Cambridge and Rugby are about 60 miles apart as the crow flies, and there are two very different ways to make the trip by rail. One goes through London, with a change of terminus by Underground. The other goes across country to Nuneaton. In the evening they take a similar time; in the daytime they don’t.
Cambridge to Apart Hotel Rugby at a glance
- Through London
- 2 hours 29 to 2 hours 36 minutes, via King’s Cross, the Underground and Euston.
- Via Nuneaton
- 2 hours 33 to 2 hours 39 minutes in the evening, over 3 hours in the daytime.
- Last train
- 21:00 via Nuneaton, arriving in Rugby at 23:38.
- By road
- About 72 miles: the M11, the A14, then the M6 to Junction 1.
- At the Rugby end
- A short walk of about 750 metres from the station.
London or Nuneaton?
On the timetable for Tuesday 15 September 2026, trains through London leave Cambridge at 12 and 42 minutes past most hours. You ride into King’s Cross, take the Underground to Euston and catch a Rugby train there. The cross-country option leaves on the hour and runs to Nuneaton without a change, but in the daytime the onward connection to Rugby involves an hour’s wait.
| Leaves Cambridge | Route | Arrives Rugby | Journey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | Nuneaton | 11:26 | 3 h 26 min |
| 08:12 | King’s Cross, Euston | 10:42 | 2 h 30 min |
| 08:42 | King’s Cross, Euston | 11:14 | 2 h 32 min |
| 18:00 | Nuneaton | 20:39 | 2 h 39 min |
| 19:13 | King’s Cross, Euston | 21:42 | 2 h 29 min |
| 20:00 | Nuneaton | 22:33 | 2 h 33 min |
| 21:00 | Nuneaton | 23:38 | 2 h 38 min |
Avoid the cross-country train in the morning. The 08:00 reaches Nuneaton at 10:08, but the Rugby train doesn’t leave until 11:11. In the evening that connection shrinks to under 20 minutes, which makes the Nuneaton route the easier one: no Underground, and one change instead of two.
Late trains through London arrive after midnight, so the 21:00 via Nuneaton was the last departure we found that reached Rugby the same evening. Check both routes on National Rail Enquiries for your date.
Driving from Cambridge
Both route planners gave about 72 miles from central Cambridge. The route heads north on the M11 to the A14, follows the A14 west, joins the M6 near Rugby and leaves at Junction 1 onto the A426.
When you get here, park in one of the six guest spaces behind the building, first come, first served, with CCTV. If they are all in use after 18:00, Railway Terrace outside is free until 08:00.
Is it worth coming to Rugby for the night?
With two and a half hours of travel each way by train, a same-day return from Cambridge is a long day. People who make the trip usually stay for something specific.
- Rugby School events, from matches to the end of term. See our parents’ guide.
- Work placements in the Midlands that last a few weeks. Our long stay page explains how that works.
- A Warwickshire wedding, covered in our wedding guest guide.
Where you’ll be sleeping
The 21:00 from Cambridge gets you in at 23:38, and at that hour a kitchenette in your own room is worth a lot more than a restaurant list. All 16 rooms on Railway Terrace have one. The laundry on the first floor is there for guests at no cost, and a booking of seven nights or more includes a weekly clean. Photos of each room type and the full guest guide and hotel policies are a click away.
Cambridge to Rugby: what people ask
Do I have to go through London from Cambridge to Rugby?
No. Besides the route via King’s Cross and Euston, a cross-country train runs from Cambridge to Nuneaton, where you change for Rugby. In the evening it takes about as long as going through London.
How long does the train from Cambridge to Rugby take?
Most journeys we found took between 2 hours 29 minutes and 2 hours 39 minutes. Morning trips via Nuneaton took over three hours because of the wait there.
How far is the drive from Cambridge to Rugby?
About 72 miles, using the M11 and A14 before a short stretch of the M6 to Junction 1.
Two and a half hours from Cambridge, a room waiting
Availability is on our booking page. Anyone booking with us directly can enter DIRECT in the code field.
Figures on this page were checked on 10 September 2026. Rail: the traintimes.org.uk timetable for Tuesday 15 September 2026, including the Underground link from King’s Cross to Euston and each wait at Nuneaton. Road: about 72 miles according to both OSRM and Valhalla. Straight-line distance: 60 miles, worked out from coordinates.
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