Day trip from London to Bath
Direct GWR trains from Paddington take about 1 hour 25 minutes. Bath is compact, so everything after the station is on foot.
- Length: 1 day
- Pace: balanced
- Rough cost: £70–£180 pp
- Best for: Roman history and Georgian streets without a car
The plan
Roman and Georgian Bath Bath city centre
- 08:30–10:00 Train: London Paddington → Bath Spa
Direct GWR trains roughly every 30 minutes. Advance tickets are much cheaper.
- 10:10–12:10 Roman BathsBook aheadIndoors
Allow two hours with the audio guide. Prices change by day; book a slot.
- 12:10–12:40 Bath AbbeyIndoors
Look inside the fan-vaulted nave. Tower tours are booked separately.
- 12:45–13:45 Lunch around Abbey Green or the Guildhall Market
Bath buns, Cornish pasties, or a sit-down café.
- 13:50–14:20 Pulteney Bridge and the weir
Shops on the bridge; the best view is from Parade Gardens.
- 14:35–15:15 The Circus
Georgian ring of townhouses by John Wood the Elder.
- 15:20–16:30 Royal Crescent and No. 1 Royal CrescentIndoors
Walk the lawn, then step into a restored 1770s townhouse (ticketed).
- 17:00–18:30 Train: Bath Spa → London Paddington
Grab food at the station for the ride back.
Rough cost
Per person. Return train (advance fares at the low end, off-peak return at the high end), Roman Baths ticket, lunch. Optional No. 1 Royal Crescent adds a little.
Prices checked November 2026 against official and widely published 2026 rates; they change, so confirm before you pay.
Book ahead
- Train tickets — Advance singles cost a fraction of walk-up fares. Book 4–8 weeks out.
- Roman Baths — Dynamic pricing — weekdays and early slots are cheaper.
If it rains
- Instead of Pulteney Bridge and the weir: Holburne Museum at the end of Great Pulteney Street
- Instead of Royal Crescent lawn: Thermae Bath Spa (book ahead, 16+), rooftop pool works in rain
Good to know
- Bath is hilly up to the Royal Crescent; take the slope slowly or hop on a local bus.
- Thermae Bath Spa needs a separate booking and takes 2+ hours — swap it for the Crescent if you want a soak.
Book it
- Tickets and tours in Bath (GetYourGuide)
- Hotels in London (Booking.com)
- UK train times and fares (Trainline)
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