The historic city of Bath is a must-visit city in England. It’s a a classic British city with pretty buildings, nature, shopping and the iconic Roman Baths that it is named after.
A day trip to Bath from London is one of the best day trips from London by train that you can do because it does not take long to get from London to Bath by train. There are also plenty of day tours from London to Bath so you can see Bath with a knowledgable guide, have time to explore Bath yourself and most tours include a stop elsewhere like Stonehenge and Windsor Castle. I took a Stonehenge and Bath tour from London a few years ago and loved it!
Day Trip to Bath from London
Whether you live in London and need a break from the big smoke, or you are visiting London and want to see more of England, a day trip to Bath from London is a great idea!
Here’s how to do a day trip to Bath from London including how to get to Bath from London by train, day tours to Bath from London, and 10 of the best things to do in Bath in 1 day because you can see a lot of this pretty city in one day thanks to how walkable the centre is!
How To Get to Bath from London By Train.
London Padding Station to Bath Spa Station is the train from London to Bath that you will need to take, the journey takes between 1 hour 15 minutes – 1 hour 25 minutes depending on which train you get for your day trip to Bath from London.
I recommend purchasing your train tickets from London to Bath in advance on The Train Line. I always use The Train Line because it is easy to compare prices and times. I also recommend buying your tickets in advance because in the UK, the closer you get to your departure date, the higher the prices go, if you can, book your tickets a few weeks in advance.
Check times and prices and book your train on The Train Line by clicking here!
Day Trips to Bath from London.
If you want a really easy day and if you want to see Bath with a knowledgable guide and a group of people, going on a day tour to Bath from London is a great idea! Most of these tours include visiting additional places on route like Stonehenge and the Cotswolds which will really enhance your day and enable you to see even more of England.
I loved my day tour to Bath and Stonehenge because I had never been to Stonehenge or Bath before and you don’t need that much time at Stonehenge so there is plenty of time in 1 day to see both places and because you travel by bus this is possible.
- Here are the best day trips to Bath from London that you can book:
- London: Bath, Stonehenge & West Country Full-Day Tour
- London: Bath & Stonehenge Full-Day Tour
- London: Bath, Windsor Castle & Stonehenge Full-Day Tour
1. Roman Baths
Bath is named after it’s Roman Baths so a visit to the Roman Baths Museum is needed as one of the top things to do in Bath on a day trip, especially if you want to see the iconic Roman Bath that everyone gets a photo of in Bath!
Inside you’ll get to see a range of Roman bathing and leisure facilities and displays of Roman and Celtic objects and to make the museum interactive there are costumed Roman characters who chat to visitors!
Be sure to book a ticket and book a time slot in advance on the official Roman Baths website here!
2. Bath Abbey
On your day trip to Bath from London, you’ll no doubt pass by Bath Abbey, it is a beautiful building that can be admired from the outside and if you have time, you can have a look inside too.
3. The Royal Cresent
For places to see in Bath, The Royal Cresent is very famous and it is easy to visit it with 1 day in Bath.
The Royal Cresent is a row of 30 houses laid out in a crescent shape built between 1767 and 1775 and is a great example of Georgian architecture. These days the houses are made up of mostly luxury hotels but on your day trip to Bath from London, you can visit, take some photos and take in the architecture.
4. The Circus
Another one of the famous places to visit in Bath is The Circus which are the iconic curved shaped houses in Bath. This is again one of the good places to visit on a day trip to Bath because they are so famous to Bath and perfect for a photo opportunity.
When you walk to The Royal Crescent and The Circus from Bath centre be sure to keep a lookout for all of the other pretty streets that you’ll see on your way!
5. Thermae Bath Spa
If you’re happy to bring your swimming stuff on your day trip to Bath from London, then look into visiting Thermae Bath Spa where you can relax in a rooftop pool in steaming thermal water with an amazing view of the city below!
It’s possible to book a 2-hour spa session which includes access to 2 baths plus the use of a towel, robe and slippers do you do not need to bring too many extra things with you on your Bath day trip from London.
Check packages and book tickets on Thermae Bath Spa here.
6. River Boat Cruise
Bath holds so much history and meeting with a local guide who can tell you about the history, city and give you some tips is a great idea.
One of the best ways to see Bath is from it’s river. You can book a River Boat Trip in Bath which will give you an overview of Bath’s rich history and learn how to orientate yourself within the city.
A Bath attraction like this is a good thing to do in the morning of your Bath day trip because afterwards you will know where to go and where you want to see in Bath.
Here are some Bath Boat Trips that you can book online in advance to save you time when you get there and ensure you get a place:
- 80 Minute City Boat Trip and Walking Tour
- 50 Minute Canapes and Prosecco Boat Trip in traditional 1960’s River Cruiser
7. Walk along the River
Another enjoyable way of exploring the river is by walking along it because there is a footpath that runs quite far along the river.
On your day trip to Bath from London I suggest walking from Bath Spa Train Station to Pulteney Bridge along the river which is the iconic bridge in Bath and a great place to start your things to do in Bath, or as you are ending your day you can walk from Pulteney Bridge to Bath Spa Station to catch your train as you can access the river easily from the train station.
8. Shopping in Bath
Bath is a great place for shopping, it has all of the high street stores on offer but also lots of independent shops. Even if you don’t want to buy anything, looking in these boutique independent stores is a great way to pass some time on your Bath day trip from London because many of them are very pretty and very British.
You’ll notice quite a few Fudge shops in Bath so be sure to go in and treat yourself to hand made and locally made Fudge!
9. The Jane Austen Centre
The famous author Jane Austen lived in Bath from 1801 to 1806 when it was a fashionable spa resort. If you are a fan of her work you can visit the Jane Austen Centre and retrace her steps on your day trip to Bath to find the elegaent city that inspired two of her famous novels.
In the Jane Austen Centre, you can get a feel for what life would have been like in Bath when Jane resided there through exhibitions, photos and costume dress-ups.
Purchase a ticket in advance to The Jane Austen Centre here!
10. Afternoon Tea in Bath
As you can probably tell from this post, Bath is a very quaint British city so why not add in the classic and quintessentially English tradition of going for Afternoon Tea in Bath on your day trip to Bath.
How to Get Around Bath.
Bath City Centre is very walkable which is why it is the perfect day trip from London.
If you are visiting Bath by train from London, Bath Spa Station is located in the city next to the river and you can use the river to walk to and from the centre.
You can also walk to all of the Bath attractions and Bath things to do I have mentioned above in one day in Bath.
If you don’t want to spend all day walking, or perhaps the weather isn’t looking great and you want undercover transport, you can book onto the Bath Hop-On Hop-Off Bus which will take you to all of the main Bath tourist attractions in a quick, easy, dry and warm way!
Book a ticket for the Bath Hop-On Hop-Off Bus here to save you time and to ensure you get a space.
Enjoy your day in Bath!