The Best Day Trips from Cambridge, UK: Easy Trips by Train & Car

Looking for the best day trips from Cambridge, UK? From Ely Cathedral and Newmarket’s racehorses to medieval Norwich, abbey ruins in Bury St Edmunds and a riverside walk to Grantchester, here’s where I’d actually leave Cambridge for the day.

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When I moved to England in 2016, Cambridge was one of those places I already had in my head: old colleges, bicycles, punts and the whole very-English-university-city picture.

Several visits later, I can still lose an embarrassing amount of time between The Fitzwilliam Museum, the River Cam, old pubs and whichever college gate has distracted me this time.

But one thing I appreciate more every time I go back is how much sits just beyond the city.

In less than an hour you can be underneath Ely Cathedral’s Octagon, watching thoroughbreds work on the Newmarket gallops, walking through the ruins of the Abbey of St Edmund or standing beneath the wings of aircraft at IWM Duxford.

And if you have a car, Audley End House and Wimpole Estate are both close enough to make an easy country-house day. Go a little further and you’ve got Norwich Cathedral, Norwich Castle and its 900-year-old market—or London if Cambridge happens to be your home base for the trip.

Personally, I’d give Cambridge itself at least two days first. My weekend in Cambridge itinerary covers the pace I think the city deserves, while my best things to do in Cambridge guide is where I’d start if you’re still working out what you actually want to see.

After that? These are the trips I’d save.

Shall we?

About the Author

Hi, I’m Candace — a London-based travel writer and content creator who traded the East Coast of the US for the charm of the UK back in 2016. London’s been my home ever since.

On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of thoughtfully crafted London, UK, Europe and Worldwide travel guides alongside lots of insider London tips, honest hotel and restaurant reviews and advice for content creators.

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🗞️📺 As featured on the BBC, USA Today & Recipe.TV.

Quick Overview: The Best Day Trips From Cambridge, UK

Why Cambridge Is Such a Good Base for Day Trips

Once you look beyond King’s Parade, you’ll see just how easy it is to do a jaunt from Cambridge for the day.

The Fens sit directly north, Suffolk is to the east and Essex starts just south of the city. Add Cambridge’s railway station and the M11, and you’ve got cathedral cities, racing country, aviation history, country houses and whole medieval centres surprisingly close together.

And because several of the strongest trips are direct by train, you don’t need to spend half your day changing platforms either.

In other words, if you’re still deciding whether Cambridge deserves enough time to use it as a base at all, read my is Cambridge worth visiting guide. Short answer: yes!

1. Ely: My Pick for the Easiest Day Trip From Cambridge

Best for: cathedral architecture, easy train travel, English history and a genuinely different day from the city without going too far.

If I were choosing just one day trip from Cambridge for most people, I’d start with Ely.

The train can take as little as 14 minutes, but it’s a different vibe completely. Where Cambridge is colleges and bicycles; Ely is wide Fenland sky with a cathedral so enormous it’s been nicknamed the Ship of the Fens.

Start at Ely Cathedral and go inside and go upstairs to The Stained Glass Museum. It’s the only museum in the UK dedicated entirely to stained glass, with work spanning the thirteenth to twenty-first centuries.

From there, walk a few minutes to Oliver Cromwell’s House. Cromwell lived in Ely for around a decade, and the recreated rooms really bring the history to life.

If you still have time, add Ely Museum and finish with a slow walk around the river!

2. Newmarket: Best for Horseracing & a Completely Different Side of Cambridgeshire

Best for: horses, sporting history, families and anyone who wants a day that feels nothing like central Cambridge.

Newmarket is only around 20 minutes away on the fastest direct trains, yet the town revolves around a world Cambridge barely hints at: racehorses.

If you’re up for an early start, book the official Newmarket Gallops Tour. It starts at 8am and takes you onto 2,500 acres of training grounds used by more than 3,000 horses and around 80 trainers.

Afterwards, spend a few hours at the National Horseracing Museum, see sporting art inside Palace House—the surviving part of Charles II’s sporting palace—and the Rothschild Yard, where you can meet former racehorses being retrained for life after racing.

