London to Swindon bus with National Express

London to Swindon Coach

From Monday to Sunday there are 15 London to Swindon coach trips travelling the 71-mile (115 km) distance each day between the two locations. Departures are available from the mid-morning hours until late evening, with a few night journeys as well, but there are also several interruptions of service during the day. You should anticipate the quickest bus London - Swindon trips to take approx. 1h 55min to complete the journey while the longest trips require travel times around 2h 35min. A single provider operates service on this route and all coach trips travel express without stops or connections along the way.

London to Swindon Bus Times: Daily Departures

The bus schedule from London to Swindon timetables 15 daily trips or 105 total journeys per week. The earliest departure from the capital occurs at 9 a.m. and the last leaves around 12 a.m. You can get at least two buses per hour during the 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. hours; with the last three buses travelling overnight. Be advised that service interruptions occur regularly throughout the day, for example between 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m.-6 p.m. and 8 p.m.-10 p.m. To view the full bus to Swindon from London schedule, go to our website and select your desired travel date then press "See all buses" at the end of the section.

How long is the journey by bus from London to Swindon?

Passengers on London to Swindon coach trips should expect average journey times of about 2h 17min. There are departures that travel the route in as little as 1h 55min, but a couple of others can take as long as 2h 35min. As per the London to Swindon bus schedule, all journeys depart from one location in London, but can arrive at one of two locations in Swindon. Additionally, these are direct trips with no stops or transfers required from end to end.

London: iconic vintage red bus. Source: Shutterstock

Where does the bus depart in London and arrive in Swindon?

London Victoria Coach Station is the departure point for all London to Swindon coach and is located about 20min via car, approx. 20min by public transport and around 30min if you walk from Central London. You can find an array of essential facilities at the city’s central bus terminal including a ticketing office with accessible features and ticket vending machines, public toilets with baby-changing facilities, cash-point machines and Information Points. Waiting rooms, left luggage facilities and refreshments areas are also available. Coaches will arrive at one of two destinations: Swindon Bus Station or Swindon Queen’s Drive Bus Stop.

What are the bus stops when arriving to Swindon?

National Express is the only provider of London to Swindon coach and all service travels direct, so you should look forward to an uninterrupted journey from the city to Wiltshire.

What to see between London and Swindon?

The London to Swindon coach departs London Victoria Coach Station via Belgravia and Knightsbridge where it picks-up the A4 West. This stretch includes Victoria and Albert Museum and National History Museum in South Kensington, Earl’s Court, West Kensington and Hammersmith. The route then follows M4 past Chiswick House and Gardens, Carville Hall Park South and Boston Manor Park in Brentford west to Cranford Park. Heathrow Airport, Harmondsworth Moor and The Queen Mother Reservoir are in view as the bus skirts Eton College south of Slough. The route then travels around Reading and the lakes at Pingewood before crossing through North Wessex Downs AONB. Heading north from Badbury Wick via Marlborough Road, past Liden Lagoon (A1419) it courses through Coate northbound on the final approach to Swindon Bus Station.

Information on Swindon Bus Station and Swindon Queen’s Drive Bus Stop

Swindon Bus Station is the town’s central bus depot, with a location about 5min by car, approx. 5min via public transport and around 15min if you’re walking from the town centre. Passengers on London to Swindon coach should know this location has very limited facilities, but Swindon Railway Station is not far off and there you can locate cash-point machines, refreshments areas and public toilets among the essential facilities.

Swindon Queen’s Drive Bus Station is also situated close to the town centre and you can get there on foot in about 15min. Passengers travelling with heavy luggage should expect the trip by taxi to take about 5min and if you ride public transport, travel time varies between 5-10min depending on traffic. Unfortunately, there are no facilities at this bus stop so plan your journey accordingly if this is your destination.

Which providers are offering the journey from London to Swindon?

National Expressis one of the largest providers of intercity and regional coach services in the UK and is the only operator of bus London Swindon. The company schedules 15 daily trips, including three night buses, which equates to 105 journeys each week from London Victoria Coach Station. The first departure leaves at 9 a.m. and the last bus departs around 12:00 a.m. en route to two destinations in Swindon. Although you can get multiple trips during certain morning, afternoon and evening hours there are also frequent service interruptions throughout the day. National Express London to Swindon buses travel direct so you can enjoy an uninterrupted ride from start to finish.

Buses London to Swindon: Sustainable Travel

To advance the protocols outlined by the 2021 COP Climate Change Summit in Glasgow, National Express announced an aggressive strategy to convert its entire fleet of buses to zero carbon emissions by 2035. To accomplish this, the provider has made great strides in fostering partnerships with civic organisations, local communities and its stakeholders to reduce its overall carbon footprint while updating its fleet with engines powered by renewable energy sources. Long-distance bus and train travel is already recognised as the most sustainable means of mass travel and National Express is proud to do its part to maintain this advantage well into the future.

