How to travel from Fort William to Preston, United Kingdom

The distance between Fort William and Preston is around 463km (288 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the bus, then fly and then take the train which takes around 4h 55m.

8 routes found

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

🚀 Fastest
1
bus
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plane
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Bus, Plane and Train

Take the bus to Bus Station Stance 2 then fly from Inverness (INV) to Manchester (MAN) then take the train to Preston.

  • Duration4h 55m
  • Flight time1h 10m
  • Typical cost
    £155($185)
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 Dalmuir and then to Preston.

  • Duration6h 20m
  • Departsevery 20 mins
  • Typical cost
    £105($120)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

3
bus
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bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Buchanan Bus Station and then to Preston Coach Station.

  • Duration6h 55m
  • Departstwice daily
  • Typical cost
    £41($48)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

1 similiar route

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

4
car
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Drive

Drive to Preston.

  • Duration5h 10m
  • Distance463km (288 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Fort William and Preston

There are several options for getting from Fort William to Preston by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £31 ($37) and will take around 7h 25m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the bus, then fly and then take the train and arrive in approximately 4h 55m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £155 ($185).

The distance between Fort William and Preston is around 463km (288 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 373km (232 miles)

It takes around 6h 20m to get from Fort William and Preston by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 5h 10m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Fort William to Preston is to take the bus, then fly and then take the train which takes around 4h 55m and will set you back approx £155 ($185).

The cheapest way to travel between Fort William and Preston, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £31 ($37) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Fort William and Preston. It typically takes around 6h 20m and departs every 20 mins.

There are no direct train services that runs from Fort William to Preston. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Dalmuir and Glasgow Central Low Level. These services run every 20 mins and will take a minimum of 6h 20m.

First ScotRail Service, Caledonian Sleeper, Avanti West Coast and TransPennine Express Service run train services between Fort William and Preston. Trains depart every 20 mins and will take around 6h 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 Fort William and Preston. It typically takes around 6h 55m and departs twice daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Fort William to Preston. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Buchanan Bus Station. These services run twice daily and will take a minimum of 6h 55m.

Scottish Citylink, Megabus UK, FlixBus and National Express run regular bus services between Fort William and Preston. Buses run twice daily and take around 6h 55m 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 Preston. We recommend that you take the bus to Bus Station Stance 2 then fly from Inverness (INV) to Manchester (MAN) then take the train to Preston. instead which will take 4h 55m.

The closest major airport to Preston is Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL) (LPL) which is approximately 48km (30 miles) from Preston. Manchester Airport (MAN) (MAN) and Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) (LBA) 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 Preston. The distance is around 463km (288 miles) by road and it will take around 5h 10m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Fort William to Preston is to take the train which takes, on average, 6h 20m and will usually cost around £105 ($120).

How do I get from Fort William to Preston

Compare travel optionsbetween Fort William and Preston

Transport options from Fort William to Preston
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Bus, Plane and Train + 3 similar
4h 55m
£155($185)
5 times a day667km (414 miles)
Bus to Glasgow Airport, plane and train5h 40m
£165($200)
every 20 mins676km (420 miles)
Bus to Glasgow Airport, plane and train6h 25m
£125($145)
every 20 mins764km (475 miles)
Bus, Train and Plane6h 50m
£135($160)
5 times a day762km (474 miles)
Train
6h 20m
£105($120)
every 20 mins493km (306 miles)
Bus + 1 similar
6h 55m
£41($48)
twice daily471km (293 miles)
Bus via Buchanan Bus Station7h 25m
£31($37)
once daily469km (291 miles)
Drive
5h 10m
£80($95)
on demand463km (288 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Fort William and Preston

Train operators

Airports near Preston

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

LPL
Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL)
International Airport
Distance
48km (30 miles) from Preston
MAN
Manchester Airport (MAN)
International Airport
Distance
52km (32 miles) from Preston
LBA
Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA)
International Airport
Distance
69km (43 miles) from Preston