If your dates line up with racing, you can also check Newmarket Racecourses before you go. Otherwise, I think the gallops + museum is a perfect introduction.

3. Bury St Edmunds: Best for Abbey Ruins, a Cathedral & a Very Good Pub-History Day

Best for: medieval history, abbey ruins, gardens, beer and a market-town day with plenty to do.

A direct train gets you from Cambridge to Bury St Edmunds in roughly 40 minutes, and is perfect if you’re keen on English history.

Start at Abbey Gardens, for the ruins of the eleventh-century Abbey of St Edmund sit among formal flower beds, then go next door, go inside St Edmundsbury Cathedral (the site has more than a thousand years of worship behind it).

After you can potter down Abbeygate Street and the old centre before tucking into a Greene King Brewery Tour. Brewing in Bury goes back centuries, and Greene King has been based here for more than 200 years. And that absolutely is worth a day trip pint…

4. Saffron Walden & Audley End House: Best Day Trip From Cambridge by Car

Best for: a country house, old streets, gardens, art and a day where a car actually earns its keep.

This is the one a day trip that’s best with a car if you can. You can take a direct train from Cambridge to Audley End in under 20 minutes on the fastest services, but the station sits outside Saffron Walden, and combining the town with Audley End House and Gardens is much simpler when you control the transport.

I’d start at Audley End then go into Saffron Walden for lunch and a walk.

The town’s medieval street plan, timber-framed buildings and old castle remains give you plenty to look at without needing another major ticket. You can potter through the Market Square, see the ruins beside Saffron Walden Museum, then keep wandering through the historic centre.

And if you’re visiting between spring and October, make sure you add the Fry Art Gallery!

It’s not the easiest Cambridge day trip without a car, but it may be the nicest one if you want stately-home England without going anywhere near London.

5. Norwich: Best for a Bigger Medieval City Day

Best for: a full city day, medieval architecture, markets, independent shops and enough to justify the longer train.

Norwich is the longest train trip on this list but it doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing for a day. Direct services can take around 1 hour 16 minutes, and once you’re there at I’d start at Norwich Cathedral—one of the great Romanesque cathedrals in Europe.

From there, walk through the Cathedral Quarter towards Elm Hill, then into the Norwich Lanes for independent shops, cafés and plenty of bits for browsing.

For lunch, head to Norwich Market. They’ve occupied this part of the city for more than 900 years, and it’s a gem in modern day, for everything from local cheeses and sourdough to international street food.

Then give the afternoon to Norwich Castle and finish around the Royal Arcade and the Lanes before walking back for the train.

6. Grantchester: Best Easy Half-Day From Cambridge

Best for: riverside walks, meadows, tea and being walking distance from Cambridge

I’m bending the “day trip” definition here because Grantchester is close enough that I think of it as a Cambridge extension rather than a separate travel day.

But for me, that’s the appeal! Walk south through Coe Fen and Sheep’s Green, then follow the river and Grantchester Meadows out towards the village, and when you arrive, stop at The Orchard Tea Garden.

Tea has been served in the orchard for more than a century, with former visitors including Rupert Brooke, Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster and John Maynard Keynes.

Have tea or lunch, wander the village, then either retrace the meadows on foot or take a taxi back if your legs are done.

If you’d rather cycle than walk, consider this bike tour to Grantchester from Cambridge, or use my punting in Cambridge guide if you’re mainly interested in spending time on the River Cam.

7. Fen Drayton Lakes & St Ives: Best for Nature & a Slower Local Day

Best for: nature, birdlife, flat walks and a day away from big museums and major sights.

For a nature-filled day from Cambridge, go west towards RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes.

The reserve is filled with open water, wetlands, meadows, scrub and woodland, with otters, waterbirds, dragonflies, swallows and plenty else depending on the season.

You’ll also find three marked trails here so easy to plan your walk. The one-mile Holywell route works if you only want a short one, the 2.5-mile Ferry Lagoon Trail takes a couple of hours, and the three-mile Elney Loop gives you a longer morning or afternoon around the lakes.

