London to Bradford train with Grand Central Trains

Trains from London to Bradford

There are around 30 trains from London to Bradford each day during the week, with about 25 on Saturdays and roughly 17 on Sundays. They run from very early morning until late at night, or mid evening on weekends. They run on a pretty regular half-hourly schedule, with more trains concentrated at peak morning and evening times. They take roughly between 2h 40min and just over 3h, on average.

London to Bradford Train Time: Daily Departures

You’ll find a London to Bradford train pretty much every half an hour from dawn till mid evening, plus a few more during rush hours, giving you an average of just under 200 trains a week, weighted towards weekdays. During the week and on Saturdays, the first trains leave at around 06:00, with the first departure at about 09:40 on Sundays. The latest weekday trains depart at about 23:30, and at around 20:00 on weekends.

How long is the journey by train from London to Bradford?

Almost all the weekday trains to Bradford from London take roughly between 2h 40min and about 3h 5min. There are a couple of exceptions, one in the mid morning that takes about 4h, and the last train of the day that makes the trip in roughly 5h 50min. On weekends, the trips take between about 3h 30min and 4h 15min, respectively. A handful run directly to Bradford – most make one or two stops. This doesn’t affect travel time at all, no matter how many stops; some of the two-stop trips are in fact the quickest.

Towers of London at night. Source: Shutterstock

What are the departure and arrival stations for trains from London to Bradford?

Departure train station:Almost all London to Bradford trains depart from London King’s Cross Station; about 13min on the Underground Piccadilly Line from Central London. London buses also take around 13min on Lines 73 and 91. There are induction loops, tactile platform paving and step-free access throughout the concourse. Baby-care rooms and showers are provided, plus an array of places to eat and drink. One carrier travels from Euston Station, which has very similar facilities. You can get there on the Northern Underground Line in about 11min or in around 13min on the No. 168 bus. Another carrier leaves from St. Pancras Station, which has the same range of amenities. It will take about 6min to reach on the Piccadilly Line.

Arrival train station: All trips on the train London to Bradford route arrive at Bradford Interchange. You can reach the city centre in about 5min on a Line 618 First bus. It’s a Category A certified station for accessibility, which includes an Assisted Travel team to meet you at a limited-mobility set-down point. The entire station has step-free access and an induction loop. It also has a coffee shop and is directly connected to a small shopping centre.

Which train companies travel from London to Bradford?

Most of the trains from London to Bradford during the week are operated by London North Eastern Railway (LNER), with a few each day on Avanti West Coast and Grand Central. On weekends, East Midlands Railway (EMR) is the main carrier. LNER trains are the quickest, taking roughly 2h 40min to 3h to make the trip, each making one stop en route. The weekend EMR trains take between 3h 30min and 4h, making two stops on the way. The Avanti West Coast trains take about 4h from Euston Station and also make two stops. If you’re looking for a direct trip, book with Grand Central; but these take an average of 3h 05min, so they aren’t necessarily faster.

Night trains London

Every weekday, there’s a night train from London to Bradford that leaves at around 23:30 (the last trains on weekends leave at around 20:00). It’s operated by LNER, departing from London King’s Cross. The trip generally takes a little over 5h 45min, so you’ll arrive in Bradford a little after 05:15 the next day. The train makes a single change, usually at Leeds Railway Station.

LNER trains from London to Bradford

LNER operates most of the trains to Bradford from London, and they’re also the fastest. These trips all make one stop on the way for a change of train. Your average travel time will be between 2h 40min and 3h with this carrier. They leave from very early in the morning and also provide the latest trains at night. You can catch one every half an hour or so, or roughly every 15min during peak times.

East Midlands Railway trains from London to Bradford

East Midlands Railway runs pretty much all the weekend trips on the London to Bradford train route. They’re almost as frequent as those during the week, and you can book one from around 06:00 on Saturdays and around 09:40 on Sundays. The last EMR trains leave at around 20:00. These journeys take an average of 3h 50min, leaving from London St. Pancras Station and changing twice on route, in Sheffield and at Leeds Railway Station.

Avanti West Coast trains from London to Bradford

Avanti West Coast usually offers one or two trains from London to Bradford each day, on weekdays and weekends. All of them make two changes on the way and will take around 4h to get you there, departing from London Euston Station. The first change is at Manchester Piccadilly Station, followed by another at Manchester Victoria Station, before continuing to Bradford Interchange. These trains usually leave in the mid-morning, after the early rush hour.

Grand Central trains from London to Bradford

A few times a day during the week you’ll find a train to Bradford from London operated by Grand Central. They run twice in the mid afternoon and once in the mid evening. All of them make direct trips without any changes on the way. Your travel time will be about the same as with LNER, around 3h 05min. These trains depart from London King’s Cross Station and travel directly to Bradford Interchange, making them the only direct trips available.

Trains from London to Bradford: Sustainability travel

Taking a train to Bradford from London is not only a less stressful way of travelling than driving there yourself, it also creates substantial savings in energy use and carbon emissions. For one, it’s obviously less harmful to the environment for a hundred or so people to all travel together, rather than separately. All of these train operators also conform to the UK’s 10 RSSB Rail Sustainable Development Principles, using increasing proportions of recycled materials when building their trains and installing more energy-efficient engines.

Train London to Bradford: Services on Board

With so many carriers offering London to Bradford train trips, you’re able to choose the one that best suits you. They all have trained personnel on board to assist passengers with limited mobility, according to their Assisted Travel programmes, which are more or less universal with UK train operators. You can also book First class tickets on all of them. LNER offers priority seating to such passengers. You can book a bicycle space and bring up to two pets on board with you, on a lead or in an appropriate container. You can store medium-sized luggage overhead, and smaller items under your seat. East Midlands Railway only allows foldable bicycles, as well as a single pet in a container, free of charge. Similar luggage storage is provided and there are dedicated spaces for wheelchairs. Grand Central has space for three bicycles total, with luggage racks at the end of the carriages, plus overhead and under-seat storage room. You can bring up to three luggage items. All trains are wheelchair accessible with dedicated seating.

How to find cheap train tickets from London to Bradford

You can book a good few months in advance, using our live timetables to find discounted early-bird tickets. Conversely, you can keep your options completely open, down to the hour, which will allow you to snap up last-minute discounts due to cancellations, using your mobile device. You can also look for trains that take longer to make the journey, as these can sometimes be cheaper. The same applies to trains that make more changes on the way; check the schedules carefully, though, as these aren’t necessarily always cheaper.

Bradford city hall and park. Source: Shutterstock

To Bradford by train—travel tips

A train to Bradford from London will enable you to explore this Yorkshire city, discovering its history and its most important landmarks. Bradford used to be an important centre for printing and textile production during the Industrial Revolution, and you can revisit those times at the Bradford Industrial Museum. On the other end of the historical spectrum, lovers of pop culture will revel in the displays at the National Media Museum, showcasing the most modern technologies. A popular public park in Bradford is Lister Park. Here you can go boating on the lake and look at the Islamic and Indian architecture along the water channels. There’s also a children’s playground and the Mughal Water Garden. For live entertainment, you can take in a musical theatre performance or a dance show at the Bradford Alhambra. The architectural pride of the city is Bradford Cathedral, in a building dating back at least to the English Civil War. There’s even more to discover if you have a look at our online travel magazine, The Window Seat.

• Bronte Parsonage Museum, honouring the literary sisters
• Bolling Hall
• Bradford City Park
• The Peace Museum
• Cartwright Hall
• Cliffe Castle Museum