How to travel from Preston to Canterbury, United Kingdom

The distance between Preston and Canterbury is around 451km (280 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train and then fly which takes around 3h 50m.

7 routes found

We've found 7 different ways to get from Preston to Canterbury 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 CanterburyPreston if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
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Train and Plane

Take the train to Manchester Airport then fly from Manchester (MAN) to London Heathrow (LHR) then take the train to Canterbury West.

  • Duration3h 50m
  • Flight time1h 10m
  • Typical cost
    £275($325)
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

Take the train to London Euston and then to Canterbury West.

  • Duration4h 25m
  • Departshourly
  • Typical cost
    £130($155)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

💰 Cheapest
3
bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Victoria London Victoria Coach Station Arrivals and then to Canterbury.

  • Duration8h 35m
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    £30($35)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

4
car
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Drive

Drive to Canterbury.

  • Duration4h 40m
  • Distance459km (285 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Preston and Canterbury

There are several options for getting from Preston to Canterbury by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £30 ($35) and will take around 8h 35m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and then fly and arrive in approximately 3h 50m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £275 ($325).

The distance between Preston and Canterbury is around 451km (280 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 376km (234 miles)

It takes around 4h 25m to get from Preston and Canterbury by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 4h 40m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Preston to Canterbury is to take the train and then fly which takes around 3h 50m and will set you back approx £275 ($325).

The cheapest way to travel between Preston and Canterbury, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £30 ($35) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Preston and Canterbury. It typically takes around 4h 25m and departs hourly.

There are no direct train services that runs from Preston to Canterbury. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in London Euston and St Pancras International. These services run hourly and will take a minimum of 4h 25m.

Avanti West Coast and South Eastern Trains Service run train services between Preston and Canterbury. Trains depart hourly and will take around 4h 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 Preston and Canterbury. It typically takes around 8h 35m and departs once daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Preston to Canterbury. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Victoria London Victoria Coach Station Arrivals. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 8h 35m.

Megabus UK, FlixBus and National Express run regular bus services between Preston and Canterbury. Buses run once daily and take around 8h 35m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Preston to Canterbury. We recommend that you take the train to Manchester Airport then fly from Manchester (MAN) to London Heathrow (LHR) then take the train to Canterbury West. instead which will take 3h 50m.

The closest major airport to Canterbury is London City Airport (LCY) (LCY) which is approximately 76km (47 miles) from Canterbury. London Stansted Airport (STN) (STN) 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 Preston and Canterbury. The distance is around 459km (285 miles) by road and it will take around 4h 40m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Preston to Canterbury is to take the train which takes, on average, 4h 25m and will usually cost around £130 ($155).

How do I get from Preston to Canterbury

Compare travel optionsbetween Preston and Canterbury

Transport options from Preston to Canterbury
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train and Plane + 3 similar
3h 50m
£275($325)
hourly451km (280 miles)
Train to Manchester Airport, plane4h 30m
£255($300)
hourly487km (303 miles)
Train to Manchester Airport, plane4h 50m
£295($350)
hourly580km (360 miles)
Train, Plane and Bus5h 10m
£130($155)
hourly920km (572 miles)
Train
4h 25m
£130($155)
hourly460km (286 miles)
Bus
8h 35m
£30($35)
once daily501km (312 miles)
Drive
4h 40m
£79($95)
on demand459km (285 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Preston and Canterbury

Train operators

Bus companies

Airports near Canterbury

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

LCY
London City Airport (LCY)
International Airport
Distance
76km (47 miles) from Canterbury
STN
London Stansted Airport (STN)
International Airport
Distance
88km (55 miles) from Canterbury
LGW
Gatwick Airport (LGW)
International Airport
Distance
89km (55 miles) from Canterbury