You don't need to hire a car for most of the best day trips from Bath. Bristol, Bradford-on-Avon and Bath's own Skyline are all reachable by train or bus in under 30 minutes, and even further-flung spots like Salisbury, Frome and Wells connect by direct rail or bus without much extra planning.
Easiest: on the train line
Bath Spa station sits on a busy line, which makes several day trips genuinely simple without a car.
- Bristol — around 15 minutes by train, with frequent services throughout the day. See our Bristol as a day trip guide.
- Bradford-on-Avon — around 15 minutes by train, a small, largely traffic-free town with weir walks and a Saxon church. Our Bradford-on-Avon guide has the full route.
- Salisbury — around an hour by train, home to Salisbury Cathedral and one of the surviving copies of the Magna Carta. Full detail in our Salisbury day trip guide.
- Frome — around 20-25 minutes by train, known for its independent shops and (on the right Sunday) a well-regarded market. See our Frome day trip guide.
Reachable by direct bus
- Wells — Somerset's smallest city, with its cathedral and the Bishop's Palace, reachable by direct bus from Bath without a change. See our Wells guide and Bath to Wells and Cheddar guide.
- Glastonbury — the Tor and the Abbey ruins, reachable by bus (no direct rail link into Glastonbury itself). Our Glastonbury day trip guide covers the route.
Worth a taxi or tour instead of public transport
Some popular day trips genuinely need a car, tour minibus, or taxi because public transport connections are indirect or non-existent:
- Castle Combe and Lacock — both film-location Cotswolds-edge villages with no train station and limited bus service; most visitors join a small-group tour or take a taxi.
- Stonehenge — no direct train; realistic options are a direct tour from Bath or train-plus-bus via Salisbury. See our full Stonehenge day trip guide.
- Longleat — the safari park and house are best reached by car or organised tour, since public transport connections from Bath are limited and slow.
Day trips from Bath without a car, at a glance
| Destination | How to get there | Approx. journey time |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol | Direct train | ~15 min |
| Bradford-on-Avon | Direct train | ~15 min |
| Frome | Direct train | ~20-25 min |
| Salisbury | Direct train | ~1 hour |
| Wells | Direct bus | ~1-1.5 hours |
| Glastonbury | Bus (no direct rail) | ~1-1.5 hours |
| Castle Combe / Lacock | Tour or taxi recommended | Varies |
| Stonehenge | Direct tour, or train + bus via Salisbury | ~1 hour (tour) |
Tips for car-free day trips from Bath
Buy train tickets in advance where you can — off-peak and advance fares on the routes above are consistently cheaper than paying on the day. Check return times before you set off, particularly for smaller towns like Frome or Bradford-on-Avon where evening services thin out. For places without a direct rail or bus link (Castle Combe, Lacock, Longleat), a small-group tour from Bath is usually more time-efficient than trying to piece together local buses.
FAQs
What's the easiest day trip from Bath without a car? Bristol and Bradford-on-Avon are both around 15 minutes away by direct, frequent train, making them the simplest car-free options.
Can I visit Stonehenge from Bath without a car? Yes, but not directly by train — either book a tour that departs from Bath, or take the train to Salisbury and a connecting bus service from there.
Is Castle Combe reachable by public transport from Bath? Not easily. There's no train station and bus service is limited, so most visitors join a small-group tour or take a taxi for this one.
How do I get to Wells from Bath without driving? A direct bus service runs from Bath to Wells without needing to change, making it one of the simpler non-rail day trips.
Is Glastonbury accessible by train from Bath? No, Glastonbury has no train station - the bus is the direct public transport option from Bath.
Should I book train tickets in advance for these day trips? Yes, where possible - advance and off-peak fares on routes like Bristol, Bradford-on-Avon and Salisbury are typically cheaper than paying on the day.