Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

Lancaster travel guide

Lancaster Tourism | Lancaster Guide

You're Going to Love Lancaster

With a population of 47,162, Lancaster is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Lancaster deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

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Where to Eat in Lancaster

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Cornerhouse (15 New St) and Hest Bank (2 Hest Bank Lane) are great picks. For delicious green meals, The Brasserie Lancaster (75 Market Street) and Misso Lounge (2 King St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Lancaster.

When to visit Lancaster

Lancaster in January
Estimated hotel price
£66
1 night at 3-star hotel
Lancaster in January
Estimated hotel price
£66
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Lancaster

Plane

Although Lancaster doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Leeds/Bradford Airport (LBA), which is located 48 miles from Lancaster. The shortest domestic flight to Lancaster departs from Belfast and takes around 55m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Lancaster, followed by Avanti West Coast. The train journey from Lancaster to Birmingham takes 2h 05m and costs around £34 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from London, expect to pay about £86 for a 2h 46m trip. Located 0.3 miles from the city centre, Lancaster is the busiest station in Lancaster. Another popular train station is Lancaster Bentham, located 13 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Lancaster is to pick up a car hire from Manchester, which is about 45 miles from Lancaster. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Alamo, among others, in Manchester.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Lancaster, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Leeds, the bus ride to Lancaster takes 70 miles and will cost you around £7. From Liverpool, the ticket costs about £7 for a journey of 80 miles. Lancaster’s bus station is located 3 miles from the city centre.

Plane

Although Lancaster doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Leeds/Bradford Airport (LBA), which is located 48 miles from Lancaster. The shortest domestic flight to Lancaster departs from Belfast and takes around 55m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Lancaster, followed by Avanti West Coast. The train journey from Lancaster to Birmingham takes 2h 05m and costs around £34 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from London, expect to pay about £86 for a 2h 46m trip. Located 0.3 miles from the city centre, Lancaster is the busiest station in Lancaster. Another popular train station is Lancaster Bentham, located 13 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Lancaster is to pick up a car hire from Manchester, which is about 45 miles from Lancaster. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Alamo, among others, in Manchester.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Lancaster, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Leeds, the bus ride to Lancaster takes 70 miles and will cost you around £7. From Liverpool, the ticket costs about £7 for a journey of 80 miles. Lancaster’s bus station is located 3 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Lancaster

LPLLiverpool J. Lennon
LBALeeds/Bradford
MANManchester

Airlines serving Lancaster

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,836 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,588 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,935 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,790 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,698 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (780 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,243 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (346 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,069 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,851 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,203 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (967 reviews)
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Find flights to Lancaster

Where to stay in Lancaster

Average rates range from around £82 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £137 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Lancaster, with prices from £48 to £266 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Lancaster are about 34% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Lancaster

Most booked hotels in Lancaster

See all
Thurnham Hall
4 stars
Excellent (9.1, Excellent reviews)
£76+
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Toll House Inn
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
£107+
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Pine Lake Resort
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
£85+
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Lancaster House Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
£134+
View
Midland Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
£140+
View
Travelodge Morecambe
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
£52+
View

Hiring a car in Lancaster

Hiring a car in Lancaster costs £37 per day, on average, or £73 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 11% more expensive than at Manchester.

Expect to pay £1.30 per litre in Lancaster (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £15.58 and £20.77. The most frequently booked car type in Lancaster is Intermediate (Kia Sportage or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Citroen C3 or similar) is, on average, 66% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Lancaster costs £37 per day, on average, or £73 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 11% more expensive than at Manchester.

Expect to pay £1.30 per litre in Lancaster (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £15.58 and £20.77. The most frequently booked car type in Lancaster is Intermediate (Kia Sportage or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Citroen C3 or similar) is, on average, 66% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Lancaster

Lancaster Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Lancaster city guide for the best Lancaster travel tips. To help you organise your Lancaster trip ideas, this Lancaster visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.