How to travel from Fort William to Derby, United Kingdom

The distance between Fort William and Derby is around 621km (386 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the bus, then fly and then take the train which takes around 5hrs.

7 routes found

We've found 7 different ways to get from Fort William to Derby 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 DerbyFort William if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
bus
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plane
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train
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Bus to Bus Station Stance 2, plane and train

Take the bus to Bus Station Stance 2 then fly from Inverness (INV) to Birmingham (BHX) then take the train to Derby.

  • Duration5hrs
  • Flight time1h 25m
  • Typical cost
    £215($250)
Operated by

Multiple operators

3 similiar routes

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

2
train
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train
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Train

Take the train to Edinburgh and then to Derby.

  • Duration9h 45m
  • Departs6 times a week
  • Typical cost
    £175($205)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

💰 Cheapest
3
3 x bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Buchanan Bus Station then Shudehill Interchange and then to Derby Bus Station.

  • Duration10h 10m
  • Departs4 times a week
  • Typical cost
    £55($65)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

4
car
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Drive

Drive to Derby.

  • Duration6h 45m
  • Distance621km (386 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Fort William and Derby

There are several options for getting from Fort William to Derby by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £55 ($65) and will take around 10h 10m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the bus, then fly and then take the train and arrive in approximately 5hrs, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £215 ($250).

The distance between Fort William and Derby is around 621km (386 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 492km (305 miles)

It takes around 9h 45m to get from Fort William and Derby by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 6h 45m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Fort William to Derby is to take the bus, then fly and then take the train which takes around 5hrs and will set you back approx £215 ($250).

The cheapest way to travel between Fort William and Derby, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £55 ($65) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Fort William and Derby. It typically takes around 9h 45m and departs 6 times a week.

There are no direct train services that runs from Fort William to Derby. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Edinburgh. These services run 6 times a week and will take a minimum of 9h 45m.

Caledonian Sleeper and CrossCountry run train services between Fort William and Derby. Trains depart 6 times a week and will take around 9h 45m, 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 Fort William and Derby. It typically takes around 10h 10m and departs 4 times a week.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Fort William to Derby. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Buchanan Bus Station and Shudehill Interchange. These services run 4 times a week and will take a minimum of 10h 10m.

Scottish Citylink, Megabus UK and FlixBus run regular bus services between Fort William and Derby. Buses run 4 times a week and take around 10h 10m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Fort William to Derby. We recommend that you take the bus to Glasgow Airport then fly from Glasgow (GLA) to Birmingham (BHX) then take the train to Derby. instead which will take 5hrs.

The closest major airport to Derby is East Midlands Airport (EMA) (EMA) which is approximately 14km (9 miles) from Derby. Birmingham Airport (BHX) (BHX) and Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) (DSA) 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 Fort William and Derby. The distance is around 621km (386 miles) by road and it will take around 6h 45m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Fort William to Derby is to take the train which takes, on average, 9h 45m and will usually cost around £175 ($205).

How do I get from Fort William to Derby

Compare travel optionsbetween Fort William and Derby

Transport options from Fort William to Derby
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Bus to Bus Station Stance 2, plane and train + 3 similar
5hrs
£215($250)
5 times a day787km (489 miles)
Bus, Plane and Train5hrs
£115($135)
every 20 mins664km (413 miles)
Bus to Bus Station Stance 2, plane and train5h 35m
£180($215)
5 times a day743km (462 miles)
Bus to Glasgow Airport, plane and train5h 45m
£210($245)
every 20 mins845km (525 miles)
Train
9h 45m
£175($205)
6 times a week740km (460 miles)
Bus
10h 10m
£55($65)
4 times a week655km (407 miles)
Drive
6h 45m
£105($125)
on demand621km (386 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Fort William and Derby

Train operators

Airports near Derby

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

EMA
East Midlands Airport (EMA)
International Airport
Distance
14km (9 miles) from Derby
BHX
Birmingham Airport (BHX)
International Airport
Distance
55km (34 miles) from Derby
DSA
Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA)
International Airport
Distance
70km (43 miles) from Derby