The route in one table
| Leg | Operator | Time | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Waterloo → Salisbury | South Western Railway | about 1 hr 23–1 hr 31 | Direct; weekdays about :20 and :50 past the hour |
| Salisbury station → Stonehenge visitor centre | The Stonehenge Tour (Salisbury Reds) | 35 minutes | Hourly 10:05–14:05; most returns via Old Sarum |
| Visitor centre → stones | English Heritage shuttle | about 10 minutes | Frequent, no booking |
English Heritage's directions page names Salisbury as the nearest station, 12 miles (19 km) away, with a direct bus or taxi from there, and says the hop-on hop-off tour bus is run by Salisbury Reds (checked 9 October 2026).
Step 1: the train from Waterloo
South Western Railway runs the West of England line through Salisbury on a temporary timetable that started on 10 August 2026 and applies "until further notice", according to its ticket acceptance page. In the weekday timetable, trains leave Waterloo at about 20 and 50 minutes past the hour from 08:20, and reach Salisbury in 1 hour 23 to 1 hour 31 minutes (checked 9 October 2026).
Two weekday examples from that timetable:
- 08:20 from Waterloo, arriving Salisbury 09:45: in time for the 10:05 tour bus.
- 09:20 from Waterloo, arriving Salisbury 10:44: in time for the 11:05 tour bus.
On Sundays the Sunday timetable has one train an hour from Waterloo in the morning, starting at 08:15. Check the exact times in a journey planner for your date.
This page does not quote rail fares, because the price depends on the ticket type and train. Buy before boarding through South Western Railway or another National Rail retailer, and compare Advance singles with Off-Peak returns for your times.
Step 2: the Stonehenge Tour bus from Salisbury
The Stonehenge Tour timetable has run on its winter pattern since 7 September 2026 (checked 9 October 2026):
| Stop | Times |
|---|---|
| Salisbury rail station, depart | 10:05, 11:05, 12:05, 13:05, 14:05 |
| Stonehenge, arrive | 10:40, 11:40, 12:40, 13:40, 14:40 |
| Stonehenge, depart | 10:55, 11:55, 12:55, 13:55, 14:55, 16:05, 17:15 |
| Salisbury rail station, arrive back | 11:29, 12:29, 13:29, 14:29, 15:29, 16:39, 17:35 |
The bus also stops at New Canal (Stand U) in the city centre, and runs back via Old Sarum, except the 17:15, which goes straight to the station. The tour FAQ gives about 30 minutes from Salisbury to Stonehenge and 40 minutes back via Old Sarum, with hop-on hop-off use all day. You can buy tickets online, at Salisbury rail station, at the Salisbury Tourist Information Centre or from the driver; the FAQ says payments over £100 on the bus must be in cash.
Which bus ticket to buy
The operator's ticket page lists these prices before you choose a date (checked 9 October 2026):
| Ticket | Adult | Child 5–15 | Family (2 adults + up to 3 children) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus only (return) | £20.50 | £14 | £55 |
| Bus + Old Sarum + Stonehenge | £43.50 | £29 | £131 |
| Bus + Old Sarum + Stonehenge + Salisbury Cathedral | £53 | £37 | £155 |
The FAQ says the combined ticket needs no Stonehenge time slot and includes the visitor-centre shuttle.
Stonehenge tickets and hours
English Heritage's Stonehenge page gives opening hours of 9.30am to 5pm every day, with last entry at 3pm; its opening-times calendar shows the site closed on Christmas Day, 25 December. The prices page says advance prices apply when you book online until midnight the day before; on the day, online or at the gate, you pay full price. Tickets are valid all day.
Prices vary by day. For 12 October to 20 December 2026, English Heritage's price calendar puts Monday to Friday in its cheapest band and weekends in a middle band (checked 9 October 2026). Prices below are the published rates for each band and exclude the optional donation:
| Ticket | Weekday, booked ahead | Weekend, booked ahead | Weekday, on the day | Weekend, on the day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | £24.65 | £27.03 | £29.00 | £31.80 |
| Child 5–17 | £12.32 | £13.51 | £14.50 | £15.90 |
| Family (2 adults, up to 3 children) | £61.79 | £67.57 | £72.70 | £79.50 |
With the 10% Gift Aid donation, an adult advance ticket costs £27.20 on a weekday and £29.75 at a weekend. The price notes on the same page add that booking a later visit time in the day can be cheaper, so compare times in the booking calendar before you pay. English Heritage members, and National Trust (England) members who book with code G03ANZ, enter free.
Combined ticket or separate tickets?
For one adult, the combined bus ticket at £43.50 beats buying separately: £20.50 for the bus plus £24.65 for a weekday advance Stonehenge ticket is £45.15, and £49.50 if you buy Stonehenge on the day. It also includes Old Sarum.
For a family of two adults and three children, the sums go the other way. The bus-only family ticket (£55) plus a weekday advance English Heritage family ticket (£61.79) is £116.79, against £131 for the combined family ticket. Book Stonehenge separately by midnight the day before, unless you also want Old Sarum.
Planning the day around last entry
Last entry at Stonehenge is 3pm. The 14:05 bus from Salisbury reaches Stonehenge at 14:40, which leaves almost no margin if the train is late; the 13:05 bus or earlier is the safer choice. English Heritage says the shuttle to the stones takes about 10 minutes, and the site stays open until 5pm, so the 16:05 bus back gives about two and a half hours on site after a 13:40 arrival. The last bus leaves Stonehenge at 17:15 and reaches Salisbury station at 17:35.
For other day trips by train, such as Windsor, Bath or Oxford, see London train day trips compared. For a second film-and-history day out from a different London terminus, see the Harry Potter Studio Tour by train and shuttle.