British Grand Prix ⋅ Getting to Silverstone
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Silverstone may be far away from any major city but the Northamptonshire circuit is well located in the heart of the country. At about 130 km from London and 105 km from the UK’s second city, Birmingham the track is easy to get to for both UK residents and international visitors.
Driving to Silverstone is a popular option—especially for fans camping over the weekend—but it’s far from the only one. Direct coach services, well-connected train routes, and park and ride shuttle buses provide alternative ways to reach the circuit, and for many fans, they’re the best way to get there.
Whether you’re looking for the cheapest way to get to Silverstone or just want to avoid the traffic and parking hassle, there are plenty of transport options for the British Grand Prix.
International Travel: Arriving in the UK for the British GP
Best Airports for Silverstone
The most convenient airports for international visitors attending the British Grand Prix are London Heathrow (LHR) and London Luton (LTN). Heathrow is the UK’s primary international gateway with connections from all over the world, and Luton is a key hub for low-cost European carriers. Both airports are well under two hours from Silverstone by road and are served by direct Megabus coaches on race weekend.
Other possible arrival points include London Gatwick (LGW), Birmingham (BHX), Manchester (MAN), and East Midlands Airport (EMA). These are still viable depending on your origin and flight availability, but they typically require an additional train or road connection to reach the circuit.
Skyscanner’s powerful search tools help to uncover the cheapest routes and the best flight deals. Set price alerts to get deals when they drop, or use the monthly chart view to find the best time to book.
Local Travel: Getting to Silverstone with Public Transport
There’s a range of public transport options for the British Grand Prix, making getting to Silverstone without a car not only straightforward but often less hassle than driving.
Direct coach services operated by Megabus run from towns and cities across the UK and are often the cheapest way to get to the track. Travelling by train may be preferable for longer journeys, and dedicated Silverstone shuttle buses are available to ferry fans back and forth from the station to the circuit gates.
British GP Coach Services from Megabus
If you’re looking for Silverstone coach travel, Megabus offers one of the most convenient and reliable ways to reach the British Grand Prix. With direct buses to Silverstone from towns and cities across England and Wales, it’s a convenient option that avoids the stress of transfers, train delays or car park queues.
All services drop off at Car Park 22, just a 5-minute walk from the main circuit gates (Gates 1 and 19). On Sunday, coaches leave between 5:30 am and 9:00 am, arriving by 10:00 am. Return services depart roughly two hours after the final on-track session, giving you a buffer in case of delays or red flags.
Thanks to a generous 23kg luggage allowance, it’s not only great for day-trippers but also ideal for weekenders planning to camp or glamp near the circuit.
Megabus Departure Points
- London area (including airports): London, Heathrow, and Luton
- South West: Bristol, Swindon, and Reading
- South East: Oxford, Cambridge, Bedford, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds, and Ipswich
- Midlands: Birmingham, Warwick, Leamington Spa, Leicester, Nottingham, Northampton, and Banbury
- North: Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, and Sheffield
- Wales: Cardiff and Newport
Buying coach tickets
One-way tickets are available for each day from Friday to Monday. Use the Megabus journey planner to check availability and book British Grand Prix bus tickets in advance for the best prices.
Getting to the British Grand Prix by Train
If you’re coming from further afield and want to avoid a long bus journey, taking a train may be a better option. This is more comfortable, though you will have to transfer to a bus or taxi to get to the circuit.
Closest Train Stations to Silverstone
Wolverton station is the closest train station to Silverstone (by a small margin) but there are not usually shuttle buses available from here.
Instead, catch a train to Banbury, Milton Keynes Central or Northampton – all within 30km of the circuit – where it will be easier to make your connection.
From London: Take the train from London Euston to Milton Keynes Central. This is usually the fastest and most direct option and you can expect the journey time to be under an hour.
From Birmingham: Trains run from Birmingham New Street to either Banbury or Milton Keynes Central. Which is quicker depends on the specific service but usually takes about an hour.
From Nottingham and Manchester: Trains to Milton Keynes Central are the best option and will arrive at the station in under 2 hours.
