Standard
- Free Wi-Fi
- Power plugs
Cheapest price on 04 Sept
£4
Average ticket price on 04 Sept
£6
Fastest journey on 04 Sept
50 m
Average journey duration on 04 Sept
56 m
Buses on 04 Sept
35
Distance
39 km
The best way to find a cheap coach ticket from Derby to Leicester is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid travelling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Derby to Leicester will cost around £6 if you buy it on the day, but you can find cheap coach tickets today for only £4.
On Fri 04 Sept, we found 35 buses from Derby to Leicester, including 35 direct services.
These direct buses cover the 39 km distance in an average of 56 m but if you time it right, some buses will get you there in just 50 m .
The slowest buses will take 1 h and usually involve a change or two along the way, but you might be able to save a few pennies if you’re on a budget.
FlixBus
FlixBus
FlixBus
FlixBus
FlixBus
NX440
FlixBus
NX440
FlixBus
FlixBusOmio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Derby to Leicester among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price, take the coach, with an average ticket price of £6 For those with little time, consider booking a train, which has an average total journey time of 56m. If you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint, the train is your best option, with estimated CO2 emissions of 0.0 - 0.0kg. Average ticket prices depend on the travel mode: a coach costs an average of £6, while a train costs an average of £9.
Distance: 39 km
| Coach | Most popular Train | Driving |
|---|---|---|
£6 Average Price Cheapest | £9 Average Price | £8 Average Price (fuel + tolls) |
1h 32m Average total duration 1h 2m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 56m Average total duration Fastest 26m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 48m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
0.0 - 0.1kg CO2 emissions | 0.0 - 0.0kg CO2 emissions Lowest | - CO2 emissions |
![]() Most popular bus company | ![]() Most popular train company | Your own car or car rental |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.
This is compared to other travel options from Derby to Leicester:
A coach is £3 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Derby to Leicester costing on average £9.
Other travel options to Leicester take longer:
Coach takes on average 1h 2m.
Tickets start at around £6 compared to roughly £8 in fuel and tolls — a saving of about £2. The journey takes 1h 2m versus 48m by car, so you'll arrive a bit later, but you can use the time productively rather than spending it behind the wheel. No parking to sort, no fuel stops, and most coaches have Wi-Fi and power outlets.
Direct services are operated by National Express, FlixBus, Megabus, Kinchbus.
Driving is worth considering if you're on a tight schedule, travelling as a group (where fuel costs split several ways), or want the flexibility to stop along the way.
The table below shows live departures for Derby to Leicester coaches for today, Thursday 3 September. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated coach journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Changes | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NX196 | 19:40 Derby, Bus Station | 1h35 | 21:15 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX196 | 20:55 Derby, Bus Station | 1h35 | 22:30 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX230 | 22:10 Derby, Bus Station | 1h25 | 23:35 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 23:10 Derby, Bus Station | 1h40 | 0:50 Leicester, Fosse Park Avenue (Asda) | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 23:10 Derby, Bus Station | 1h20 | 0:30 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX230 | 0:10 Derby, Bus Station | 1h25 | 1:35 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX230 | 0:55 Derby, Bus Station | 1h25 | 2:20 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 0:55 Derby, Bus Station | 1h25 | 2:20 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 0:55 Derby, Bus Station | 1h45 | 2:40 Leicester, Fosse Park Avenue (Asda) | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 1:50 Derby, Bus Station | 1h45 | 3:35 Leicester, Fosse Park Avenue (Asda) | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 1:50 Derby, Bus Station | 1h25 | 3:15 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX230 | 2:25 Derby, Bus Station | 1h25 | 3:50 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 2:40 Derby, Bus Station | 1h50 | 4:30 Leicester, Fosse Park Avenue (Asda) | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 2:40 Derby, Bus Station | 1h30 | 4:10 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 3:10 Derby, Bus Station | 0h50 | 4:00 Leicester, Fosse Park Avenue (Asda) | 0 changesdirect | |
NX230 | 4:10 Derby, Bus Station | 1h35 | 5:45 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 4:40 Derby, Bus Station | 1h40 | 6:20 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 4:40 Derby, Bus Station | 2h00 | 6:40 Leicester, Fosse Park Avenue (Asda) | 0 changesdirect | |
NX440 | 5:05 Derby, Bus Station | 1h00 | 6:05 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX230 | 5:40 Derby, Bus Station | 1h35 | 7:15 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 6:10 Derby, Bus Station | 1h00 | 7:10 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 6:10 Derby, Bus Station | 1h20 | 7:30 Leicester, Fosse Park Avenue (Asda) | 0 changesdirect | |
NX440 | 6:15 Derby, Bus Station | 0h50 | 7:05 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX440 | 6:55 Derby, Bus Station | 1h10 | 8:05 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX230 | 7:35 Derby, Bus Station | 1h35 | 9:10 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 9:00 Derby, Bus Station | 1h20 | 10:20 Leicester, Fosse Park Avenue (Asda) | 0 changesdirect | |
FlixBus | 9:00 Derby, Bus Station | 1h00 | 10:00 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX440 | 9:15 Derby, Bus Station | 1h05 | 10:20 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX230 | 9:40 Derby, Bus Station | 1h30 | 11:10 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX440 | 11:10 Derby, Bus Station | 1h10 | 12:20 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX230 | 12:05 Derby, Bus Station | 1h35 | 13:40 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX440 | 13:10 Derby, Bus Station | 1h10 | 14:20 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX440 | 15:20 Derby, Bus Station | 1h15 | 16:35 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX440 | 17:40 Derby, Bus Station | 1h10 | 18:50 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
NX196 | 18:05 Derby, Bus Station | 1h35 | 19:40 Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station | 0 changesdirect | |
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Compare train and coach prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.
