West Bridgford has no railway station. The fastest run to St Pancras is 1h37 from Nottingham, and the tram from Compton Acres gets you to the platform.
Start with the fact that shapes every London trip from here: West Bridgford has no railway station. The nearest platform to the town is across the river at Nottingham. What West Bridgford has instead is a tram line, and used properly it is the fastest way to a London train.
The rest of the Rushcliffe borough is in a different position again. Radcliffe on Trent, Bingham and Aslockton all keep their own stations on the Nottingham to Grantham line, and from those villages the quickest route to London is not through Nottingham at all.
The short answer
- Fastest from Nottingham: 1 hour 37 minutes, direct to London St Pancras, on East Midlands Railway.
- Getting to Nottingham station from West Bridgford: NET Line 2 from Compton Acres, Ruddington Lane, Wilford Lane or Wilford Village, every 7 to 10 minutes, £3.60 single.
- Walk-up fares: Anytime single £116.60, off-peak return £134.20, advance singles from £75.50.
- An annual season to London Terminals from Nottingham is £13,260, or £12,516 if you route via Grantham.
- From Aslockton, Bingham or Radcliffe on Trent, go east to Grantham and take LNER to King’s Cross. It is quicker and cheaper than doubling back into Nottingham.
Getting to the train: the tram
West Bridgford sits on NET Line 2, which runs from Clifton South through the town’s western edge, over the Trent and into the city, calling at Nottingham Station on the way. Four of its stops are in or on the edge of West Bridgford: Compton Acres, Ruddington Lane, Wilford Lane and Wilford Village.
Service is turn-up-and-go: every 7 to 10 minutes Monday to Saturday, every 10 to 15 minutes on Sunday. From Compton Acres the first tram is 06:14 every day, and the last is 00:20 towards Phoenix Park or 01:00 terminating at Shipstone Street, falling back to 23:20 and 00:00 on Sundays. Ruddington Lane runs a minute earlier and Wilford Lane a minute later. (NET)
That 06:14 first tram is the one detail worth planning around. The 06:10 departure from Nottingham to St Pancras cannot be reached by tram from West Bridgford. If you need that train, drive, take a taxi or walk. The 06:46 is the first London train the tram network can actually get you to.
| Ticket | Adult | Under 22 or student | Under 19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single, one journey | £3.60 | £3.00 | £2.30 |
| Day, unlimited tram | £5.80 | £4.70 | £3.70 |
| Week, unlimited tram | £25.00 | £20.00 | £15.00 |
| Robin Hood pay as you go single | £3.50 | £3.00 | £2.30 |
| Robin Hood tram day cap | £5.65 | £4.70 | £3.70 |
| Robin Hood tram and bus day cap | £6.90 | £5.60 | £4.60 |
Adult singles and day tickets can be tapped for with a contactless card at the lime green validators on the platform. Under-5s travel free, and a concessionary pass issued by Nottingham City Council or Nottinghamshire County Council gives free tram travel from 09:30 to 23:00 on weekdays and all day at weekends. (NET)
The London train from Nottingham
East Midlands Railway runs the Midland Main Line service to London St Pancras International, roughly hourly through the day. These are the morning departures on a normal weekday, checked against National Rail timetable data for Monday 10 August 2026.
| Depart | Arrive | Journey | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06:10 | 07:57 | 1h 47m | Direct |
| 06:46 | 08:27 | 1h 41m | Direct |
| 08:12 | 10:06 | 1h 54m | Direct |
| 08:50 | 10:27 | 1h 37m | Direct |
| 09:12 | 10:55 | 1h 43m | Direct |
The 08:50 is the fastest train of the morning at 1 hour 37 minutes, and it is eleven minutes quicker than the 08:12 that leaves nearly forty minutes earlier. If your meeting is a late-morning one, waiting for it is the better move.
Add the tram and a sensible interchange margin and the realistic door to door from central West Bridgford to St Pancras is about two and a quarter hours.
What it costs
Walk-up fares from Nottingham to London, as shown on National Rail data for August 2026:
- Anytime single: £116.60. Anytime return £229.00.
- Off-peak return: £134.20. The workhorse fare for a day trip that starts after the morning peak.
- Advance singles from £75.50 on EMR-only tickets, rising to £103.00 as trains fill.
- Anytime day travelcard: £244.20, which adds London Underground travel.
- Routed via Grantham, the anytime single drops to £93.20 and the day travelcard to £200.70, at the cost of a change and about 40 minutes.
