Stonehenge Tours from LondonStonehenge Small Group Tour from London: The English Bus Day to Bath and a Secret Place
This Stonehenge small group tour from London runs on a 15-seat Mercedes mini-coach and costs $208 per person. The English Bus day lasts 11.5 hours, leaves from the London Eye or Victoria at 8:45 AM or 9:10 AM, and gives you about 105 minutes at the stones before moving on to Bath and an unnamed secret stop in the countryside. It is one of the highest rated listings on our comparison of Stonehenge tours from London, with a 5.0 rating from 1,110 reviews. One thing trips people up: the Stonehenge ticket is not in the price, so budget for it on the day. This page sets out what you get, what the day is like and who should look elsewhere.
About This Tour
The English Bus runs this day on a Mercedes mini-coach with no more than 15 passengers and a professional guide. Instead of the motorway it takes narrow country roads through the Wiltshire countryside, which is part of what the higher price buys. The day covers Stonehenge, the city of Bath with an optional guided walk and a panoramic drive, and a secret place the operator does not name in advance.
The listing holds a 5.0 rating from 1,110 verified reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor, which is the strongest record of any listing we cover. The trade-offs are real though: the Stonehenge entry is paid to the guide on the day, lunch is not included, and you spend roughly four hours of the day on the coach.
$208 per person, booked through Viator. Stonehenge entry is extra, paid to the guide on the day: £24.65 adult on winter weekdays, £27.03 on winter weekends and public holidays.
11.5 hours door to door, back in central London in the evening.
8:45 AM from the corner of Belvedere Road and Chicheley Street by the London Eye, or 9:10 AM from outside the DoubleTree by Hilton in Victoria. Arrive 15 minutes early.
About 105 minutes, including a historical introduction from the guide and time at the visitor centre.
Guide, transport by air-conditioned Mercedes mini-coach, bottled water, a panoramic driving tour of Bath and the optional walking tour there. Stonehenge entry, food and tips are not included.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. The tour is non-refundable if you miss the departure through your own delay.
Check Dates and Availability
Seats are capped at 15 per departure, so dates sell out earlier than on the big coaches. Check live times and prices on the booking page.
You'll confirm the exact date and time on the secure booking page.
Quick answer The short answer
This Stonehenge small group tour from London costs $208, lasts 11.5 hours and carries up to 15 people on a Mercedes mini-coach, with about 105 minutes at the stones.
Key takeaways
- The Stonehenge ticket is not included: the guide collects £24.65 adult on winter weekdays or £27.03 on winter weekends, cash or card. See what the price covers.
- You get about 105 minutes at Stonehenge and 2-2.5 hours in Bath with an optional walking tour. Compare time at the stones across every listing.
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. Read what to settle before you book.
- Want the stones with no other stops? The Stonehenge Morning Half-Day Tour includes entry and costs less.
What the Price Actually Covers
The $208 covers the vehicle, the guide and the Bath elements. The Stonehenge ticket is deliberately sold on the day, so the true cost is the tour price plus your entry fee.
Included, Extra and Not Covered
The operator pre-books every Stonehenge ticket, so you cannot skip the queue yourself and you cannot turn up ticketless. The guide collects cash or card on the coach. The adult fee is £24.65 ($32.67) on winter weekdays and £27.03 ($35.82) on winter weekends and public holidays, with lower child and concession rates set by English Heritage.
Food is not included at any point, and tips are not included. The Roman Baths and Windsor Castle do not feature on this day at all, with or without an option, so if those matter pick a different listing from our comparison table.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Guide | Yes | Professional guide for the full 11.5-hour day |
| Mercedes mini-coach and bottled water | Yes | Air-conditioned, maximum 15 passengers |
| Bath panoramic drive and walking tour | Yes | The walk is optional and already paid for |
| Stonehenge entry | No | £24.65 adult winter weekday, £27.03 winter weekend, paid to the guide |
| Food and drink beyond water | No | Cafe at the Stonehenge visitor centre, or buy in Bath |
| Roman Baths, Windsor Castle, tips | No | Not offered on this day in any form |
How the On-the-day Ticket Compares
Is the on-the-day system a bad deal? Not really. English Heritage's own advance adult ticket is £27.20 ($36.05), which is slightly above the winter weekday fee this tour charges, and on-the-day gate tickets run to £32.00 ($42.41).
You are paying roughly the advance rate without having to book it yourself. The inconvenience is arithmetic, not cost: remember to bring a card or cash for the guide, because there is no way to add the entry at checkout.
- Guide collects payment on the morning, cash or card
- Tickets are pre-booked by the operator, so no queueing at the gate
- Prices are set by English Heritage and can change
Sources: English Heritage prices and opening times, Stone Circle Experience
The west front of Bath Abbey. Photo: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Day Is Really Like
The itinerary below follows the operator's own listing, with the durations it states. Clock times are only published for the two departure points.
