Nottingham is about 40 miles from Rugby in a straight line, yet no train runs directly between them. Every journey involves at least one change, and the station you change at makes a bigger difference to your arrival time than the moment you set off.
Nottingham to Apart Hotel Rugby: key facts
- Quickest we found
- 1 hour 27 to 1 hour 38 minutes, with two changes: Leicester and Nuneaton, or Derby and Tamworth.
- Via Tamworth only
- About 1 hour 43 to 1 hour 52 minutes.
- Via Birmingham
- Just over 2 hours, changing at New Street.
- Last evening option
- 21:46 from Nottingham, into Rugby at 23:38.
- Distance
- Roughly 40 miles as the crow flies, with two possible road routes.
Three ways to change trains, and why it matters
On the timetable for Tuesday 15 September 2026, the fastest Nottingham departures change twice, usually at Leicester and then Nuneaton, sometimes at Derby and then Tamworth. Two changes sound slower than one, but they aren’t here: those journeys regularly beat the ones that change once at Tamworth or Birmingham New Street.
| Leaves Nottingham | Change at | Arrives Rugby | Journey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:07 | Birmingham New Street | 10:15 | 2 h 8 min |
| 08:38 | Tamworth | 10:26 | 1 h 48 min |
| 08:50 | Leicester, Nuneaton | 10:26 | 1 h 36 min |
| 17:41 | Tamworth | 19:26 | 1 h 45 min |
| 18:50 | Leicester, Nuneaton | 20:28 | 1 h 38 min |
| 21:46 | Leicester, Nuneaton | 23:38 | 1 h 52 min |
The 08:38 and the 08:50 arrive at exactly the same time. Both get to Rugby at 10:26, one via Tamworth and the other via Leicester and Nuneaton. Take the later one and you gain twelve minutes at home for no loss at the other end.
After the 21:46, the next departure on that Tuesday timetable only gets to Rugby early the next morning. Plan the connections with National Rail Enquiries, since a late first train can break a two-change journey.
Driving from Nottingham
By car the picture is simpler, because every sensible route uses the M1. The two route planners we checked both started out on the A453 or A610 towards the motorway, then split: one left the M1 for the A426, while the other carried on to Junction 18 and the A428. They gave different mileages, so we only quote the straight-line figure of about 40 miles.
There are six free parking spaces behind our building, allocated on arrival and covered by CCTV. Parking on Railway Terrace is free overnight, between 18:00 and 08:00.
Why someone from Nottingham stays over in Rugby
Almost two hours by train each way is a long day out. That alone turns a lot of Nottingham trips into overnight stays, usually for one of these reasons.
- A family event such as a Warwickshire wedding, where the last connections home leave too early.
- A few weeks of work in the Rugby area, for which our long stay accommodation guide is a good starting point.
- Relocating, with a spell between homes. See our house move guide.
After the journey
Each of our 16 rooms has a kitchenette, so you can make dinner at 23:40 without hunting for a takeaway. The first-floor laundry is free for guests, and a stay of seven nights or more comes with a weekly clean. Compare the rooms before you book, and read our guest guide and hotel policies for pets, cancellation and check-in times.
Nottingham to Rugby questions
Is there a direct train from Nottingham to Rugby?
No. On the timetable we checked, every journey from Nottingham to Rugby changes at least once, at stations such as Tamworth, Birmingham New Street, or Leicester and Nuneaton.
How long does the train from Nottingham to Rugby take?
The quickest journeys we found took 1 hour 27 to 1 hour 38 minutes via Leicester and Nuneaton. Journeys via Birmingham New Street took just over 2 hours.
What is the latest I can leave Nottingham for Rugby?
On the weekday timetable for 15 September 2026, the 21:46 from Nottingham reaches Rugby at 23:38, changing at Leicester and Nuneaton.
Can I get into Apart Hotel Rugby if I arrive near midnight?
Yes. Rooms open with a keypad code based on the last four digits of your booking number, so there is no front desk you need to reach before it closes.
Booking from Nottingham?
Search your dates on our site and apply the code DIRECT before paying.
Our sources for this page, as of 10 September 2026. The six journeys in the table, with their changes and arrival times, were read from the traintimes.org.uk timetable for Tuesday 15 September 2026. We measured the 40 miles as a straight line between map points. For the roads we compared OSRM with Valhalla; they picked different exits from the M1 and different totals, so we name the roads and skip the mileage.
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