Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

Swindon travel guide

Swindon Tourism | Swindon Guide

You're Going to Love Swindon

With a population of 155,432, Swindon is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Swindon deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Swindon

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Bell Inn (Purton Stoke) and Basset Down Complex (Lower Salthrop Basset Down) are great picks.

When to visit Swindon

Swindon in December
Estimated hotel price
€69
1 night at 3-star hotel
Swindon in December
Estimated hotel price
€69
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Swindon

Plane

Although Swindon doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Bristol Airport (BRS), which is located 42 miles from Swindon. Bristol Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Aer Lingus, British Airways, Qatar Airways and other airlines departing from Ireland. The shortest flight to Swindon from Ireland departs from Dublin and takes around 1h 25m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Swindon, followed by Avanti West Coast. The train journey from Swindon to Manchester takes 2h 19m and costs around €42 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Newcastle upon Tyne, expect to pay about €33 for a 3h 26m trip. The train station in Swindon is called Swindon, and is located 0.9 km from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Swindon is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 115 km from Swindon. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Sixt, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Swindon using National Express or FlixBus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Swindon takes 135 miles and will cost you around €9. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about €8 for a journey of 145 miles. The most popular bus station is Swindon Coate Water, located 2.7 km from the city centre of Swindon. Swindon Stratton Cross Roads is also a commonly used station, and is 3.0 km from the city centre.

Plane

Although Swindon doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Bristol Airport (BRS), which is located 42 miles from Swindon. Bristol Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Aer Lingus, British Airways, Qatar Airways and other airlines departing from Ireland. The shortest flight to Swindon from Ireland departs from Dublin and takes around 1h 25m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Swindon, followed by Avanti West Coast. The train journey from Swindon to Manchester takes 2h 19m and costs around €42 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Newcastle upon Tyne, expect to pay about €33 for a 3h 26m trip. The train station in Swindon is called Swindon, and is located 0.9 km from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Swindon is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 115 km from Swindon. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Sixt, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Swindon using National Express or FlixBus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Swindon takes 135 miles and will cost you around €9. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about €8 for a journey of 145 miles. The most popular bus station is Swindon Coate Water, located 2.7 km from the city centre of Swindon. Swindon Stratton Cross Roads is also a commonly used station, and is 3.0 km from the city centre.

Airports near Swindon

BRSBristol
LHRLondon Heathrow
SOUSouthampton Eastleigh

Airlines serving Swindon

KLM
Good (1,446 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,758 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,707 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,128 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,215 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,864 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,100 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,226 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,729 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,530 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,494 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (896 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,676 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,673 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,175 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,379 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,357 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,153 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (381 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,825 reviews)
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Where to stay in Swindon

Average rates range from around €70 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to €194 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Swindon, with prices from €28 to €442 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Swindon are about 42% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Swindon

Most booked hotels in Swindon

See all
Leonardo Hotel Swindon
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
€56+
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Holiday Inn Express Swindon West By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
€56+
View
Holiday Inn Swindon By IHG
4 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
€44+
View
Village Hotel Swindon
3 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
€58+
View
Holiday Inn Express Swindon City Centre By IHG
3 stars
Good (7.6, Good reviews)
€53+
View

Hiring a car in Swindon

Expect to pay €1.51 per litre in Swindon (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between €18.03 and €24.03. The most frequently booked car type in Swindon is Intermediate (Nissan Qashqai or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Fiat 500 or similar) is, on average, 70% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay €1.51 per litre in Swindon (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between €18.03 and €24.03. The most frequently booked car type in Swindon is Intermediate (Nissan Qashqai or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Fiat 500 or similar) is, on average, 70% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Swindon