London to Taunton train with Great Western Rail

To Taunton by train—travel tips

Taunton is a small town in Somerset, England that boasts a long history that includes the 10th-century monarchy. You'll find several reasons to travel to the town that includes taking a trip through the history of Taunton with Roman mosaics and coins. The Museum of Somerset is a great first stop, which goes as far back as the 12th century, although there have been numerous alterations done to it since then. Vivary Park is another popular attraction among tourists. The Sherford Stream threads the park and houses several fish, while the park hosts various activities that include a miniature golf course, a model railway, several tennis courts, and playgrounds for the little ones. If you're interested in the military history of the town, make your way to Somerset Military Museum in the Great Hall at Taunton Castle. As a sports fan, between April and September, you can head to Somerset County Cricket Club to watch one of the top-class cricket teams in the county do battle with several other teams in the area. Brewhouse Theatre is Taunton's main performing arts venue. The theatre opened in 1977 and, despite a brief closing in 2013, provides the town with an array of programs that include ballet, jazz, contemporary dancing, touring bands, and tribute acts. If you make your way to the range just outside of Taunton, you'll find a glorious estate named Hestercombe Gardens, which dates back to the 16th century and are a testament to nearly 300 years of design with a Georgian landscape garden, as well as many others designed by Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens.

Trains from London to Taunton

If you're planning on travelling from London, you can expect to find numerous trains operated by Great Western Railway that go directly from Paddington Station to Taunton in around 1h 40min. There are over two dozen direct trains daily, making it easier to avoid having to take a train with changes along the way. The first train generally leaves around 8:04 a.m. and the last train departs around 11:45 p.m. If you're looking at travelling after 10:00 p.m., you can expect your journey to take a fair bit longer, usually around 2h 45min - 3h, and there are likely to be delays.

All trains to Taunton from London are operated by Great Western Railway (GWR), a British-owned company that provides long-distance services covering the south-west of England and Wales as well as links to London. Onboard services include complimentary WiFi access, toilets, luggage storage, power outlets and bistro-bar catering.

How long is the train from London to Taunton?

All routes to Taunton from London are direct with travel times as short as one and a half hours for some departures. Other departures can take up to just over three hours depending on the number of stops en route.

London to Taunton train time: daily departures

If you're looking for trains from London to Taunton, you can expect to find numerous trains from Paddington Station to Taunton departing every day. On average, you'll find the first train leaves around 8:04 a.m. and the last train leaves around 11:45 p.m., between these times, there are typically 23 trains a day, with an average of 175 trains a week travelling this route. All trains travelling between these two destinations are direct trains so you don't have to be concerned about train changes along the way.

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

Travelling on a train from Paddington to Taunton will typically have a travel time of around 1h 40min depending on the time of day that you leave. If you're travelling on the trains departing around 9:37 a.m., 10:35 a.m., or 12:36 p.m., you can expect the travel time to be a little longer and closer to 2h. All of the trains run by GWR from Paddington to Taunton are direct trains that don't require passengers to change along the way.

London Waterloo. Source: Shutterstock

What is/are the departure and arrival stations for trains from London to Taunton?

Departure train station: London Paddington Station is one of the country's most beloved railway stations first opening in 1854, having been built by GWR chief engineer Isambard Kingdom Brune. The station is home to several facilities including several shops, coffee shops, cash machines, currency exchange, and telephones. The station also offers luggage storage facilities and bicycle storage facilities among others. The distance between Paddington and London central is around 2.9 miles (4.7 km) and the direct train between the two is very cheap.

Arrival train station: Taunton Railway Station serves as a junction station on the route between London and Penzance, roughly 145 miles (233 km) from Paddington Station in London. The train station is around one mile (1.6 km) from the centre of Taunton, easily accessible via taxis and buses. Due to the station being a smaller junction station, don't expect to find the same services as larger train stations, though they do have facilities like ATMs, public Wi-Fi, payphones, toilets, and waiting rooms.

Which train companies travel from London to Taunton?

When travelling from London to Taunton, your train journey will be provided for by Great Western Railway. This train operating company is British-owned and manages around 197 train stations and over 250 trains. GWR operates both inner-city and commuter and outer-suburban services from Paddington Station and has been doing so since 1996.

Great Western Railway trains from London to Taunton

Great Western Railway provide all train services travelling between London and Taunton. These trains typically start around 8:00 a.m. and go on until the last train leaves at around 11:45 p.m. After the first train, the next train departs an hour later and thereafter every 34min or so until the last train departs, with a couple of trains departing 5 - 10min after each other. The train ride between London and Taunton covers a distance of around 145 miles (233 km) in approximately 1h 40min, although some trains during the day can take closer to 2h or 3h to reach their destination. These trains are typically passenger trains rather than high-speed trains.

London Young People. Source: Shutterstock

To Taunton by train—travel tips

Taunton is a small town in Somerset, England that boasts a long history that includes the 10th-century monarchy. You'll find several reasons to travel to the town that includes taking a trip through the history of Taunton with Roman mosaics and coins. The Museum of Somerset is a great first stop, which goes as far back as the 12th century, although there have been numerous alterations done to it since then. Vivary Park is another popular attraction among tourists. The Sherford Stream threads the park and houses several fish, while the park hosts various activities that include a miniature golf course, a model railway, several tennis courts, and playgrounds for the little ones.

If you're interested in the military history of the town, make your way to Somerset Military Museum in the Great Hall at Taunton Castle. As a sports fan, between April and September, you can head to Somerset County Cricket Club to watch one of the top-class cricket teams in the county do battle with several other teams in the area. Brewhouse Theatre is Taunton's main performing arts venue.

The theatre opened in 1977 and, despite a brief closing in 2013, provides the town with an array of programs that include ballet, jazz, contemporary dancing, touring bands, and tribute acts. If you make your way to the range just outside of Taunton, you'll find a glorious estate named Hestercombe Gardens, which dates back to the 16th century and are a testament to nearly 300 years of design with a Georgian landscape garden, as well as many others designed by Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens.

Train London to Taunton