As part of our series on car-free guides to beautiful places in the UK, here is our guide to how to travel to Stonehenge and Avebury without a car - by train, bus, bike and on foot.
Stonehenge
By Bus to Stonehenge:
There's an excellent bus service 'The Stonehenge Tour' that goes from Salisbury railway station (the nearest railway station to Stonehenge) direct to the main visitor centre at Stonehenge. The journey to Stonehenge takes about half an hour and departs every 30 minutes in the summer and every hour in the winter (Stonehenge Tour Timetable). Tickets cost £16 return for adults, £10 for children aged 5-15. A family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children) costs £43. You can also buy a combined ticket, which includes access to the Stonehenge stones without having to queue for a ticket once you arrive, plus you can "hop on, hop off" at Old Sarum en route to Stonehenge and visit Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury either before or after visiting Stonehenge. Tickets cost £38 for adults, £25 for children aged 5-15. A family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children) costs £113.
Here's our video about the Stonehenge Tour:
There are also two other bus services from Salisbury to Amesbury - the Activ8 (which goes on to Andover) and the X5 (which goes on to Pewsey, Marlborough and Swindon), so you can use these services to get to Amesbury if you're coming from those destinations.
By train to Stonehenge:
The nearest railway stations to Stonehenge are: Salisbury (12 miles) - from where there's a bus to Stonehenge (see above); Grately (12 miles); Warminster (17 miles); and Andover (18 miles) from where there's a bus to Amesbury (from where it's a 2-mile walk to Stonehenge - see below).
On foot to Stonehenge:
It's 2-mile walk from Amesbury to Stonehenge along byways and bridleways, either across Countess Farm or Coneybury Hill. You can also walk under the underpass to get under the A303 roundabout, then use the pavements along the A345 (Countess Road) to Stonehenge. When you arrive at Stonehenge main visitor centre, it's a mile's walk to the actual stone circle.
By bike:
It is possible to cycle from Salisbury to Stonehenge. Here's an useful map showing the route (see page 2): Salisbury to Stonehenge cycle map. Printed copies are available from Salisbury’s Tourist Information Centre (in Fish Row, just off the Market Place).
Here's our video of how to travel to Stonehenge without a car
Avebury
By Train:
The nearest rail stations to Avebury are Pewsey (10 miles); Swindon (11 miles - from where there's a bus to Avebury); Chippenham (14 miles); Great Bedwyn (13 miles); Trowbridge (21 miles - from where there's a bus to Avebury).
By Bus:
There are two bus services to Avebury (they both stop outside the lovely Red Lion pub at the edge of Avebury village): The 49 Stagecoach service from Swindon, which departs hourly and travels on to Trowbridge and Devizes; and the 42 Thamesdown Transport service from Calne, which travels from departs infrequently and travels on to Marlborough.
On foot:
Avebury is at the end of the Ridgeway National Trail - an 87-mile walking route through the Chilterns and North Wessex Downs - both are classified as 'Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The route explores ancient landscapes, through downland, secluded valleys and woodland.
How to travel to Avebury without a car
For the latest information about journeys in Wiltshire, use Connecting Wiltshire's up-to-date Journey Planner. which compares the journeys by train, bus, bike, on foot and by car.