How to travel from Carlisle to Swanage, United Kingdom

The distance between Carlisle and Swanage is around 563km (350 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train, then fly and then take the bus which takes around 4h 45m.

7 routes found

We've found 7 different ways to get from Carlisle to Swanage 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 SwanageCarlisle if you're planning a return trip.

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Train and Plane

Take the train to Haymarket then fly from Edinburgh (EDI) to Bristol (BRS) then take the train to Southampton Central and then to Bournemouth.

  • Duration6h 30m
  • Flight time1h 15m
  • Typical cost
    £185($215)
Operated by

Multiple operators

3 similiar routes

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

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Train

Take the train to Wolverhampton and then to Bournemouth.

  • Duration6h 40m
  • Departsevery 3 hours
  • Typical cost
    £230($270)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

💰 Cheapest
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Bus

Take the bus to Heathrow Airport London T23 and then to Bournemouth Station off Holdenhurst Rd.

  • Duration9hrs
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    £24($28)
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Drive

Drive to Swanage.

  • Duration6h 15m
  • Distance563km (350 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Carlisle and Swanage

There are several options for getting from Carlisle to Swanage by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £24 ($28) and will take around 9hrs. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train, then fly and then take the bus and arrive in approximately 4h 45m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £270 ($320).

The distance between Carlisle and Swanage is around 563km (350 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 481km (299 miles)

It takes around 6h 40m to get from Carlisle and Swanage by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 6h 15m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Carlisle to Swanage is to take the train, then fly and then take the bus which takes around 4h 45m and will set you back approx £270 ($320).

The cheapest way to travel between Carlisle and Swanage, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £24 ($28) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Carlisle and Swanage. It typically takes around 6h 40m and departs every 3 hours.

There are no direct train services that runs from Carlisle to Swanage. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Wolverhampton and Bournemouth. These services run every 3 hours and will take a minimum of 6h 40m.

Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry run train services between Carlisle and Swanage. Trains depart every 3 hours and will take around 6h 40m, 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 Swanage. It typically takes around 9hrs and departs once daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Carlisle to Swanage. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Heathrow Airport London T23 and Bournemouth Station off Holdenhurst Rd. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 9hrs.

National Express and Megabus UK run regular bus services between Carlisle and Swanage. Buses run once daily and take around 9hrs 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 Swanage. We recommend that you take the train to Haymarket then fly from Edinburgh (EDI) to Southampton (SOU) then take the train to Bournemouth then take the bus to Swanage Mowlem Court. instead which will take 4h 50m.

The closest major airport to Swanage is Bournemouth Airport (BOH) (BOH) which is approximately 21km (13 miles) from Swanage. Southampton Airport (SOU) (SOU) and Bristol Airport (BRS) (BRS) 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 Swanage. The distance is around 563km (350 miles) by road and it will take around 6h 15m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Carlisle to Swanage is to take the train which takes, on average, 6h 40m and will usually cost around £230 ($270).

How do I get from Carlisle to Swanage

Compare travel optionsbetween Carlisle and Swanage

Transport options from Carlisle to Swanage
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train and Plane + 3 similar
6h 30m
£185($215)
every 3 hours884km (549 miles)
Train to Glasgow Central, plane and bus4h 45m
£270($320)
hourly835km (519 miles)
Train, Plane and Bus4h 50m
£270($320)
every 3 hours817km (508 miles)
Train to Newcastle, plane and bus4h 55m
£225($265)
twice a week640km (398 miles)
Train
6h 40m
£230($270)
every 3 hours630km (392 miles)
Bus
9hrs
£24($28)
once daily665km (413 miles)
Drive
6h 15m
£95($115)
on demand563km (350 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Carlisle and Swanage

Train operators

Airports near Swanage

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

BOH
Bournemouth Airport (BOH)
International Airport
Distance
21km (13 miles) from Swanage
SOU
Southampton Airport (SOU)
Domestic Airport
Distance
57km (35 miles) from Swanage
BRS
Bristol Airport (BRS)
International Airport
Distance
101km (63 miles) from Swanage