- Must visit
Rugby Football Museum
Museum on the birthplace of rugby football, with displays on the game’s origins, school history, and memorable sporting artefacts.
Cheapest price on 18 Sept
£138
Average ticket price on 18 Sept
£138
Fastest journey on 18 Sept
3 h 28 m
Average journey duration on 18 Sept
3 h 28 m
Trains on 18 Sept
1
Distance
241 km
The best way to find a cheap train ticket from Exeter to Rugby is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid travelling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Exeter to Rugby will cost around £138 if you buy it on the day, but you can find cheap train tickets today for only £138.
On Fri 18 Sept, we found 1 trains from Exeter to Rugby, including 1 direct services.
These direct trains cover the 241 km distance in an average of 3 h 28 m but if you time it right, some trains will get you there in just 3 h 28 m .
The slowest trains will take 3 h 28 m 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.


Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Exeter to Rugby among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price, take the train, with an average ticket price of £242 For those with little time, consider booking a train, which has an average total journey time of 3h 30m. Average ticket prices depend on the travel mode: a train costs an average of £242, while a train costs an average of £242.
Distance: 241 km
Most popular Train | Driving |
|---|---|
£242 Average Price Cheapest | £46 Average Price (fuel + tolls) |
3h 30m Average total duration Fastest 3h 0m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 3h 19m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
![]() Most popular train company | Your own car or car rental |
Direct Options | Direct Options |
You'll arrive about 19m sooner (3h 0m by train vs 3h 19m by car). Tickets start at around £242 compared to roughly £46 in fuel and tolls — so you're paying a bit more, but getting hours of your day back, a city-centre arrival, and the freedom to work or relax instead of drive.
Driving makes more sense if you're travelling as a group (where fuel costs split several ways), want to stop along the way, or need a car once you arrive.
The table below shows live departures for Exeter to Rugby trains for today, Thursday 17 September. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated train journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Changes | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 10:27 Exeter | 3h28 | 13:55 Rugby | 0 changesdirect | |
This is the last train of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Compare train 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.
Trains from Exeter to Rugby run on average 14 times per day, taking around 3h 0m. Cheap train tickets for this journey start at £242 if you book in advance.
The earliest train runs at 05:33, the last at 21:15. The fastest train covers the 241 km distance in 3h 14m.
Distance 241 km |
Average train duration 3h 0m |
Cheapest ticket price £242 |
Trains per day 14 |
Fastest train 3h 14m |
First train 5:33 |
Last train 21:15 |
Cheapest Month Aug |
Cheapest Day Mon |
High Season Jul - Sept |
Low Season Apr - Jun |
Discover the best of Rugby — top attractions, local food, transport tips, budget advice, and currency essentials. Plan your perfect Rugby trip today.
Museum on the birthplace of rugby football, with displays on the game’s origins, school history, and memorable sporting artefacts.
Local history museum with Roman finds, social history displays, and changing exhibitions that introduce Rugby and the wider borough.
Art gallery programme within Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, showing contemporary exhibitions alongside community-focused visual arts events.
Large urban park with formal gardens, play areas, sports facilities, and broad lawns, ideal for a relaxed walk near the centre.
Scenic canal-side walking area by Newbold, popular for waterside strolls, narrowboats, and easy access to the Oxford Canal route.
Pleasant riverside and meadow paths east of town, good for walking, wildlife spotting, and seeing a calmer side of Rugby.
A Warwickshire and West Midlands speciality of pork sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding batter, often served with onion gravy.
A traditional English stew of beef, root vegetables and ale or stock, common in pubs across Warwickshire in colder months.
A classic Midlands sweet-and-savoury pie with minced meat, apples and warming spices, linked to nearby Warwickshire traditions.
Well-known Turkish and Mediterranean restaurant serving grilled meats, mezze and generous sharing plates in a lively space.
Smart Indian restaurant known locally for refined curries, tandoori dishes and attentive table service.
Popular Rugby pub and restaurant serving British classics, steaks and Sunday roasts in a relaxed traditional setting.
