There is no direct train between Derby and Rugby, but the quickest way between them takes only 55 minutes, provided you catch the right connection at Tamworth. Go via Birmingham New Street instead and the same trip takes half an hour longer or more.
Derby to Apart Hotel Rugby in short
- Best train
- Change at Tamworth: 55 to 57 minutes on the tightest connections.
- Slower option
- Change at Birmingham New Street: 1 hour 24 to 1 hour 36 minutes.
- Late evening
- The 22:10 via Tamworth reaches Rugby at 23:28 on a weekday.
- Distance
- About 39 miles in a straight line. Route planners disagree on the best road.
- Rugby station to us
- Under a kilometre, about ten minutes on foot.
Take the Tamworth connection, not simply the next train out
On the timetable for Tuesday 15 September 2026, trains from Derby to Rugby go one of two ways. The quick route changes at Tamworth, where the Rugby train is often waiting within minutes. The slow route goes into Birmingham New Street first and loses time there. Departures for each are mixed together on the board, so the train that leaves first is not always the one that arrives first.
| Leaves Derby | Change at | Arrives Rugby | Journey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:29 | Tamworth | 09:26 | 57 min |
| 08:42 | Birmingham New Street | 10:15 | 1 h 33 min |
| 09:10 | Tamworth | 10:26 | 1 h 16 min |
| 10:31 | Tamworth | 11:26 | 55 min |
| 18:31 | Tamworth | 19:26 | 55 min |
| 21:31 | Tamworth | 22:26 | 55 min |
| 22:10 | Tamworth | 23:28 | 1 h 18 min |
Eight minutes at Tamworth is what makes the 08:29 fast. It arrives at Tamworth at 08:48 and the Rugby train leaves at 08:56. Not every Tamworth journey connects that neatly: the 09:10 waits 24 minutes and takes 1 hour 16 minutes in total. The departures at around half past the hour are the ones to look for.
There is one more late option, the 22:20 via Leicester and Nuneaton, arriving at 23:38. After that, the next departure we found on that Tuesday doesn’t reach Rugby until the following morning. Check the connection on National Rail Enquiries before relying on it, especially late in the day.
Driving from Derby
Derby is about 39 miles from Apart Hotel Rugby as the crow flies. On the road, the two planners we used went different ways and came out several miles apart. One followed the A50 to the M1 and then turned off for the A426; the other kept to the M1 as far as Junction 18 and came in on the A428. Traffic on the M1 will decide which suits you on the day.
At the hotel, guests share six parking spaces on a first-come, first-served basis, with CCTV. Overnight, Railway Terrace has free on-street parking from 18:00 until 08:00.
When a stay in Rugby makes sense from Derby
At under an hour by the best train, Rugby is reachable from Derby for the day. A room earns its place when the day doesn’t end neatly.
- A contract or placement near Rugby, where a daily return with a change of train adds up to hours a week. Our page for contractors in Rugby explains how weekly stays work.
- Family commitments in Rugby that run into the evening, from a wedding nearby to a school event.
- A move south to Rugby with a gap between sale and purchase. Our house move guide covers it.
At the end of the journey
A kitchenette comes with every room, which is handy when you get in after a long day and don’t want to go out again. On stays of a week or more, the room is cleaned weekly at no extra charge, and there is a free laundry on the first floor. See the choice of 16 rooms on our rooms page, and check pets, cancellation and house rules in our guest guide and hotel policies.
Derby to Rugby: what people ask
What is the fastest train from Derby to Rugby?
The fastest journeys change at Tamworth and take 55 to 57 minutes. On the weekday timetable for 15 September 2026, examples include the 08:29, 10:31 and 18:31 from Derby.
Why do some Derby to Rugby trains take over 90 minutes?
Those journeys change at Birmingham New Street instead of Tamworth. They take between 1 hour 24 minutes and 1 hour 36 minutes, depending on the connection.
How late can I leave Derby and still reach Rugby the same night?
On the weekday timetable we checked, the 22:10 from Derby changes at Tamworth and arrives in Rugby at 23:28. A 22:20 via Leicester and Nuneaton arrives at 23:38.
Is it quicker to drive from Derby to Rugby?
That depends on traffic. Derby is about 39 miles from Apart Hotel Rugby in a straight line, and the fastest train takes 55 minutes, so on a clear road the car and the best train are both reasonable choices.
Coming down from Derby?
Choose a room for your dates online, and add the code DIRECT during booking.
About these figures, checked on 10 September 2026: every Derby time in the table, including each wait at Tamworth, comes from the traintimes.org.uk timetable for Tuesday 15 September 2026. Trainline agrees you cannot make this trip without changing. The 39 miles is a straight line on the map, and the two road descriptions are simply the routes OSRM and Valhalla each suggested.
Leave A Comment