How to get from London to Cambridge

The train is the fastest and most reliable way. Fast services run from London Liverpool Street and King's Cross to Cambridge, with the quickest journeys around 50 minutes and slower ones up to about 90 minutes depending on the route and stops. Trains are frequent through the day, roughly every 15–30 minutes at peak times.

The cheapest way is usually a coach, which takes around 2–2.5 hours and can cost a fraction of a walk-up train fare. If you value time, an Advance train ticket booked a week or more ahead often lands in the same price band as the coach.

For most travellers the decision is simple: book an Advance train ticket early and take the train. Choose the coach only if you are on a tight budget or travelling at short notice when train fares spike.

Prices are 2026 estimates and vary widely by time of booking, time of day and operator. Advance train tickets are quota-limited and rise as the departure fills; walk-up fares are much higher. Always check the operator's own site for the exact fare on your date.

Book train tickets directly with the operator or a national rail booking site. Advance fares are released in batches and are cheapest the further ahead you book; they tie you to a specific train, so only buy them if your plans are fixed. Off-peak and anytime tickets cost more but are flexible.

Coach tickets can be booked online with the operator up to departure, and prices are usually lower the earlier you book. For cars, plan parking in advance: central Cambridge has park-and-ride sites and limited street parking.

If you are arriving in the UK by air, allow time to reach the London station before your onward train; see the London transport guide for connections.

Travel outside the morning and evening peaks for cheaper, quieter trains. Cambridge is a compact city, so once you arrive you can walk between the colleges, the river and the market without needing local transport.

If you are doing several UK trips, compare point-to-point fares against a railcard or a flexible ticket; the maths changes with how often you travel. Keep an eye on engineering works, which can add a bus replacement leg at weekends.

The rail line runs north-east from London through the East of England to Cambridge, with the fastest services using the route via Bishop's Stortford and the slower ones via a different alignment. By road the M11 links London with Cambridge, and the coach follows a similar corridor.

Cambridge sits in Cambridgeshire, in the East of England, about 80–100 km (50–60 miles) north-east of central London.