Every way to travel between the South West and London rated
I spend a lot of time travelling between Devon and London.
So I’ve tried pretty much every Devon (and Cornwall) to London transport option there is!
So, I thought I’d list them all here, with some pros and cons and my honest rating!
1. GWR (Great Western Railway) to Paddington
Direct high-speed trains run from Penzance to London Paddington, stopping at key stations including:
- Truro
- St Austell
- Par
- Liskeard
- Plymouth
- Totnes
- Newton Abbot
- Exeter St Davids
- Tiverton Parkway
- Taunton
- Reading
From smaller towns like St Ives, Falmouth, Looe or Barnstaple, you can connect via branch lines to mainline stations before continuing east.
This is a fantastic option when it works. After Exeter it’s speedy, reaching London in just over two hours. But WHY are the prices so astronomical – easily over £150 for a return?!
Rating: 7/10, because while it’s great when it works, it often goes wrong – and for that price, you want it to work!
2. Night Riviera Sleeper Train
This overnight service runs between Penzance and London Paddington.
You can book a private sleeper cabin or opt for a cheaper reclining seat.
It departs in the late evening and arrives early morning, giving you a full day ahead in London without losing daytime travel hours.
If you book in advance, it’s not too expensive (considering it includes a night’s accommodation) – I paid around £127 in January.
Rating: 8.5/10, I genuinely love travelling this way – but it gets to Exeter far too early for me to get off!
3. South Western Railway (SWR) to Waterloo
An alternative route runs from Exeter St Davids to London Waterloo, passing stations including:
- Pinhoe
- Honiton
- Axminster
- Yeovil
- Sherborne
- Salisbury
- Basingstoke
- Clapham Junction
This line is slower than the GWR service but can be significantly cheaper. It’s also the only direct rail option from parts of East Devon like Whimple and Feniton.
Rating: 9/10, it does what it says on the tin and can be very reasonably priced. Remember to charge your devices as there are no power outlets. Loses a point as it doesn’t extend past Exeter.
4. CrossCountry train via Birmingham
From some Devon stations, you can travel with CrossCountry trains to Birmingham New Street, then transfer to a train for London Euston.
This won’t be the fastest or cheapest option, but it can be good to know during GWR/ SWR disruptions!
Rating: 4/10 – the only reason you’d do this is if there are no other options
5. National Express coach
Long-distance coach services run from most major towns and cities in the region, including:
- Plymouth
- Exeter
- Torquay
- Newton Abbot
- Truro
- Newquay
They terminate at London Victoria Coach Station, with journey times varying between 5 and 10 hours.
Some direct routes between London and Cornwall were scrapped in 2024; but there are still five services a day between Penzance and London.
Some routes are direct; others involve changing in Bristol or Exeter.
Rating: 6/10 – it’s not too bad from Exeter, but from Penzance it’s a whopping TEN hours
6. FlixBus coach
Budget operator FlixBus has recently started running services from Exeter and Plymouth. Ticket prices are very affordable – most services from Plymouth are just £14.99!
Rating: 8/10 – always had a good service on Flixbus and the journey times from Exeter and Plymouth aren’t TOO bad
7. Driving
If you’re driving, your route will depend on where you start:
- From Cornwall, follow the A30 east
- From Plymouth, join the A38
- Both routes link up with the M5 at Exeter
- From there, either:
- Stay on the M5 north and then take the M4 east past Bristol
- Or follow the A303 east past Yeovil and Stonehenge, merging with the M3 near Basingstoke (this is usually the quickest way)
Estimated drive times (without heavy traffic):
- Exeter to London: 3.5–4.5 hours
- Truro to London: 5–6 hours
- Penzance to London: 6.5–7.5 hours
Allow longer on summer weekends and during school holidays.
Rating: 7/10 – allows for flexibility but the traffic can be frustrating, especially if you’re driving on your own.
8. By plane
Cornwall Airport Newquay has flights to London Gatwick or Heathrow, depending on season and operator. These are generally aimed at business travellers or those connecting internationally.
Flight time is just over an hour, but you’ll need to factor in airport transport, check-in time, and transfers on arrival in London.
It’s not really worth doing if you live over an hour away from Newquay, for example.
Exeter Airport no longer offers direct flights to London (which is a good move, as the train only takes just over two hours – but the trains need to be quicker!)
Rating: 5/10 – airports are frustrating enough and it’s not great for the environment
9. By bike
If you’re confident with long-distance cycling, the National Cycle Network has routes connecting Devon and Cornwall with London.
One example is NCN Route 3, which passes through Cornwall and on to Bath, from where you can pick up routes heading east.
At several days, it’s the slowest option on our list – but arguably the most scenic!
Rating: 6/10 – only for experienced cyclists with plenty of time – I’d love to do it one day though!
10. Ferry and Eurostar
Technically, you can take a ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff (France), connect to Paris by train, then take the Eurostar back to London.
To get even more technical, you could take a train or bus to Calais, ferry to Dover, and then train into London.
Honestly, I might actually try doing this one day – but of course, it’s definitely not everyone’s idea of a good time 🤣
Rating: 2/10 – while I’d definitely try it, it’s only really worth doing if you want an adventure!
