How to travel from Barnstaple to Thurso, United Kingdom

The distance between Barnstaple and Thurso is around 1,032km (641 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train and then fly which takes around 5h 35m.

9 routes found

We've found 9 different ways to get from Barnstaple to Thurso by train, plane, bus and car. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out ThursoBarnstaple if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
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train
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Train to Exeter St Davids, plane

Take the train to Exeter St Davids and then to Bristol Temple Meads then fly from Bristol (BRS) to Wick (WIC).

  • Duration5h 35m
  • Flight time2h 10m
  • Typical cost
    £440($520)
Operated by

Multiple operators

4 similiar routes

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

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4 x train
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Train

Take the train to Exeter St Davids, London Paddington then Inverness and then to Thurso.

  • Duration15h 20m
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    £200($240)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

1 similiar route

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

💰 Cheapest
3
6 x bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Bristol Bond St, Dunbar Asda Spott Rd, Edinburgh Bus Station, Inverness Bus Station Stance 3 then Leirinmore Smoo Cave and then to Thurso Royal Bank of Scotland.

  • Duration18h 10m
  • Departsonce a week
  • Typical cost
    £84($100)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

4
car
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Drive

Drive to Thurso.

  • Duration12h 35m
  • Distance1,150km (715 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Barnstaple and Thurso

There are several options for getting from Barnstaple to Thurso by train, plane, bus and car. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £84 ($100) and will take around 18h 10m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and then fly and arrive in approximately 5h 35m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £440 ($520).

The distance between Barnstaple and Thurso is around 1,032km (641 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 836km (520 miles)

It takes around 8h 15m to get from Barnstaple and Thurso by train and plane. If you are travelling by car it will take around 12h 35m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Barnstaple to Thurso is to take the train and then fly which takes around 5h 35m and will set you back approx £440 ($520).

The cheapest way to travel between Barnstaple and Thurso, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £84 ($100) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Barnstaple and Thurso. It typically takes around 15h 20m and departs once daily.

There are no direct train services that runs from Barnstaple to Thurso. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Exeter St Davids, London Paddington, King's Cross St. Pancras station and Inverness. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 15h 20m.

Great Western Railway, LNER, First ScotRail Service and CrossCountry run train services between Barnstaple and Thurso. Trains depart once daily and will take around 15h 20m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Barnstaple and Thurso. It typically takes around 18h 10m and departs once a week.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Barnstaple to Thurso. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Bristol Bond St, Dunbar Asda Spott Rd, Edinburgh Bus Station, Inverness Bus Station Stance 3 and Leirinmore Smoo Cave. These services run once a week and will take a minimum of 18h 10m.

Megabus UK, Borders Buses, Scottish Citylink and The Durness Bus run regular bus services between Barnstaple and Thurso. Buses run once a week and take around 18h 10m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Barnstaple to Thurso. We recommend that you take the train to Exeter St Davids and then to Bristol Temple Meads then fly from Bristol (BRS) to Inverness (INV) then take the train to Thurso. instead which will take 8h 15m.

The closest major airport to Thurso is Kirkwall Airport (KOI) (KOI) which is approximately 54km (34 miles) from Thurso. Inverness Airport (INV) (INV) and Stornoway Airport (SYY) (SYY) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from Barnstaple and Thurso. The distance is around 1,150km (715 miles) by road and it will take around 12h 35m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Barnstaple to Thurso is to take the train and then fly which takes, on average, 8h 15m and will usually cost around £260 ($310).

How do I get from Barnstaple to Thurso

Compare travel optionsbetween Barnstaple and Thurso

Transport options from Barnstaple to Thurso
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train to Exeter St Davids, plane + 4 similar
5h 35m
£440($520)
every 3 hours1,032km (641 miles)
Train and Plane8h 15m
£260($310)
every 20 mins1,143km (710 miles)
Train to Exeter St Davids, plane10hrs
£375($445)
every 20 mins1,247km (775 miles)
Train to Exeter St Davids, plane10h 35m
£315($370)
every 20 mins1,236km (768 miles)
Train to Exeter St Davids, plane11h 25m
£235($280)
every 20 mins1,252km (778 miles)
Train + 1 similar
15h 20m
£200($240)
once daily1,512km (939 miles)
Train via Exeter St Davids16h 5m
£315($370)
every 20 mins1,418km (881 miles)
Bus
18h 10m
£84($100)
once a week1,421km (883 miles)
Drive
12h 35m
£200($235)
on demand1,150km (715 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Barnstaple and Thurso

Train operators

Airlines

Bus companies

Airports near Thurso

The following major airports near Thurso offer regular flights to various popular destinations within United Kingdom and internationally.

KOI
Kirkwall Airport (KOI)
Domestic Airport
Distance
54km (34 miles) from Thurso
INV
Inverness Airport (INV)
International Airport
Distance
122km (76 miles) from Thurso
SYY
Stornoway Airport (SYY)
Domestic Airport
Distance
169km (105 miles) from Thurso