To get here take the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway and request stop at the reserve! Just make sure to check the current timetable before travelling.

P.S. – And save this one for good weather!

8. IWM Duxford: Best for Aviation & Second World War History

Best for: aviation, Second World War history, a family day trip from Cambridge

IWM Duxford is one I’d put high on the list if aircraft or twentieth-century history interests you.

Duxford was an RAF fighter station during both world wars, filled real-life Spitfires, Cold War aircrafts, and the enormous American Air Museum.

I’d allow at least half a day, and longer and if you’re very keen, take up a cockpit experiences, site tours and flying event whilst you’re here, best reached by car!

9. Wimpole Estate: Best for a Country-House & Farm Day

Best for: National Trust members, families, gardens and a grand estate escape from Cambridge

Wimpole Estate is only eight miles south-west of Cambridge, but it gives you a completely different version of Cambridgeshire: think lovely mansions, walled garden, huge parkland and working rare-breed farm rather than college courts and punts.

I’d start inside Wimpole Hall, then get outside to Walled Garden is full of fruit, vegetables and herbaceous borders for acres. If you’re travelling with children, Home Farm is a treat: dotted with rare-breed cattle, pigs, sheep and heavy horses give you enough to make a full day of it rather than just rooms-and-tea.

A car is easiest for this. The 75 bus from Cambridge can drop you at Arrington, but there’s still roughly a mile to walk, so I’d only choose public transport here if that extra leg doesn’t bother you.

10. London: Best If Cambridge Is Your UK Base

Best for: major museums, food, theatre, shopping and anyone staying in Cambridge rather than visiting it from London.

I realise telling someone in Cambridge to take a day trip to London sounds slightly backwards.

But if Cambridge is home for your UK stay—perhaps for university, work or visiting family—London is genuinely one of the easiest big days out on this list. The fastest direct trains can reach the capital in under an hour.

A day trip towards London King’s Cross works brilliantly for spending some time in Bloomsbury or if you come into London Liverpool Street you can make the most of Shoreditch, Spitalfields and the City.

Whatever you do, don’t underestimate just how massive London is, pick one part of the city and actually enjoy it! (and use my London first-time visitor guide for your trip).

Would I Take a Day Trip From Cambridge to Oxford?

Although Oxford and Cambridge look close enough on a map, getting from one to the other can still take around two and a half hours with changes (see the latest train options).

If you have a car and Oxford is high on your list, it’s a bit more reasonable. Otherwise I’d save Oxford for a separate base or a London trip rather than spending so much of a Cambridge day moving between the two.

And if you’re trying to decide which university city deserves your time in the first place, here’s how I’d choose, and if you’re really keen regardless, I’d take this Oxford and Cambridge tour to save time on logistics.

Day Trips From Cambridge by Train, Bus or Car: Which Is Best?

Take the Train for Ely, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Norwich & London

These are the ones you can easily leave from Cambridge Station, arrive centrally enough to start exploring, and come back when you’re ready rather than spending the day thinking about parking.

Drive for Audley End + Saffron Walden, Duxford & Wimpole

You can do Audley End and Saffron Walden without a car, but the station, country house and town are not great to walk to.

Walk, Cycle or Use the Bus for Grantchester

Grantchester is the opposite. The river-and-meadows walk is part of the experience, and cycling is about as Cambridge as transport gets.

Use the Guided Busway for Fen Drayton & St Ives

The Busway is super helpful for getting a nature trip out of Cambridge without needing to drive. Just be sure to double-check the bus timetable beforehand!

Final Thoughts on the Best Day Trips From Cambridge

It doesn’t long to see just how much Cambridge has to offer, but in the city and beyond.

You’ve got medieval colleges, museums, bookshops, pubs, parks and the River Cam, but in just a 14-minute train you’ll find Ely Cathedral, in 20 to a town where racehorses get their exercise before breakfast. Drive south and you can spend the day beneath Spitfires at Duxford or between a mansion, walled garden and rare-breed farm or forty minutes by train be in abbey ruins and one of England’s great brewing towns.

With all said, if you have the time, I really do think Cambridge deserves to be more than a single London day trip.

