How to travel from Thurso to Swanage, United Kingdom

The distance between Thurso and Swanage is around 1,125km (699 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train and then fly which takes around 9h 25m.

9 routes found

We've found 9 different ways to get from Thurso 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 SwanageThurso if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
train
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plane
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train
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Train to Inverness, plane

Take the train to Inverness then fly from Inverness (INV) to London Gatwick (LGW) then take the train to Wareham.

  • Duration9h 25m
  • Flight time1h 40m
  • Typical cost
    £220($260)
Operated by

Multiple operators

6 similiar routes

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

💰 Cheapest
2
5 x bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Leirinmore Smoo Cave, Inverness Farraline Park, Buchanan Bus Station then Heathrow Airport London T23 and then to Bournemouth Station off Holdenhurst Rd.

  • Duration20h 30m
  • Departsonce a week
  • Typical cost
    £60($71)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

3
car
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Drive

Drive to Swanage.

  • Duration12h 45m
  • Distance1,125km (699 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Thurso and Swanage

There are several options for getting from Thurso to Swanage by bus, car, train and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £60 ($71) and will take around 20h 30m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and then fly and arrive in approximately 9h 25m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £220 ($260).

The distance between Thurso and Swanage is around 1,125km (699 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 894km (555 miles)

It takes around 20h 30m to get from Thurso and Swanage by bus. If you are travelling by car it will take around 12h 45m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Thurso to Swanage is to take the train and then fly which takes around 9h 25m and will set you back approx £220 ($260).

The cheapest way to travel between Thurso and Swanage, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £60 ($71) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

There is no train service that runs between Thurso and Swanage. We recommend that you take the train to Inverness then fly from Inverness (INV) to London Gatwick (LGW) then take the train to Wareham. instead which will take 9h 25m.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Thurso and Swanage. It typically takes around 20h 30m and departs once a week.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Thurso to Swanage. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Leirinmore Smoo Cave, Inverness Farraline Park, Buchanan Bus Station, Heathrow Airport London T23 and Bournemouth Station off Holdenhurst Rd. These services run once a week and will take a minimum of 20h 30m.

The Durness Bus, Scottish Citylink, Megabus UK and National Express run regular bus services between Thurso and Swanage. Buses run once a week and take around 20h 30m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Thurso to Swanage. We recommend that you take the train to Inverness then fly from Inverness (INV) to London Heathrow (LHR) then take the train to Wareham. instead which will take 9h 35m.

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 Thurso and Swanage. The distance is around 1,125km (699 miles) by road and it will take around 12h 45m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Thurso to Swanage is to take the bus which takes, on average, 20h 30m and will usually cost around £60 ($71).

How do I get from Thurso to Swanage

Compare travel optionsbetween Thurso and Swanage

Transport options from Thurso to Swanage
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train to Inverness, plane + 6 similar
9h 25m
£220($260)
every 20 mins1,255km (780 miles)
Train to Inverness, plane9h 30m
£255($305)
every 20 mins1,169km (726 miles)
Train and Plane9h 35m
£280($335)
every 20 mins1,213km (753 miles)
Train to Inverness, plane9h 40m
£230($275)
every 20 mins1,195km (743 miles)
Train to Inverness, plane10h 55m
£295($350)
every 20 mins1,199km (745 miles)
Train to Inverness, plane11h 20m
£345($405)
every 20 mins1,292km (803 miles)
Train to Inverness, plane11h 25m
£370($440)
every 20 mins1,273km (791 miles)
Bus
20h 30m
£60($71)
once a week1,425km (885 miles)
Drive
12h 45m
£195($230)
on demand1,125km (699 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Thurso and Swanage

Train operators

Bus companies

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