Buses from Derby to Leicester run on average 20 times per day, taking around 1h 2m. Cheap bus tickets for this journey start at £4 if you book in advance.
There are 20 coaches per day. The earliest coach runs at 00:03, the last at 23:57. The fastest coach covers the 39 km distance in 1h 0m.
Distance 39 km |
Average bus duration 1h 2m |
Cheapest ticket price £4 |
Buses per day 20 |
Direct buses 20 |
Fastest bus 1h 0m |
First bus 0:03 |
Last bus 23:57 |
Cheapest Month Mar |
Cheapest Day Thu |
High Season Jul - Sept |
Low Season Apr - Jun |
Busiest Day Fri |
Least Busy Day Wed |
Best time to book 1 day |
Compare National Express classes and the amenities included in each one.
Compare Megabus classes and the amenities included in each one.
Discover the best of Leicester — top attractions, local food, transport tips, budget advice, and currency essentials. Plan your perfect Leicester trip today.
Modern museum telling the story of Richard III through archaeology, history and the king’s Leicester burial site.
Leicester’s main art and history museum, with dinosaur galleries, fine art and displays on the city’s people and past.
Museum beside Roman remains, exploring local archaeology from Roman Leicester to later city history in a compact setting.
Lively regenerated waterside with bars, boats, public art and an easy walk linking the city centre to the canal heritage area.
Large central park with formal gardens, broad lawns and space to relax near the university and city centre.
Attractive green space around abbey ruins and the River Soar, good for walks, wildlife and traces of medieval Leicester.
Red Leicester is a crumbly orange cow’s milk cheese from Leicestershire, long linked to the county and traditionally coloured with annatto for its rich hue.
Melton Mowbray pork pie is a hand-raised pie from Leicestershire with seasoned chopped pork and a distinctive free-form crust, traditionally eaten cold.
Stilton is a famous English blue cheese historically traded through Leicestershire, prized for its creamy texture and strong savoury flavour on local cheeseboards.
Popular Indian restaurant on the Golden Mile known for rich curries, tandoori dishes and a lively, family-friendly atmosphere.
Stylish modern British restaurant and bar in St Martins Square, known for seasonal plates, cocktails and a polished but relaxed dining room.
Long-running vegetarian Gujarati restaurant serving thalis, snacks and sweets in a simple, busy setting loved by local families.
Moderate for a UK city. Hotels and dining are usually cheaper than London, while local buses and casual meals remain fairly affordable for visitors.
Service may be included in restaurants; if not, 10-12.5% is common for good service. Round up taxi fares. Tipping in cafés is optional, often just small change.
Leicester is located 39 kilometres southeast of Derby and can be reached in as little as 45 minutes on comfortable buses operated by National Express. They offer 18 departures daily with the first leaving very early in the morning and the last late at night. All are direct services with the coach making a call at Loughborough University and city, or Nottingham University and coach station depending on the service.
Buses from Derby to Leicester leave from Derby Bus Station located on Morledge. The information and sales office is open from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. from Mondays to Saturdays and from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. on Sundays. Passengers can reach the bus station on buses operated by Arriva West Midlands, Trent Barton, Your Bus and Notts and Derby. Visitors arriving by car can use the nearby Riverside car park. Those arriving in Derby by train can take the Station to Station shuttle bus to the bus station. It runs every 15 minutes from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
Buses from Derby to Leicester leave from Derby Bus Station located on Morledge. The information and sales office is open from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. from Mondays to Saturdays and from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. on Sundays. Passengers can reach the bus station on buses operated by Arriva West Midlands, Trent Barton, Your Bus and Notts and Derby. Visitors arriving by car can use the nearby Riverside car park. Those arriving in Derby by train can take the Station to Station shuttle bus to the bus station. It runs every 15 minutes from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
Leicester is a city in the East Midlands with an eventful history stretching all the way from its origins as a Roman military outpost to the recent discovery of the remains of King Richard III. Today's Leicester boasts a rich multicultural fabric with an abundance of dining and cultural options. It's home to many parks and green spaces and and impressive cathedral and castle. Buses from Derby to Leicester terminate at St Margaret's Bus Station on Gravel Street just north of the city centre. The concourse is open around the clock and the ticket office operates from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Bus services run by Arriva, First, Centrebus, and Stagecoach connect with destinations in various parts of the city and around the county.
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Derby to Leicester by coach. From journey times and ticket prices to direct connections, first and last departures, and even whether the route is scenic, our FAQs cover everything you need to plan your trip. Whether you’re looking for the fastest coach, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Leicester, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

Most Derby to Leicester buses use the Derby, Bus Station to Leicester, St.Margaret's Bus Station station pair, with some services arriving at Leicester, Fosse Park Avenue (Asda). Use this guide to compare Derby and Leicester bus stations on this route, check city-centre transport, alongside checking practicalities like bus station facilities and services.
Here are some other resources that might have the information you need