Buying train tickets
You can search train schedules across multiple operators simultaneously to and from just about any station in Europe using Omio (formerly GoEuro) and purchase tickets for the same cost as buying direct from the train lines.
Buy your tickets as early as possible to get the cheapest deal but bear in mind advance tickets won’t be available until 12 weeks before the Grand Prix weekend.
The Silverstone Shuttle Bus: Onward travel from Banbury, Northampton and Milton Keynes Stations
There are shuttle buses directly to the circuit from Banbury, Northampton and Milton Keynes Central train stations. Silverstone Buses pick up and drop off fans at gates 1 or 19.
Services run from at least an hour before gates open and continue until late afternoon. Return buses from the circuit begin at 16:30 and operate until at least 30 minutes after the last main stage act has finished.
Bus transfers cost £5–10 per day, depending on when you book. Tickets are available on the day, but for the best prices, it’s better to book in advance.
Order your shuttle bus passes: Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | 2-Day | 3-Day | 4-Day
Going to the British Grand Prix By Car
Driving to Silverstone is a popular choice, especially for fans camping near the circuit. Bringing your own car means you can fill the boot with sleeping bags, beer and other essentials for a long weekend in the Northamptonshire countryside.
Even if you’re not overnighting, driving can be more convenient or cost-effective, particularly for groups, so many fans also commute by car each day.
With fans arriving at staggered times, ingress to the circuit is reasonably smooth, especially if you choose park and ride and leave the car off site.
If you’re parking on site, roads around the circuit do suffer heavy traffic at peak times so you should allow plenty of time to get there. About an extra hour should suffice, not including the final walk or shuttle bus.
Leaving the car park after the race can be especially torturous, so be prepared for a few rounds of Eye Spy with the kids or an F1 podcast marathon to get you through.
- Directions from the M1 (London): Exit at junction 15A and follow the A43 to Oxford. After passing the A5 junction, you’ll see signs leading you to the circuit car parks.
- Directions from the M40 (Birmingham): Exit junction 10 and follow the A43 towards Northampton. Soon after passing Brackley look out for signs directing you to the circuit car parks.
Parking at Silverstone
There are official car parks within walking distance of the circuit entrance as well as park and ride services.
Official Parking
Silverstone has limited car parks at the circuit. These can be over a 30-minute walk to the gates, however, and with the traffic congestion around the circuit, parking on site is usually best avoided.
Individual tickets are available to buy for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Parking passes cost from £30 to £130 per day, depending on the day and when you book, so early booking is recommended.
Order your parking passes: Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Note: You have to choose either M1 or M40 when making your booking, but on the day you can arrive from whichever direction you wish.
On all days, motorcycle parking is free at a site beside the main gates.
Silverstone Park & Ride
Instead of parking at Silverstone, it’s often less expensive
to use the circuit’s park-and-ride service. Not only could you save a few quid, but you’ll also avoid driving in the agonising, stop-start traffic that you can expect near the circuit.
Simply park for free just off the M1 (Junction 15a) or M40 (Junction 10 and 11) at one of four sites – Silverstone Park and Ride locations are at Sixfields, Turweston, Hinton and Bicester Heritage park. From here, take a shuttle bus to the circuit where you’ll be dropped off at gate 1 or 19.
Shuttle services begin at least an hour before the gates open and run throughout the day until late afternoon. Return buses from the circuit start at 16:30 and continue until at least 30 minutes after the final main stage act finishes. Park and Ride Tickets cost from £5 to £10 per day.
Order your Park & Ride Passes: Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Drop-off / Pick-up
If you want to get dropped off by a friend or taxi, keep in mind that movement near the circuit is restricted to cars with parking passes, so it won’t be possible to get close to the gates. Instead, arrange transport to and from either:
- High Street in Silverstone village: This is about a 15 – 20 minute walk to the circuit gates.
- Banbury, Milton Keynes or Northampton train stations: From here, get one of the Silverstone shuttle buses for the final leg of the journey. It means an extra connection, but less walking to get to your gate once you arrive.
About Me
I’m Danny, an incurable Formula 1 fan for over 35 years and founder of The F1 Spectator. My aim is to inform and inspire, arming you with helpful tips and advice for your next F1 trip.
