Cambridge: Colleges, courts and the River Cam
← All day trips

Cambridge

Colleges, courts and the River Cam

~1 hr by train London King's Cross £££

Getting there

  1. 1

    King's Cross

    Start

  2. 2

    Direct train to Cambridge

    ~1 hr

  3. 3

    Bus or walk to the centre

    ~20 min

Liverpool Street also has trains to Cambridge. Prices and times change: check before you go, on National Rail.

Highlights

King's College Chapel
King's College Chapel
Punting on the Cam
Punting on the Cam
Bridge of Sighs
Bridge of Sighs
Mathematical Bridge
Mathematical Bridge
Trinity College
Trinity College
Fitzwilliam Museum
Fitzwilliam Museum

Perfect for

  • Punting
  • Old colleges
  • Museums
  • Compact and walkable

Plan your day

  1. MorningKing's College and the Backs
  2. AfternoonPunt along the Cam
  3. EveningDinner, train to King's Cross
Plan the journey Find a guided tour Visit Cambridge

Before you go

Cambridge is about 79 km (49 miles) from central London in a straight line, measured from Charing Cross; the rail route is longer. Trains leave from London King's Cross. Our rail tickets guide explains Advance, Off-Peak and Anytime tickets, railcards and split tickets, so you can work out which fare suits a day out. On the day, check National Rail for delays and engineering works before you set off.

Opening times, tickets and closures for Visit Cambridge are on its official website. For sights that can need a timed ticket, see what to book ahead.

Areas to explore in Cambridge

Our Cambridge guide is split into 4 areas, each with things to do, places to eat, where to stay and how to get there.

  • Colleges and the Backs: King's, Trinity, St John's and Queens' beside the River Cam, with the Backs, Magdalene Street and Castle Hill (16 things to do)
  • King's Parade and Market Square: King's Parade, Market Square and Trinity Street in the historic heart of the city (15 things to do)
  • Museums, Botanic Garden and the South: The Fitzwilliam, the Downing Street museums, the Botanic Garden and the meadows towards Grantchester (16 things to do)
  • Mill Road and the East: Independent shops and restaurants on Mill Road, with the commons and the river to the north-east (12 things to do)

Weather through the year

Met Office 1991-2020 averages for the Cambridge, NIAB station (opens in new tab), the one we use for Cambridge. Daylight is calculated for Cambridge on the 15th of the month. These are averages, not a forecast.

MonthAvg highAvg lowDays with 1 mm+ rainDaylight
January7.7°C1.9°C10.48 h 12
April14.1°C4.6°C8.013 h 54
July23.1°C12.6°C8.416 h 13
October15.1°C7.9°C9.610 h 27

Every month, with sunshine and packing notes: when to go to Cambridge.

Closest other day trips

Measured in a straight line from Cambridge, so the journey between them will be longer. Use the journey planner to see whether a direct train runs.

For where to eat, stay and walk, see Our Cambridge guide.

More day trips

Windsor~40 min Oxford~1 hr Bath~1.5 hr Stonehenge~1.5 hr + bus Brighton~1 hr York1 hr 46 min Bristolabout 1 hr 40 min Cardiffaround 1 hr 50 min Liverpooljust over 2 hr The CotswoldsTrain and bus Blenheim PalaceTrain and bus

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: King's College Chapel, Dmitry Tonkonog (CC BY-SA 3.0); Punting on the Cam, Peter Trimming (CC BY-SA 2.0); Bridge of Sighs, Andrew Dunn (CC BY-SA 2.0); Mathematical Bridge, Rafa Esteve (CC BY-SA 4.0); Trinity College, Cmao20 (CC BY-SA 4.0); Fitzwilliam Museum, Wikimedia Commons contributor (CC BY-SA 2.0).

More of the UK, soon

Glencoe in the Scottish Highlands
Coming soon

The Highlands & Skye

Snowdon in Wales
Coming soon

Wales

Giant's Causeway
Coming soon

Northern Ireland

Join the notification list at the foot of the home page and we will tell you as each region opens.