London to Hereford train with Great Western Rail

Trains from London to Hereford

When taking a train from London to Hereford train station, the distance covered is typically around 155 miles (249 km) and a direct train with no changeovers along the way will cover the distance in around 2h 55min. You can expect to find several trains travelling between these destinations daily, some departing from London Paddington Station and others from London Euston station. You'll find trains departing from Euston typically take a little longer and require at least one changeover along the way. London Paddington to Hereford with a stopover at Newport Station will typically take just over three hours.

London to Hereford train time: Daily Departures

When looking at the frequency of daily departures, you can expect to find close to 30 trains travelling from either London Paddington Station or London Euston Station to Hereford Station. The first trip usually starts around 12:35 a.m. with the last train leaving around 11:30 p.m. every evening. Your first trip just after midnight usually departs from London Paddington Station and requires two changes along the way at Oxford and Worcester Foregate Street, with a travel time around 8h.

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

The length of the journey from London to Hereford depends on which station your train departs from and the number of changes along the way. If you're taking a direct train from London Paddington Station to Hereford, expect the trip to take just under three hours. There are several trains from London Paddington Station to Hereford with a change at Newport in a time between 2h 40min and 3h 30min depending on how long the changeover is. London Euston to Hereford usually requires a changeover at Birmingham New Street with a travel time around 3h 15min. Most trains leaving after 8:00 p.m. from London Paddington Station typically have one changeover, though these changeovers are usually longer and the travel time will be upwards of 8h.

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

Departure train station: There are two departure stations for train travel from London to Hereford. The most popular departure station is London Paddington Station, which typically provides faster train trips, while travel from London Euston usually has a more consistent travel time. London Paddington Station is around 2.5 miles (4 km) from the city centre and is easily accessible through the Circle and District lines around the City of London. The platform is home to several facilities including ticket machines, ticket offices, access to Heathrow Express, and accessible toilets and changing rooms, to name a few.

Arrival train station: Hereford Train Station is the main arrival train station in Hereford and is located in the city centre and easily accessible via local taxis. The station is home to several facilities that include ticket machines, a ticket office, a car park, bicycle parking, step-free access, and a taxi rank outside of the station. You'll also find baby changing facilities if you're travelling with young children.

Train Paddington London. Source: Shutterstock

Which train companies travel from London to Hereford?

If you're travelling from London Paddington Station to Hereford, all of your journeys will be operated by Great Western Railway. These trips take one of three routes. The first is a direct train from Paddington Station to Hereford in just under three hours, while the other routes include a trip with one change at Newport or routes with two changes at Oxford and Worcester Foregate Street. When travelling from London Euston Station, your trains will be operated by Avanti West Coast for the first leg of the journey and by West Midlands Railway from the second part of the journey from Birmingham New Street to Hereford Station.

Great Western Railway trains from London to Hereford

Great Western Railway, formerly known as First Great Western, offer long-distance train operations throughout the South and South West of the UK. They also operate commuter train services across Greater London, the South East, South West, West Midlands regions, as well as South Wales. Some of the most popular destinations from the UK include places like Oxford, London, Bristol, Bath, Cardiff, and many more. You'll also find a new fleet of Intercity Express trains that feature 20% more seats, free Wi-Fi, and wheelchair accessibility, among many other amenities.

Avanti West Coast trains from London to Hereford

Avanti West Coast operates the first leg of a journey departing from London Euston Station. Avanti West Coast was formally called Virgin Trains and currently offer high-speed long-distance trains from Euston to a variety of locations in Wales, Scotland, and England. Their high-speed train route tends to cut down on how long you spend on the train and operates efficient and comfortable services throughout the UK.

Train London to Hereford: Services on Board

When travelling with Great Western Railway, you'll be privy to a variety of onboard services. First Class services onboard include more spacious seats, a well-stocked trolley, tables with plug sockets and USB charging ports, access to First Class Lounges at Paddington Station, as well as Pullmans Dining options. You will be able to travel on a GWR train with your bicycle, provided you've called ahead and reserved space. If you're wondering about your luggage allowance, GWR restricts you to three pieces of luggage and nothing larger than 30 x 70 x 90cm. Avanti Coast has the same size restriction but they suggest bringing two smaller cases because of their smaller internal doors. You'll also have three choices of tickets, Standard, Premium Standard, and First Class.

Train London. Source: Shutterstock

How to find cheap train tickets from London to Hereford?

There are several ways to find cheap tickets when travelling to Hereford Train Station from London. Firstly, use Omio to search for your tickets. Omio provides consolidated results from numerous online sources and presents them on a single results page with ample information and the ability to filter according to your needs. Consider searching for tickets with flexible travel dates to ensure you get the best deal on any given day. you'll also often find cheaper tickets earlier on in the week rather than over the weekend. Lastly, you'll want to book tickets as far in advance as possible. The closer you get to your departure date, the more expensive the ticket. These tickets usually go on sale several months in advance.

To Hereford by train—travel tips

Hereford is a cathedral city that lies on the River Wye and offers travellers a variety of activities to do and sights to explore in and around the city. Hereford Cathedral is possibly the main attraction and still has plenty of the Norman stonework originally used in the 12th century. You'll want to take time to explore the burial monuments, as well as head to the south side of the nave and visit the Norman Baptismal. The Mappa Mundi is a Medieval map of the world dating back to the 14th century and currently stands as one of the most comprehensive surviving Medieval maps and one of the most prominent illustrated Medieval manuscripts in the UK.

The Cathedral’s Chained Library is one of the only libraries of its kind that survived with all of the rods, chains, and locks that still function. Another place worth checking out is the Black and White House Museum, Hereford's most sought-after landmark after the cathedral! If you're interested in a drink, consider taking time out to visit the Cider Museum which provides travellers information on cider's history in the city. You'll get see how the apples are pressed and milled, as well as how they ferment the juice.