How to travel from Carlisle to London, United Kingdom

The distance between Carlisle and London is around 478km (297 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train which takes around 3h 25m.

9 routes found

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

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

🚀 Fastest
1
train
+

Train

Take the train to London Euston.

  • Duration3h 25m
  • Departshourly
  • Typical cost
    £120($140)
Operated byAvanti West Coast+ 1 others
2
train
+
plane
+

Train to Newcastle, Fly

Take the train to Newcastle then fly from Newcastle (NCL) to London Heathrow (LHR).

  • Duration3h 25m
  • Flight time1h 20m
  • Typical cost
    £295($350)
Operated by

Multiple operators

5 similiar routes

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

💰 Cheapest
3
bus
+

Bus

Take the bus to Heathrow Airport London T23.

  • Duration6h 30m
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    £17($20)
4
car
+

Drive

Drive to London King's Cross.

  • Duration5h 5m
  • Distance495km (308 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Carlisle and London

There are several options for getting from Carlisle to London by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £17 ($20) and will take around 6h 30m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and arrive in approximately 3h 25m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £120 ($140).

The distance between Carlisle and London is around 478km (297 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 420km (261 miles)

It takes around 3h 25m to get from Carlisle and London by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 5h 5m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Carlisle to London is to take the train which takes around 3h 25m and will set you back approx £120 ($140).

The cheapest way to travel between Carlisle and London, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £17 ($20) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Carlisle and London. It typically takes around 3h 25m and departs hourly.

Yes there is a direct train service that runs between Carlisle and London with no changeovers required. The train runs hourly and takes 3h 25m.

Avanti West Coast run train services between Carlisle and London. Trains depart hourly and will take around 3h 25m, 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 Carlisle and London. It typically takes around 6h 30m and departs once daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Carlisle to London. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Heathrow Airport London T23. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 6h 30m.

National Express run regular bus services between Carlisle and London. Buses run once daily and take around 6h 30m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Carlisle to London. We recommend that you take the train to Haymarket then fly from Edinburgh (EDI) to London City (LCY). instead which will take 3h 35m.

The closest major airport to London is London City Airport (LCY) (LCY) which is approximately 12km (8 miles) from London. Heathrow Airport (LHR) (LHR) and Gatwick Airport (LGW) (LGW) 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 Carlisle and London. The distance is around 495km (308 miles) by road and it will take around 5h 5m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Carlisle to London is to take the train which takes, on average, 3h 25m and will usually cost around £120 ($140).

How do I get from Carlisle to London

Compare travel optionsbetween Carlisle and London

Transport options from Carlisle to London
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train
3h 25m
£120($140)
hourly478km (297 miles)
Train to Newcastle, Fly + 5 similar
3h 25m
£295($350)
twice a week538km (334 miles)
Train to Glasgow Central, Fly3h 25m
£235($280)
hourly754km (469 miles)
Train to Haymarket, Fly3h 30m
£225($265)
every 3 hours727km (451 miles)
Train to Haymarket, plane3h 35m
£160($190)
every 3 hours713km (443 miles)
Train and Plane3h 35m
£215($255)
every 3 hours723km (449 miles)
Train to Haymarket, plane3h 40m
£155($185)
every 3 hours786km (488 miles)
Bus
6h 30m
£17($20)
once daily517km (321 miles)
Drive
5h 5m
£86($100)
on demand495km (308 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Carlisle and London

Train operators

Airports near London

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

LCY
London City Airport (LCY)
International Airport
Distance
12km (8 miles) from London
LHR
Heathrow Airport (LHR)
International Airport
Distance
23km (14 miles) from London
LGW
Gatwick Airport (LGW)
International Airport
Distance
40km (25 miles) from London