Morning Pickup and the Back Roads
The first pickup is 8:45 AM at the corner of Belvedere Road and Chicheley Street by the London Eye. The second is 9:10 AM outside the DoubleTree by Hilton in Victoria, so London Eye passengers board first and Victoria passengers should not arrive before the coach does. From there the driver leaves the motorway and takes narrow country roads through the English countryside.
That routing is slower than the A303 but it is the point of the tour, and it also means a shorter ride than the big-coach crawl past Stonehenge on a jammed single carriageway.
- 8:45 AM pickup by the London Eye
- 9:10 AM pickup at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Victoria
- Bottled water on board, up to 14 fellow passengers
Stonehenge, About 105 Minutes
The guide gives a detailed historical introduction before you set off, covering archaeology and the main theories, so you arrive knowing what you are looking at. On the ground you have about 105 minutes, one of the longer allocations in the time at the stones ranking. A 10-minute shuttle or a walk of roughly 30 minutes takes you from the visitor centre to the stones, and a roped path keeps you a few metres back, so bring a zoom lens rather than expecting a close-up.
The visitor centre has an exhibition, an archaeological display and a cafe, which matters because there is no shelter, food or toilet at the stones themselves. This is a normal ticket: you do not go inside the circle and you cannot touch the stones.
- Guide's introduction on the coach before arrival
- 10-minute shuttle or about 30-minute walk to the stones
- Roped path around the circle, no inner circle access
Bath, 2 to 2.5 Hours
Bath gets the biggest slice of ground time, 2 to 2.5 hours. An optional walking tour with the guide is included in the price, along with a panoramic drive past the city's set pieces: the 15th-century Abbey, Pulteney Bridge, one of a handful of bridges worldwide with working buildings on it, and the Royal Crescent with a photo stop on the ground. Leftover time is yours for lunch or the shops.
The Roman Baths are not part of the day, so if you want inside them this is the wrong listing.
- Optional guided walk, included in the price
- Panoramic drive: Royal Crescent, Bath Abbey, Pulteney Bridge
- Roman Baths entry not offered
The Secret Place, About 30 Minutes
The day ends at an unnamed stop the operator calls its secret place, budgeted at about 30 minutes in the listing. Nobody will tell you where it is in advance, which is either the charm of the tour or a frustration depending on your temperament. Then it is back on the lanes and into central London in the evening, dropped at the pickup points.
- Unnamed countryside stop, roughly 30 minutes
- Return to the London Eye or Victoria in the evening
Who This Tour Rules Out
It is a comfortable day for most people, but several groups should book something else.
Anyone Under Three, and Big Luggage
The minimum age is 3, so no infants, though children under 18 must be accompanied and strollers can be brought along. Luggage space is limited and large items are not permitted, so this will not work as the first or last day of a trip with full suitcases. If you need a half-day format instead, the Stonehenge Half-Day Tour from London offers morning or afternoon departures from Victoria Coach Station.
- Minimum age 3 years
- No large items of luggage, the compartment is limited
- Service animals are allowed
Wheelchair Users Travelling Alone, and Anyone Wanting the Inner Circle
Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be taken, but only if a companion helps the passenger board and disembark. Walking is easy on grass and gravel but some surfaces are uneven. If you want to stand inside the stone circle, this tour does not do it: normal tickets keep everyone on the roped path, and the circle visits run seasonally with none in October or November.
Look at the Stonehenge Inner Circle Access Day Trip with Windsor instead.
- Collapsible wheelchair only with a helping companion
- No access inside the stones on this or any normal ticket
- Suitable for all fitness levels, a moderate amount of walking
Anyone Who Hates Long Coach Days, or Wants the Cheapest Seat
About four of the 11.5 hours go on the road, and the tour is non-refundable if you miss departure through your own delay, so late risers beware. At $208 it is also the most expensive listing on our comparison besides the inner circle days. If budget decides, the Stonehenge Morning Half-Day Tour with Admission costs $87 with entry included, and the Stonehenge and Bath Day Trip covers similar ground at $113.
The Heel Stone, on the line of the midsummer sunrise. Photo: Andy Li, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
What to Settle Before You Book
A few things are worth pinning down in writing with the seller, and a few things belong in your day bag.
Cancellation and Lateness
Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund. After that, or if you miss the coach because an underground line failed, you get nothing, and the operator states plainly that it is under no obligation to wait. Be at your pickup point 15 minutes early, so 8:30 AM at the London Eye or 8:55 AM in Victoria.
The tour can also be cancelled for bad weather with a refund, and the operator may refuse intoxicated passengers without a refund.
- Full refund if cancelled 24 hours or more before departure
- No refund for late arrivals from any transport delay
- Check in 15 minutes before your stated pickup time
Confirm the Details in Writing
Ask the seller to confirm which of the two meeting points your booking uses, the London Eye at Belvedere Road and Chicheley Street or the DoubleTree by Hilton in Victoria, and the exact check-in time for your date. Confirm that your date's ticket fee matches the schedule in the listing, because the adult fee moves between £22.70, £24.65, £25.90, £27.03 and £29.32 depending on the season and the day of the week. Neither Windsor Castle nor St George's Chapel is on this itinerary, so their closing days do not affect you, and there are no Stone Circle Experience issues either since this tour never claims one.
