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

Preston travel guide

Preston Tourism | Preston Guide

You're Going to Love Preston

With a population of 190,687, Preston is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Preston deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Preston

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Pantry@Maxy Farm (Sandy Lane Cottam) and The Clog and Billycock (Billinge End Road) are great picks. For delicious green meals, The Cartford Inn (Cartford Ln) and Afternoon Tea at the Heritage Cafe (Samlesbury Hall Preston New Road) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Preston.

When to visit Preston

Preston in January
Estimated hotel price
£59
1 night at 3-star hotel
Preston in January
Estimated hotel price
£59
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Preston in July, when the average temperature is 15 °C, and the highest can go up to 19 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 1 °C, with an average temperature of 3 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in October, when precipitation is around 100 mm. In contrast, March is usually the driest month of the year in Preston, with an average rainfall of 50 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Preston

Plane

When flying to Preston, you’ll arrive at Blackpool (BLK), which is located 13 miles from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Preston departs from Belfast and takes around 55m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Preston, followed by Transpennine Express. The train journey from Preston to Liverpool takes 0h 31m and costs around £5 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Leeds, expect to pay about £13 for a 1h 03m trip. Located 7 miles from the city centre, Preston Kirkham & Wesham is the busiest station in Preston. Another popular train station is Preston Bamber Bridge, located 3 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Preston is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 190 miles from Preston. You’ll find branches of Turo and CarWiz, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Preston using National Express or FlixBus. From Leeds, the bus ride to Preston takes 70 miles and will cost you around £8. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about £10 for a journey of 115 miles. The most popular bus station is Preston Fulwood, located 2 miles from the city centre of Preston. Preston Bus Station is also a commonly used station, and is 0.3 miles from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Preston, you’ll arrive at Blackpool (BLK), which is located 13 miles from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Preston departs from Belfast and takes around 55m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Preston, followed by Transpennine Express. The train journey from Preston to Liverpool takes 0h 31m and costs around £5 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Leeds, expect to pay about £13 for a 1h 03m trip. Located 7 miles from the city centre, Preston Kirkham & Wesham is the busiest station in Preston. Another popular train station is Preston Bamber Bridge, located 3 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Preston is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 190 miles from Preston. You’ll find branches of Turo and CarWiz, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Preston using National Express or FlixBus. From Leeds, the bus ride to Preston takes 70 miles and will cost you around £8. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about £10 for a journey of 115 miles. The most popular bus station is Preston Fulwood, located 2 miles from the city centre of Preston. Preston Bus Station is also a commonly used station, and is 0.3 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Preston

LPLLiverpool J. Lennon
LBALeeds/Bradford
MANManchester

Airlines serving Preston

KLM
Good (1,404 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,511 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,981 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,467 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,772 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,022 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,997 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,991 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,477 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,383 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,653 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (862 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,346 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,535 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,282 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,134 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,333 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,036 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,384 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (368 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Preston

Where to stay in Preston

Average rates range from around £81 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £158 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Preston, with prices from £29 to £246 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Preston are about 85% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Preston

Most booked hotels in Preston

See all
The Big Blue Hotel - Blackpool Pleasure Beach
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£63+
View
Holiday Inn Express Preston - South By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£66+
View
Hampton by Hilton Blackpool
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
£70+
View
Delta Hotels by Marriott Preston
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
£81+
View
Barton Manor Hotel & Spa, BW Signature Collection
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
£53+
View
Imperial Hotel Blackpool
4 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
£43+
View

Hiring a car in Preston

Hiring a car in Preston costs £42 per day, on average, or £84 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, 40% more expensive than at Manchester.

Expect to pay £1.35 per litre in Preston (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £16.18 and £21.57. The most frequently booked car type in Preston is Compact (Jeep Avenger or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Fiat 500 or similar) is, on average, 67% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Preston costs £42 per day, on average, or £84 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, 40% more expensive than at Manchester.

Expect to pay £1.35 per litre in Preston (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £16.18 and £21.57. The most frequently booked car type in Preston is Compact (Jeep Avenger or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Fiat 500 or similar) is, on average, 67% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Best car hire deals in Preston

Compact

4 adults, 2 Bags

£20/day

Compact

Intermediate SUV

5 adults, 3 Bags

£24/day

Intermediate SUV
Find car hire in Preston

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