Moderate for the UK. Accommodation and dining are usually cheaper than London, while rail fares can be relatively high and local bus costs are manageable.
Tipping is modest. In restaurants, 10-12.5% is usual if service is not included. Round up taxi fares. Tipping in cafés is optional, such as leaving small change.
Official public transport app
Rugby railway station -> Rugby Town Centre
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Exeter to Rugby by train. 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 train, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Rugby, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

Most Exeter to Rugby trains use the Exeter St Davids to Rugby station pair. Use this guide to compare Exeter and Rugby train stations on this route, check city-centre transport, alongside checking practicalities like train station facilities and services.
Exeter St Davids is 1 km from Exeter city centre. Public transport options include:
Exeter St Davids has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Shopping, Parking, Dining, ATM, Accessibility, WC, Hotel, Lost and Found Office, Ticket Office, Bike Parking and Bike Rental.
Food and drink options are available at Exeter St Davids.
Wi-Fi is available at Exeter St Davids. ATMs are available at Exeter St Davids.
Ticket office support is available at Exeter St Davids.
Lost and found is available at the station.
Available at Exeter St Davids: Parking, WC.
Available at Exeter St Davids: Bike Parking, Bike Rental.
Accessibility facilities are available at Exeter St Davids: Staff help available: Yes, Step free access coverage: Yes, Step free access note: Step free Category A station - All platforms can be accessed via Lifts from the sole main station entrance. Safety warning - Please be aware that this station has no tactile paving on the platform edge. Please take extra care when using this station, Accessible car park equipment: Wheelchair users may require assistance using car park equipment at this station, Accessible public telephones: Public telephones are not accessible, Accessible taxis: Accessible taxis are available, Accessible ticket machines: There are accessible ticket machines at this station, Accessible ticket machines note: Accessible ticket machines are located at the station entrance by the ticket office, Accessible toilets: Yes, Ramp for train access: Yes, Wheelchairs available: Yes, Impaired mobility set down / pick up points available: Yes.
Exeter St Thomas is 1 km from Exeter city centre. Public transport options include:
Exeter St Thomas has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Parking, Dining, Accessibility, Hotel, Lost and Found Office, Bike Parking and Bike Rental.
Food and drink options are available at Exeter St Thomas.
Wi-Fi is available at Exeter St Thomas.
Lost and found is available at the station.
Available at Exeter St Thomas: Parking.
Available at Exeter St Thomas: Bike Parking, Bike Rental.
Accessibility facilities are available at Exeter St Thomas: Staff help available: No, Step free access coverage: No, Step free access note: Step free Category C Station - This station does not have step free access to any platform. Safety warning - Please be aware that this station has no tactile paving on the platform edge. Please take extra care when using this station, Accessible taxis: Accessible taxis are not available, Accessible ticket machines: There are accessible ticket machines at this station, Ramp for train access: Yes, Wheelchairs available: No, Impaired mobility set down / pick up points available: No.
Rugby is 1 km from Rugby city centre. Public transport options include:
Rugby has practical services for this route, including Shopping, Parking, Dining, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, Hotel, Lost and Found Office, Ticket Office, Bike Parking and Information Desk.
Food and drink options are available at Rugby.
Ticket office support is available at Rugby. Information desks are information available from staff: Yes - from help point,Yes - from information point,Yes - from ticket office.
Lost and found is available at the station.
Available at Rugby: Parking, Taxis, WC.
Available at Rugby: Bike Parking.
Accessibility facilities are available at Rugby: Staff help available: Yes, Step free access coverage: Yes, Step free access note: This station has step-free access to all platforms / the platform Steep ramp from entrance to platforms, staff are available to help, Accessible car park equipment: Wheelchair users can use car park equipment at this station unaided, Accessible ticket machines: There are no accessible ticket machines at this station, Accessible toilets: Yes, Ramp for train access: Yes, Wheelchairs available: Yes, Impaired mobility set down / pick up points available: Yes.
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