So get to exploring! And of course, come ‘home’ to Cambridge for a pint by the river.

Have the best time.

Happy travels,
Candace x

FAQ: Day Trips From Cambridge, UK

What Are the Best Day Trips From Cambridge, UK?

For most visitors, I’d save Ely for the easiest cathedral-and-history day, Newmarket for horseracing, IWM Duxford for aviation, Wimpole Estate for an all-ages country-estate day, Norwich for a full medieval city and Grantchester for an easy green half-day.

What Are the Best Day Trips From Cambridge by Train?

Ely, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Norwich and London all work well by direct train from Cambridge. Ely is the easiest, with the fastest journeys around 14 minutes; Newmarket can take around 19 minutes; Bury St Edmunds around 37 minutes; Norwich around 1 hour 16 minutes; and the fastest Cambridge–London services around 49 minutes. Always check your date before travel!

What Are the Best Day Trips From Cambridge by Car?

I’d use a car for Audley End House + Saffron Walden, IWM Duxford and Wimpole Estate. All are close to Cambridge, but a car saves you from building the day around the final bus, taxi or station connection. Here’s where to hire a car in the UK if you need.

Where Can I Go for an Easy Day Trip in the UK From Cambridge?

Start with Ely. It’ll give you a major cathedral, museums and English history with almost no travel friction. If you want somewhere busier, choose Norwich; if you want countryside and walks, Grantchester or Fen Drayton Lakes are great for a nature day trip from the city.

Can You Visit Oxford on a Day Trip From Cambridge?

You can, but I wouldn’t choose the train for a casual day trip. There’s no direct Cambridge–Oxford service, and the fastest rail journeys can still take around 2.5 hours with changes. If you’re driving, it becomes more realistic. Otherwise, see my Oxford or Cambridge guide and give each city its own day.

Can You Visit Cambridge and Oxford in One Day From London?

Technically yes, especially on an organised tour like this one, but I don’t think it’s the best way to experience either city. Both deserve time inside the colleges, museums and streets rather than being reduced to a photo stop. But if one day is all you have, then one day is all you have!

Is Cambridge Worth Visiting if You Also Want to Take Day Trips?

Yes. Cambridge has enough for at least two days in its own right (here’s how to spend a weekend here), but direct trains make it practical to add in Ely, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Norwich or London for your trip without moving hotels. Just make sure you give the city itself enough time!

How Many Days Should I Stay in Cambridge if I Want to Take Day Trips?

I’d give Cambridge two full days first, then add one day for each trip you really care about. Three nights works well for Cambridge plus one easy day trip; and four or five nights gives you room to make the trip to Oxford too.

What Should I Do in Cambridge Before Taking Day Trips?

For a first visit, I’d prioritise the historic centre, at least one college interior, The Fitzwilliam Museum, the River Cam and punting, then add Cambridge University Botanic Garden or another museum depending on your interests. My one-day Cambridge itinerary gives you the fast version; but my weekend guide is the one I’d actually use before you start leaving the city.

Plan the Rest of Your Cambridge Trip

Still planning? Here’s the rest of my Cambridge guides for what to do, where to eat and stay, punting, tours and what else to see nearby.

Cambridge Itineraries & Things to Do

• The Best Things to Do in Cambridge, England: My Favourite Sights, Food Stops & Local Gems
• Day Trip from London to Cambridge: The Perfect One-Day Itinerary

Where to Eat & Stay

• The Best Restaurants in Cambridge, UK: My Favourite Places to Recommend
• The Best Cafés in Cambridge, UK: My Favourite Places for Coffee & Brunch
• The Best Hotels in Cambridge, UK: Where to Stay in the City Centre

Punting & Tours

• Punting in Cambridge: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go
• The Best Cambridge Tours, UK: Walking, University & Punting Tours I Recommend

More Cambridge Trip Planning

• The Best Day Trips from Cambridge, UK: Easy Trips by Train & Car
• Oxford or Cambridge: Which Is Better to Visit? An Honest Comparison for Tourists
• Is Cambridge Worth Visiting? My Honest Take After Visiting the City