Season tickets
Season prices for Nottingham to London, as quoted in August 2026:
| Ticket | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Via Grantham (cheapest route) | £312.90 | £1,201.60 | £12,516.00 |
| Any permitted route | £400.50 | £1,210.80 | £12,612.00 |
| London Terminals, any permitted route | £418.00 | £1,273.00 | £13,260.00 |
| Travelcard zones 1 to 6 | £424.80 | £1,336.00 | £13,916.00 |
An annual season is £13,260 to London Terminals, or £13,916 with a zones 1 to 6 travelcard bolted on. Neither includes the tram, so a West Bridgford commuter should add a NET weekly at £25 or the equivalent Robin Hood product on top. On a five-day week that is roughly £14,500 a year, all in, for the commute. (Trainline)
If you live in the villages, do not go via Nottingham
This is the piece most people get wrong. Radcliffe on Trent, Bingham and Aslockton are on the Nottingham to Grantham line, and Grantham is on the East Coast Main Line with fast LNER trains to King’s Cross. Going east to Grantham beats doubling back into Nottingham on both time and money.
| From | Depart | Arrive | Journey | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aslockton | 06:55 | 08:47 King's Cross | 1h 52m | Change at Grantham |
| Bingham | 07:57 | 09:52 King's Cross | 1h 55m | Change at Grantham |
| Radcliffe on Trent | 07:51 | 09:52 King's Cross | 2h 01m | Change at Grantham |
| Nottingham | 08:50 | 10:27 St Pancras | 1h 37m | Direct |
Aslockton, a village of a few hundred houses, has a faster London journey than most of West Bridgford once you count the tram. The anytime single from Aslockton via Grantham is £89.90, and an advance single on the Hull Trains and EMR combination was £69.00. From Radcliffe on Trent and Bingham the via-Grantham anytime single is £93.20 against £116.60 for the any-route fare.
The catch is frequency. The Nottingham to Grantham locals run roughly hourly and thin out in the evening, so a missed connection costs more here than it does in the city.
Driving to the station instead
There is no park and ride serving West Bridgford directly. NET runs 5,000 free parking spaces across seven park and ride sites, and the nearest to the town is Clifton South, across the Clifton estate at the far end of Line 2. Toton Lane, The Forest, Wilkinson Street, Phoenix Park, Moor Bridge and Hucknall are the others, all on the far side of the city from here. (NET)
For most of West Bridgford the tram stop is closer than the park and ride, which is the whole point of the line. Parking in the town centre to catch it is charged: see the tariffs on our roadworks and travel page.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a train station in West Bridgford?
No. West Bridgford has no railway station. The nearest is Nottingham, about a mile north across Trent Bridge, reached from the town by NET Line 2 from Compton Acres, Ruddington Lane, Wilford Lane or Wilford Village.
How long does it take to get from Nottingham to London by train?
The fastest weekday morning service is 1 hour 37 minutes direct to London St Pancras with East Midlands Railway. Most direct services run 1h41 to 1h54. Allow about two and a quarter hours door to door from central West Bridgford once you add the tram.
How much is a train ticket from Nottingham to London?
An anytime single is £116.60 and an off-peak return is £134.20. Advance singles start at £75.50 if booked ahead. Routing via Grantham cuts the anytime single to £93.20 but adds a change and roughly 40 minutes.
What does a season ticket from Nottingham to London cost?
£13,260 a year to London Terminals on any permitted route, or £12,516 if you take the cheaper via-Grantham option. A zones 1 to 6 travelcard version is £13,916. None of these include the tram to Nottingham station.
Which tram stops are in West Bridgford?
Compton Acres, Ruddington Lane, Wilford Lane and Wilford Village, all on NET Line 2 between Clifton South and Phoenix Park. All four have Nottingham Station as a direct stop on the same line.
What time is the first tram from West Bridgford?
06:14 from Compton Acres, 06:13 from Ruddington Lane and 06:15 from Wilford Lane, seven days a week. That is too late for the 06:10 London train from Nottingham but comfortable for the 06:46.
Should I use Radcliffe on Trent or Bingham station instead?
If you live in the eastern villages, yes. From Aslockton the fastest morning journey is 1h52 to King’s Cross via Grantham, from Bingham 1h55 and from Radcliffe on Trent 2h01, and the via-Grantham anytime single is £89.90 to £93.20 rather than £116.60. The trade-off is a roughly hourly local service.
Related
- West Bridgford roadworks and travel: parking tariffs, the A52 junction rebuild and who runs which road.
- West Bridgford house prices: what the commute buys you at each end of the borough.
- Things to do in West Bridgford, most of it walkable from a tram stop.
Sources
- traintimes.org.uk, carrying National Rail timetable and fares data, for the Nottingham, Radcliffe on Trent, Bingham and Aslockton departures and all walk-up fares quoted, checked for Monday 10 August 2026.
- NET timetables for tram frequencies and first and last trams at Compton Acres, Ruddington Lane and Wilford Lane.
- NET one-off tickets for tram and Robin Hood fares, and NET park and ride for the seven park and ride sites.
- Trainline season tickets, Nottingham to London for the weekly, monthly and annual season prices.
Timetables and fares change. Check the operator before you travel, and check engineering works for weekend journeys.
Have your say
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