If you are searching for London to Bath, most of what you will find is train timetables and coach fares, and for a lone traveller those are good options. This page gives the honest comparison first, then explains when a private driver is the better way to make the journey.
London to Bath: train, coach or car?
Train. Trains run from London Paddington to Bath Spa and take about an hour and a half. For one person who is happy to carry a bag across London to Paddington, it is hard to beat, particularly with an advance off-peak ticket. Walk-up fares are much higher than advance fares, so check National Rail for the current options.
Coach. The coach is usually the cheapest way to go and also the slowest, because it shares the same roads as a car and stops along the way. It leaves from Victoria and arrives at Bath bus station, which is a short walk from the centre.
Private driver. Our chauffeur collects you at your hotel or home, drives the 111 miles to Bath, which takes about two and a half hours without traffic, and drops you wherever you like. There is no station transfer at either end, no luggage to carry on the Tube, and no timetable to run for.
| Train | Coach | Private driver | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Door to door | No | No | Yes |
| Best for | One or two travellers | Tightest budget | Families, groups, luggage |
| Can stop on the way | No | No | Yes |
| Return time | Fixed by the ticket | Fixed by the ticket | Whenever you choose |
When a private driver makes sense for Bath
Three or four people sharing one car often find the total is closer to train fares than they expect, once taxis to Paddington and from Bath Spa station are added. With a V-Class you can carry up to eight people for the same fixed price.
A driver also suits a day in Bath because you decide the day. Arrive for the Roman Baths when you want, stay for lunch, and leave when you are ready rather than when the train you booked departs. Everything you buy, from souvenirs to bottles of wine, stays in the boot of the car.
It helps if someone in the group has limited mobility. Our driver can drop you as close to the entrance as the road allows, and the car is waiting when you come out.
Bath as a day trip from London
Bath is worth a day trip, and many visitors fit it in between two other nights in London. The centre is compact and mostly flat, so you can see the main sights on foot in a day. The usual route is the Roman Baths and the abbey, a walk past the Royal Crescent and the Circus, and a drink or lunch by Pulteney Bridge. For opening times and tickets, use the official Visit Bath site.
Leave London by 08:00 and you reach Bath in time for a late-morning start. If you leave later, expect to be in the city for lunch. We will plan the day with you when you ask for a quote.
Add a stop on the way
The advantage of a car is that Bath does not have to be the only place you see. From Bath you can add Stonehenge on the way back, or spend the day in the villages of the Cotswolds, which sit nearby. Tell us what you would like and we will say what fits in a single day. See our guide to the best day trips from London by car for more ideas.
What a London to Bath private driver costs
Our hourly rate outside London, beyond the M25, is £70 an hour in an E-Class, £85 in an S-Class or V-Class and £105 in a Range Rover. There is a four-hour minimum.
For a day in Bath, the nine hours we estimate (2 h 30 min each way plus four hours in the city) come to £630 in an E-Class, £765 in an S-Class or a V-Class, and £945 in a Range Rover. VAT is included, and the price is agreed before you book. That is the price for the car, however many of you are in it.
If you want only a one-way transfer, a longer stay or a different plan, ask for a quote. You can see the whole table on our prices page.
How to book your London to Bath driver
- Use the form below or the contact page to tell us your pick-up address, date, number of passengers and luggage.
- Say whether you want a day return, a one-way transfer or an overnight stay in Bath.
- We send a fixed price, VAT included, with the car that fits your group.
- Your chauffeur arrives at the time agreed, and waits while you explore Bath.
Which car for Bath?
The E-Class or BMW 5 Series takes up to three passengers, and the S-Class or BMW 7 Series also takes three with more rear space. The V-Class or VW Transporter takes up to eight, which makes it the sensible choice for a family trip. A Range Rover takes up to four. For a bigger party, a Mercedes Sprinter minibus carries up to 16 and is quoted on request; see our minibus and coach hire page.
Planning a longer stay or a wider tour of the south-west? Our chauffeur service in London page explains how hourly hire works. If you are also considering other cities, the same day-trip approach applies to Cambridge and Oxford.
Cheaper train tickets and what a car adds
Train fares to Bath vary widely with the time of day and how early you book, and railcards and split tickets can bring them down further. That is worth knowing: if you are travelling alone and the date is flexible, the cheapest advance ticket will beat any car on price, and we would rather you knew that than book us for the wrong trip. The National Rail site shows what is on offer for your date.
What a car adds is not a lower fare but a different kind of day. Nobody has to find platforms, count heads on a crowded carriage or time lunch around a departure. If the group includes children, grandparents or people who find long walks hard, that matters more than the saving. You also get one person who knows the roads, so a late finish or a road closure does not turn into a problem for you.
Practical tips for Bath by car
Bath is an old city with narrow streets and a restricted centre, so parking is a real chore for anyone who drives themselves. With a chauffeur you skip that entirely: we drop you close to the Roman Baths or your hotel and collect you from the same place later. If you are staying overnight, we can arrange the return for the next day and quote the whole trip together.
Weather in Bath is changeable, so a car also gives you somewhere dry to leave coats and bags between visits. If you are going in winter, tell us, and we will plan an earlier return so that you are not driving back in the dark if you would prefer not to.
Last updated 20 October 2026.
