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Coaches to London

Coaches are a good option for cheap travel to London from almost anywhere in the UK or Europe. You'll find today's coaches are modern, comfortable and reliable.
A photo of a National Express coach driving through a road in Westminster in London from above, with cars following nearby
Journey to London by coach from airports and nearby towns and cities. Travel to and from London quickly with the Eurostar. Credit: Shutterstock. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Coach services criss-cross the UK with connections to continental Europe too. However, coach journey times tend to be longer than the equivalent train service.

London coach stations

Victoria Coach Station is London's principal coach gateway. It's located in the heart of the city in busy Victoria, a short walk from Victoria mainline railway and Tube station. It is run by Transport for London and is the base of National Express, as well as a selection of other coach operators. Victoria Coach Station is equipped with several shops and facilities including a left-luggage office.

Other, smaller, London coach stations include London Stratford Coach Stop, London Liverpool Street Coach Station, Golders Green Coach Station and coach stations at Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, Luton Airport and Stansted Airport.

National Express coaches

National Express is the UK's largest coach operator and offers travel to destinations all over the country. It runs express services from many major towns and cities, as well as connecting services for smaller towns and villages. It's a hassle-free, great value travel option covering more than 550 routes and offering approximately 11,000 journeys each week, including London's airports.

Popular National Express destinations and journey times

Journey time variation depends on route and any interchange waiting time.

  • Birmingham: 2 hours 45 minutes
  • Blackpool: 8-9 hours
  • Brighton: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Bristol: 2 hours 20 minutes
  • Canterbury: 2 hours 10 mins
  • Cardiff: 3-4 hours (fastest journey 3 hours 15 minutes)
  • Durham: 5-7 hours (fastest journey 5 hours 30 minutes; Average: 6 hours 35 minutes)
  • Edinburgh: From 9 hours
  • Exeter: From 4 hours 30 minutes
  • Glasgow: 8-12 hours (fastest journey 8 hours 20 minutes)
  • Leeds: 3 hours from Victoria Coach Station
  • Liverpool: 8 hours
  • Manchester: 4 hours 20 minutes-7 hours
  • Nottingham: 4 hours
  • Sheffield: 3 hours 25 minutes-5 hours 50 minutes
  • York: 5 hours 45 minutes-6 hours 3 minutes. 

Cheap coaches to London

A photo of multiple people with luggage queuing to board a coach at a London coach station

There are great deals to be had on coach travel to London. For cheap coaches to London, try the following companies for the best fares:

  • National Express is the largest UK coach operator with services to most major UK cities, airports, and towns. Services include airport transfers (for example between Stansted, Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airports).
  • Megabus is a budget-friendly coach operator with cheap travel to London from a number of UK destinations, including Bristol, Leeds and Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow.
  • easyBus offers low-cost coach services into London from Stansted Airport, Gatwick Airport, Luton Airport or Heathrow Airport.
  • FlixBus is a European coach company expanding in the UK and operates a fleet of eco-friendly electric buses with routes between London and cities such as Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, and Edinburgh. It is often cheaper than National Express but with fewer departures.
  • Berry's Coaches runs frequent services between the West Country and London.
  • Oxford Tube is an affordable coach service between Oxford and London, serving the Victoria area with additional pick-up and drop-off points including Notting Hill and Hillingdon. Coaches run 24/7 with departures every 10 to 15 minutes during peak times.
  • Green Line Coaches connect towns in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Berkshire to London, including Luton Airport and Heathrow Airport. Services include the Green Line 702 and 703 (Windsor and Legoland to London).
  • Flibco offers 24-hour coach services between London Stansted Airport and central London (Liverpool Street and Stratford), which run every 30 minutes.

Coaches to London from Europe

BlaBlaCar Bus operates coach services to London from Paris. The company also operates lines across Europe, including to Brussels, Amsterdam and Cologne. Visit the BlaBlaCar website.

FlixBus, the largest coach network in Europe, offers multiple international routes into London every day. Visit the FlixBus website.

RegioJet offers some services between London and Central Europe. Visit the RegioJet website.

Using coaches with a disability

It's essential to check accessibility and concessionary rates with the coach operator. UK residents who are registered disabled can buy a Disabled Coachcard and receive one third off fares on National Express. Read National Express's accessibility information.

Coach tours from London

Coach tours are a great way to see sights and attractions of London and beyond during your trip. London is within easy reach of many major tourist attractions such as Stonehenge, Leeds Castle and Bath. Check out the best sightseeing tours and day trips from London.

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