How to travel from Preston to Ipswich, United Kingdom

The distance between Preston and Ipswich is around 371km (231 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train and then fly which takes around 3h 45m.

9 routes found

We've found 9 different ways to get from Preston to Ipswich 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 IpswichPreston if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
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train
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plane
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train
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Train to Manchester Airport, plane

Take the train to Manchester Airport then fly from Manchester (MAN) to Cambridge (CBG) then take the train to Ipswich.

  • Duration3h 45m
  • Flight time45min
  • Typical cost
    £215($255)
Operated by

Multiple operators

3 similiar routes

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

2
3 x train
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Train via Leeds

Take the train to Leeds then Peterborough and then to Ipswich.

  • Duration4h 40m
  • Departsevery 4 hours
  • Typical cost
    £84($100)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

2 similiar routes

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

💰 Cheapest
3
3 x bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Finchley Road Station then Stansted Airport London and then to Ipswich.

  • Duration9h 5m
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    £30($36)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

4
car
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Drive

Drive to Ipswich.

  • Duration4h 10m
  • Distance406km (252 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Preston and Ipswich

There are several options for getting from Preston to Ipswich by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £30 ($36) and will take around 9h 5m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and then fly and arrive in approximately 3h 45m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £215 ($255).

The distance between Preston and Ipswich is around 371km (231 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 320km (199 miles)

It takes around 4h 50m to get from Preston and Ipswich by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 4h 10m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Preston to Ipswich is to take the train and then fly which takes around 3h 45m and will set you back approx £215 ($255).

The cheapest way to travel between Preston and Ipswich, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £30 ($36) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Preston and Ipswich. It typically takes around 4h 50m and departs hourly.

There are no direct train services that runs from Preston to Ipswich. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in London Euston, Moorgate station and London Liverpool Street. These services run hourly and will take a minimum of 4h 50m.

Avanti West Coast, Greater Anglia, Northern Rail, LNER, TransPennine Express Service and East Midlands Railways run train services between Preston and Ipswich. Trains depart hourly and will take around 4h 50m, 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 Ipswich. It typically takes around 9h 5m and departs once daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Preston to Ipswich. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Finchley Road Station and Stansted Airport London. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 9h 5m.

FlixBus and National Express run regular bus services between Preston and Ipswich. Buses run once daily and take around 9h 5m 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 Ipswich. We recommend that you take the train to Manchester Airport then fly from Manchester (MAN) to London Heathrow (LHR) then take the train to Ipswich. instead which will take 4h 20m.

The closest major airport to Ipswich is London Stansted Airport (STN) (STN) which is approximately 64km (40 miles) from Ipswich. Norwich International Airport (NWI) (NWI) and Cambridge Airport (CBG) (CBG) 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 Ipswich. The distance is around 406km (252 miles) by road and it will take around 4h 10m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Preston to Ipswich is to take the train which takes, on average, 4h 50m and will usually cost around £130 ($155).

How do I get from Preston to Ipswich

Compare travel optionsbetween Preston and Ipswich

Transport options from Preston to Ipswich
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train to Manchester Airport, plane + 3 similar
3h 45m
£215($255)
hourly371km (231 miles)
Train and Plane4h 20m
£270($320)
hourly451km (280 miles)
Train to Manchester Airport, plane5h 5m
£295($350)
hourly580km (360 miles)
Train to Warrington Bank Quay, plane5h 10m
£145($175)
hourly894km (555 miles)
Train via Leeds + 2 similar
4h 40m
£84($100)
every 4 hours403km (251 miles)
Train4h 50m
£130($155)
hourly461km (286 miles)
Train via Manchester Piccadilly5h 25m
£85($100)
every 4 hours396km (246 miles)
Bus
9h 5m
£30($36)
once daily528km (328 miles)
Drive
4h 10m
£70($83)
on demand406km (252 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Preston and Ipswich

Train operators

Airports near Ipswich

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

STN
London Stansted Airport (STN)
International Airport
Distance
64km (40 miles) from Ipswich
NWI
Norwich International Airport (NWI)
International Airport
Distance
69km (43 miles) from Ipswich
CBG
Cambridge Airport (CBG)
Domestic Airport
Distance
69km (43 miles) from Ipswich