- Which pickup point and which departure time
- The adult and child ticket fees for your travel date
- Whether the Bath walking tour is running that day
What to Bring
Salisbury Plain is open and exposed with no shelter at the stones, so a waterproof and layers are sensible even in summer, and comfortable walking shoes help on the uneven grass and gravel. Bring pounds or a card for the Stonehenge ticket, lunch in Bath and any tips. The visitor centre cafe at Stonehenge is the only food stop before Bath, so a snack for the morning coach is not a bad idea.
- Waterproof and layers for an exposed site
- Cash or card for the on-the-day ticket
- Comfortable shoes for grass and gravel paths
Step by Step Itinerary
Timings come from the operator's listing. Only the departure times are published as clock times.
-
8:45 AM
London Eye pickup
Meet at the corner of Belvedere Road and Chicheley Street by the London Eye. Be there 15 minutes early, at 8:30 AM.
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9:10 AM
Victoria pickup
Second pickup outside the front of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Victoria, then out of London on the back roads.
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Stonehenge, about 105 minutes
The guide gives a historical introduction on the way, then you have about 105 minutes on site: shuttle or walk to the stones, the roped path around the circle, and the visitor centre exhibition and cafe.
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Bath, 2 to 2.5 hours
Free time plus an optional guided walk, and a panoramic drive around the finest streets of the city.
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Bath Abbey, about 30 minutes
Admire the 15th-century Abbey, on the site of the medieval church where King Edgar was crowned the first King of England in 973 AD.
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Pulteney Bridge, about 15 minutes
A stop at the bridge with working buildings on top, built from a rejected design for Florence's Ponte Vecchio.
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Royal Crescent photo stop, about 10 minutes
The grand semicircular Georgian street, with the guide on the ground giving the background before the photo.
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Secret place, about 30 minutes
An unnamed countryside stop the operator keeps quiet about, then the drive back to central London in the evening.
Pros and Cons
An honest read of the strongest and weakest points, based only on the listing.
What we genuinely like
- Maximum 15 passengers, the smallest group on our [Stonehenge day tour from London](/#tours), so you are never herded
- 5.0 rating from 1,110 verified reviews, the strongest on the site
- About 105 minutes at Stonehenge, more than the 90-minute and 60-minute allocations on comparable multi-stop days
- 2 to 2.5 hours in Bath with a walking tour and panoramic drive already paid for
- Back roads instead of the A303 jam, and bottled water on board
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure
The honest downsides
- The Stonehenge ticket is not included, so add £24.65 to £27.03 per adult on the day
- At $208 it is among the most expensive listings on our [comparison table](/#compare)
- About four hours of the 11.5-hour day go on the coach
- Lunch is not included and the day runs long
- The roped path keeps you well back from the stones, no inner circle access
- The tour is non-refundable if you miss departure through your own delay
Who it's NOT for: Not for travellers under 3, wheelchair users without a companion, anyone with large luggage, or anyone set on entering the Roman Baths or standing inside the stone circle.
Questions About This Tour
How much does the Stonehenge small group tour from London cost?
The tour itself is $208 per person on Viator, and the Stonehenge entry is extra, collected by the guide on the day at £24.65 adult on winter weekdays or £27.03 on winter weekends and public holidays. We compare the true cost of every listing on our Stonehenge tickets guide.
Is the Stonehenge ticket included in the $208?
No. The operator pre-books the entry and the guide collects cash or card on the morning, which is why you must bring payment for it. See what the price actually covers for the full breakdown.
How long do we spend at Stonehenge?
About 105 minutes, including the guide's introduction and time at the visitor centre. That is one of the longer allocations among multi-stop days, as our time at the stones ranking shows.
Can I touch the stones or go inside the circle?
No. This tour uses normal tickets, so you walk a roped path around the circle and touching the stones has been banned since 1977. Only the Stonehenge Inner Circle Sunrise or Sunset Tour goes inside, and those visits run seasonally with none in October or November.
Where does the tour leave from and when?
Two pickup points: 8:45 AM at the corner of Belvedere Road and Chicheley Street by the London Eye, or 9:10 AM outside the DoubleTree by Hilton in Victoria. Every departure point on the site is listed on our departures section.
What happens if it rains?
The tour runs in all weather, so dress for it: Salisbury Plain is exposed and there is no shelter at the stones, only at the visitor centre. Bring a waterproof and layers, as our guide to the site advises.
Is there a cheaper way to see Stonehenge from London?
Yes. The Stonehenge Morning Half-Day Tour from London with Admission costs $87, includes the entry fee and still gives about 2 hours at the stones, though you lose Bath, the small group and the back-road drive.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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