approximately 80ÔÇô90 minutes. The earliest useful departure from Waterloo is the 08:00ÔÇô09:00 window ÔÇö arriving in Salisbury at 09:30ÔÇô10:05. Trains run approximately every 30 minutes throughout the day.

Book tickets in advance via nationalrail.co.uk or the SWR app. Advance single tickets can be substantially cheaper than walk-up Anytime fares. A return from London Waterloo to Salisbury typically costs ┬ú35ÔÇô┬ú60 depending on purchase timing.

Salisbury to Stonehenge

From Salisbury station, cross the road to Caboose and board the Salisbury to Stonehenge Shuttle. First departure 10:05 daily. The 35-minute shuttle costs £20 return per person and includes your return pick-up from Stonehenge, luggage storage and a coffee.

At Stonehenge

Book your English Heritage timed entry ticket at english-heritage.org.uk before your trip. Choose a slot starting at 10:30 or 11:00 to match the 10:05 shuttle arrival time. Allow 2ÔÇô3 hours for the full Stonehenge experience.

Return to London

Take your pre-booked shuttle return to Salisbury. Last shuttle service returns from Stonehenge at 17:40 (summer) ÔÇö arriving back in Salisbury by 18:15. Trains from Salisbury to Waterloo run until late evening, giving you a very comfortable window for dinner in Salisbury or a relaxed return journey.

Total Day Trip Cost (Approximate, per person)

Train return: ┬ú35ÔÇô┬ú60 | Shuttle: ┬ú20 | Stonehenge entry: ┬ú30 | Total: approximately ┬ú85ÔÇô┬ú110 per adult. For a group, the per-person cost reduces and the experience is exceptional value for a UNESCO World Heritage Site.