Bath or Bust - 3 ways to arrive in style ( or not!)

By Nook and Cranny Tours

Whether you're travelling like a Regency heroine, a 1920s debutante, or a modern-day city hopper, here’s how your journey to Bath compares through the ages…

🎩 1800s: Jane Austen’s Stagecoach Saga

• Departure: Likely from a coaching inn in London (possibly Holborn or Piccadilly)

• Time: ⏳ 12–18 hours, depending on weather, road conditions, and horse temperament

• Route: Rutted roads, muddy villages, coaching inns (and possibly a hold-up by highwaymen)

• Comfort: Wooden bench seats, shared with strangers, open windows (and not the scenic kind)

• Luxury level: 1/10 – unless you love bumps and bonnets

🥂 1920s-Style: Belmond British Pullman (Victoria Station)

• Departure: Victoria Station, London

• Time: 🕰 ~5 hours (usually a special experience route, sometimes including Bath)

• Route: Iconic vintage rail carriages—think Agatha Christie glamour meets Downton Abbey vibes

• Comfort: Armchairs, linen-draped tables, crystal glassware, and waiters in waistcoats

• Luxury level: 11/10 – Champagne served as you watch the countryside glide by

Note: The Pullman doesn’t run every day and is more of a decadent day out than a fast connection—but oh, the Instagram content!

🚄 Today: GWR High-Speed Train (Paddington Station)

• Departure: Paddington Station

• Time: 🕐 1 hour 15 minutes direct

• Route: Modern track sweeping through countryside Jane herself would have loved

• Comfort: Quiet carriages, free Wi-Fi, coffee carts, and USB sockets galore

• Luxury level: 8/10 – fast, stylish, and possibly Bridgerton-worthy if you pack a parasol

🏁 Final Thoughts:

• Jane endured a long, jostling journey to Bath.

• The Pullman turns the journey into an experience with vintage flair.

• GWR gets you there in time for a flat white and a full day’s exploring.

How would you travel to Bath?Whether you dream of corsets and carriages, Champagne and chandeliers, or cappuccinos and convenience, we’ll welcome you in style on the other side.

👉 Book a Private Nook & Cranny Tour – where history meets hospitality - especially designed to pick you up from the Platform at Bath Spa Station and maximise your visit to special day.