How to travel from Preston to Swanage, United Kingdom

The distance between Preston and Swanage is around 422km (262 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train and then fly which takes around 4h 15m.

4 routes found

We've found 4 different ways to get from Preston to Swanage by bus, car, train and plane. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out SwanagePreston if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
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train
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plane
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Train and Plane

Take the train to Manchester Airport then fly from Manchester (MAN) to Southampton (SOU) then take the train to Wareham.

  • Duration4h 15m
  • Flight time1hr
  • Typical cost
    £230($275)
Operated by

Multiple operators

1 similiar route

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

💰 Cheapest
2
bus
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bus
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Bus

Take the bus to London Victoria Coach Station and then to Bournemouth Station off Holdenhurst Rd.

  • Duration9h 55m
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    £34($40)
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car
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Drive

Drive to Swanage.

  • Duration4h 50m
  • Distance422km (262 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Preston and Swanage

There are several options for getting from Preston to Swanage by bus, car, train and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £34 ($40) and will take around 9h 55m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and then fly and arrive in approximately 4h 15m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £230 ($275).

The distance between Preston and Swanage is around 422km (262 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 354km (220 miles)

It takes around 9h 55m to get from Preston and Swanage by bus. If you are travelling by car it will take around 4h 50m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Preston to Swanage is to take the train and then fly which takes around 4h 15m and will set you back approx £230 ($275).

The cheapest way to travel between Preston and Swanage, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £34 ($40) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

There is no train service that runs between Preston and Swanage. We recommend that you take the train to Manchester Airport then fly from Manchester (MAN) to Southampton (SOU) then take the train to Wareham. instead which will take 4h 15m.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Preston and Swanage. It typically takes around 9h 55m and departs once daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Preston to Swanage. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in London Victoria Coach Station and Bournemouth Station off Holdenhurst Rd. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 9h 55m.

Megabus UK, FlixBus and National Express run regular bus services between Preston and Swanage. Buses run once daily and take around 9h 55m 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 Swanage. We recommend that you take the train to Manchester Airport then fly from Manchester (MAN) to Southampton (SOU) then take the train to Wareham. instead which will take 4h 15m.

The closest major airport to Swanage is Bournemouth Airport (BOH) (BOH) which is approximately 21km (13 miles) from Swanage. Southampton Airport (SOU) (SOU) and Bristol Airport (BRS) (BRS) 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 Swanage. The distance is around 422km (262 miles) by road and it will take around 4h 50m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Preston to Swanage is to take the bus which takes, on average, 9h 55m and will usually cost around £34 ($40).

How do I get from Preston to Swanage

Compare travel optionsbetween Preston and Swanage

Transport options from Preston to Swanage
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train and Plane + 1 similar
4h 15m
£230($275)
hourly434km (270 miles)
Train to Manchester Airport, plane5h 40m
£265($310)
hourly512km (318 miles)
Bus
9h 55m
£34($40)
once daily585km (363 miles)
Drive
4h 50m
£74($87)
on demand422km (262 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Preston and Swanage

Train operators

Airlines

Airports near Swanage

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

BOH
Bournemouth Airport (BOH)
International Airport
Distance
21km (13 miles) from Swanage
SOU
Southampton Airport (SOU)
Domestic Airport
Distance
57km (35 miles) from Swanage
BRS
Bristol Airport (BRS)
International Airport
Distance
101km (63 miles) from Swanage