How to travel from Fort William to Ely, United Kingdom

The distance between Fort William and Ely is around 733km (455 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the bus, then fly and then take the train which takes around 5h 5m.

8 routes found

We've found 8 different ways to get from Fort William to Ely 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 ElyFort William if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
bus
+
plane
+
train
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Bus, Plane and Train

Take the bus to Glasgow Airport then fly from Glasgow (GLA) to London Stansted (STN) then take the train to Ely.

  • Duration5h 5m
  • Flight time1h 25m
  • Typical cost
    £135($160)
Operated by

Multiple operators

4 similiar routes

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

2
3 x train
+

Train

Take the train to Edinburgh then Peterborough and then to Ely.

  • Duration9h 40m
  • Departs6 times a week
  • Typical cost
    £105($120)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

💰 Cheapest
3
4 x bus
+

Bus

Take the bus to Buchanan Bus Station, Navigation Street then Cambridge Fair Street and then to Market Street.

  • Duration14h 10m
  • Departs5 times a week
  • Typical cost
    £62($73)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

4
car
+

Drive

Drive to Ely.

  • Duration8hrs
  • Distance733km (455 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Fort William and Ely

There are several options for getting from Fort William to Ely by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £62 ($73) and will take around 14h 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 5h 5m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £135 ($160).

The distance between Fort William and Ely is around 733km (455 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 601km (373 miles)

It takes around 9h 40m to get from Fort William and Ely by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 8hrs to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Fort William to Ely is to take the bus, then fly and then take the train which takes around 5h 5m and will set you back approx £135 ($160).

The cheapest way to travel between Fort William and Ely, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £62 ($73) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Fort William and Ely. It typically takes around 9h 40m and departs 6 times a week.

There are no direct train services that runs from Fort William to Ely. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Edinburgh and Peterborough. These services run 6 times a week and will take a minimum of 9h 40m.

Caledonian Sleeper, LNER, East Midlands Railways, CrossCountry and Greater Anglia run train services between Fort William and Ely. Trains depart 6 times a week and will take around 9h 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 Fort William and Ely. It typically takes around 14h 10m and departs 5 times a week.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Fort William to Ely. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Buchanan Bus Station, Navigation Street and Cambridge Fair Street. These services run 5 times a week and will take a minimum of 14h 10m.

Scottish Citylink, Megabus UK and Stagecoach East run regular bus services between Fort William and Ely. Buses run 5 times a week and take around 14h 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 Ely. We recommend that you take the bus to Glasgow Airport then fly from Glasgow (GLA) to London Stansted (STN) then take the train to Ely. instead which will take 5h 5m.

The closest major airport to Ely is Cambridge Airport (CBG) (CBG) which is approximately 22km (14 miles) from Ely. London Stansted Airport (STN) (STN) and London Luton Airport (LTN) (LTN) 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 Ely. The distance is around 733km (455 miles) by road and it will take around 8hrs in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Fort William to Ely is to take the train which takes, on average, 9h 40m and will usually cost around £105 ($120).

How do I get from Fort William to Ely

Compare travel optionsbetween Fort William and Ely

Transport options from Fort William to Ely
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Bus, Plane and Train + 4 similar
5h 5m
£135($160)
every 20 mins768km (477 miles)
Bus to Bus Station Stance 2, plane and train5h 60m
£220($260)
5 times a day962km (598 miles)
Bus to Glasgow Airport, plane and train6h 5m
£195($235)
every 20 mins850km (528 miles)
Bus to Glasgow Airport, plane and train6h 10m
£230($270)
every 20 mins865km (537 miles)
Bus to Glasgow Airport, plane and train6h 50m
£150($175)
every 20 mins794km (494 miles)
Train
9h 40m
£105($120)
6 times a week810km (503 miles)
Bus
14h 10m
£62($73)
5 times a week879km (546 miles)
Drive
8hrs
£125($150)
on demand733km (455 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Fort William and Ely

Train operators

Bus companies

Airports near Ely

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

CBG
Cambridge Airport (CBG)
Domestic Airport
Distance
22km (14 miles) from Ely
STN
London Stansted Airport (STN)
International Airport
Distance
57km (35 miles) from Ely
LTN
London Luton Airport (LTN)
International Airport
Distance
72km (45 miles) from Ely