National Express Bus London to Swindon: Services on Board

National Express offers passengers on bus London-Swindon three fare classes: Fully Flexible, Standard and Restricted in descending order to preferability. Use your e-ticket to board the bus travel with at least one form of picture ID for security purposes. National Express coaches are outfitted with several facilities and amenities for your travel comfort. Seats feature head, arm and foot rests, with extra legroom which are complimented by power outlets, overhead lighting, temperature control settings. Toilets are fitted with accessible features and free Wi-Fi is available for entertainment. National Express only allows non-alcoholic beverages on its coaches and requests that you only consume cold food while on board. All coaches are outfitted with audio and video CCTV for your safety and security. Additional onboard policies include:

• Two cases each per customer weighing a maximum of 20 km (45 lbs) plus one piece of hand luggage. These items can be stored in the cargo hold, overhead bin or under the seat as desired.
• Most coaches are wheelchair-accessible and assistance animals are permitted for travel. Priority seating is available on board.
• National Express does not allow pets to travel on any of its coaches.
• Folding bikes are permitted for travel to Swindon, but these must be reserved in advance due to limited space onboard the coach.
• Requests for reserved seating should be made at the time of booking or at the station prior to departure, otherwise general admission applies.

When to book your tickets from London to Swindon?

For the cheapest bus tickets from London to Swindon, be sure to book your travel plans at least a month in advance. Be flexible with your travel plans to include off-peak travel such as early-morning or overnight journeys, which are usually less expensive than other times of the day. Check for discounts on London to Swindon bus prices for young children, persons with reduced mobility and seniors, which can help lower your overall travel expenses. Special rates may also apply for students, groups, and families, which can also save you money. If you are a frequent traveller on this route there may also be programs offering reduced rates on yearly bus tickets from London to Swindon.

To Swindon by Bus: Travel Tips

The town of Swindon blossomed as one of the great railway towns in England during the Victorian Age. Manufacturing and industry still play a key role in the town today as a number of major corporations including Intel, BMW/Mini and Dolby Labs count as major employers. Swindon is also home to the National Trust, English Heritage and the Historic English Archive.

Swindon Railway Station and Swindon Bus Station are situated near the town centre, so getting around is relatively easy. Near the massive Regent Circus roundabout can be found the Museum of Computing, M E C A events venue, Wyvern Theatre and Holy Rood Church. Queen’s Park has a large lake and The Lawns ranks as one of its largest public parks. West of the town centre is GWR Park and just north of the park you’ll find STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway, Railway Village Historic England Area and Historic England Archive.

Sport is a huge draw among local Swindonians and you can find several pro, semi-pro and amateur teams competing in football, rugby, athletics, climbing and ice-hockey. A number of important happenings feature on the town’s cultural events calendar. These include Swindon Festival of Literature, the Swindon Half-Marathon in September, Swindon and Wiltshire Pride, Swindon Mela and Summer Breeze Festival, which attract thousands each year.

Bath is a famous city not far from Swindon and an excellent location for a day trip, so preview the Bath Edition of ourWindow Seat magazine for a few tips on what to do in the city when you get there. In the meantime, here are a few other exciting attractions around Swindon:

• Coate Water Country Park
• Lydiard Park
• Swindon Museum and Art Gallery
• Swindon Arts Centre
• St. Mark’s Church, Swindon
• Great Quarry Nature Preserve
• Broome Manor Golf Complex

Swindon: aerial view of the Coate Water Country Park. Source: Shutterstock

What are some other cities you can go to from Swindon?

Why not add some extra time to your itinerary to consider day trips to a few other cities around Swindon? NearbyBath is famous for its Georgian architecture featured in such landmarks as the Royal Crescent and Theatre Royal, but it’s the ancient Roman Baths that put the city firmly on the map. In the opposite direct, Oxford is renowned for its prestigious university colleges while the Ashmolean Museum, the Bodleian Library, Christ Church Cathedral and Oxford Botanic Gardens are other key attractions. At Gloucester you can visit Gloucester Cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century and wander around Kings Square in the city centre before enjoying some shopping at Kings Walk Shopping Centre or dinner near Gloucester Docks. Perhaps you prefer to travel west toCardiff to discover the secrets of Cardiff Castle, admire the terracotta Pierhead Building or enjoy some entertainment at Wales Millennium Centre.

Getting the Bus from London

Buses from Lonodn to Swindon depart from London's main coach terminus, Victoria coach station. Located in southwest London very close to Victoria Train and Underground Station, its easy to reach the coach station via tube, rail or bus from anywhere in London. Underground services run until 1:00 a.m. and after this time London boasts an extensive night bus network, many routes of which terminate at London Victoria.

Getting into Swindon by Bus

Swindon is the largest town in Wiltshire and is a regional hub for arts, shopping and entertainment. Old meets new in Swindon which was once a small market town but grew bigger with the arrival of the Great Western Railway in the 19th century. Visitors can learn more about the town's rise to fame at the Swindon Museum or the STEAM railway museum before hitting the town's numerous shops and bars. Coaches from London Victoria arrive at Swindon Bus Station which is found just north of the town centre and just south of the railway station. It's easy to carry on your journey by bus from here or by train from the nearby railway station. Those arriving after 11:00 p.m. will need to get a taxi from the bus or rail station to continue their journey.