Nailsea and Backwell, not Weston, has the fastest London train in North Somerset at 1hr 52min. Times, fares and season tickets from all five stations.
Most people assume the London train from North Somerset means Weston-super-Mare. It does not, at least not if you want the fastest one. Nailsea and Backwell station, a two-platform stop on the Bristol to Exeter line with a car park and a level crossing, puts you into Paddington in 1 hour 52 minutes on the 07:42. Weston’s quickest is 2 hours 5 minutes.
That is because the fast Paddington services run via Bristol Parkway and the Filton bank, and Nailsea, Yatton and Worle sit closer to Bristol than Weston does. The trade-off is frequency: Weston has more direct trains through the day.
This page sets out what actually runs, what it costs, and the one thing that changes the picture completely in 2028.
The five stations
North Somerset has five railway stations, all of them on the Bristol to Exeter main line, and all served by Great Western Railway:
- Weston-super-Mare (WSM), the town centre station and the district’s main stop.
- Worle (WOR), on the eastern edge of the town at Diamond Batch, with the district’s biggest station car park.
- Weston Milton (WNM), a small halt served by local trains only.
- Yatton (YAT), the station for Congresbury and the Strawberry Line path.
- Nailsea and Backwell (NLS), between the town and the village on Station Road.
Two of the district’s three largest towns, Portishead and Clevedon, have no station at all. Pill lost its in 1964. That is the single biggest gap in North Somerset’s transport, and it is being fixed, slowly.
Fastest to London, station by station
Weston-super-Mare to London
Direct GWR services to Paddington run through the morning. The first is at 06:24, arriving 08:29, which is 2 hours 5 minutes and the fastest of the day. Then:
- 06:51 to 09:05, 2 hours 14 minutes.
- 07:24 to 09:34, 2 hours 10 minutes.
- 07:54 to 10:07, 2 hours 13 minutes.
- 09:29 to 11:34, 2 hours 5 minutes, and the first Super Off-Peak train.
Anything earlier than 06:24 means changing at Bristol Temple Meads, which adds roughly 20 minutes. The 05:46 gets you into Paddington at 08:09 that way.
The route matters for money as well as time. A Super Off-Peak Return is £95.60 and only valid on later trains. The Off-Peak Return is £127.60, and an Anytime Return is £294.20. If you have to be in London for 09:00 on a weekday, you are paying the Anytime fare: £147.10 one way.
Worle, Weston Milton, Yatton and Nailsea
Worle is the sleeper choice for Weston commuters. It is on the same fast London trains as Weston, at the same fares, and it beats Weston on time because it is a stop closer to Bristol: 07:30 to 09:34 is 2 hours 4 minutes. It also has 312 spaces, EV bays and a drop-off, at £3.60 for 24 hours or £450 a year.
Nailsea and Backwell and Yatton are on a cheaper fare band and a faster run. From Nailsea the direct trains are 07:11 to 09:05 (1h54), 07:42 to 09:34 (1h52) and 08:14 to 10:07 (1h53). From Yatton, 07:05 to 09:05 (2h), 07:36 to 09:34 (1h58) and 08:08 to 10:07 (1h59). Both stations charge £143.20 for an Anytime Day Single and £68.10 Off-Peak, several pounds less than Weston.
Weston Milton is local trains only, no London service. It is 26 to 34 minutes to Bristol Temple Meads at £9.40 single.
What a season ticket costs
These are the annual season ticket prices quoted by Trainline on 10 August 2026. The London figures are the eye-watering part, and the reason almost nobody commutes daily from here to London.
| From | To London (any route) | To Bristol Temple Meads |
|---|---|---|
| Weston-super-Mare | £17,404 | £2,536 |
| Yatton | — | £2,004 |
| Nailsea and Backwell | £16,024 | £1,272 |
Two things worth knowing about those London prices. There is a much cheaper restricted season, £11,628 from Weston and £11,228 from Nailsea, but it is only valid via Warminster and Salisbury, which means a four-and-a-half-hour journey into Waterloo. It is a real ticket, not a trick, but it is not a commute. And adding a Zones 1 to 6 Travelcard takes the Weston annual to £18,304.
Weekly and monthly are easier to swallow: Weston to Bristol is £63.40 a week or £243.50 a month, Nailsea to Bristol £31.80 a week or £122.20 a month.
Portishead and Clevedon: the 2028 answer
Portishead is one of the largest towns in England without a railway station. The line to Pill and Portishead still exists as far as the freight terminal at Royal Portbury Dock, and reopening it to passengers is MetroWest Phase 1, delivered by Network Rail with the West of England Combined Authority and North Somerset Council.
The confirmed position: new stations at Portishead and Pill, passenger services due to start in 2028, hourly to Bristol Temple Meads in about 25 minutes. Construction is happening now, which is why Sheepway is affected through autumn 2026 and embankment work at Pill runs to the end of the year. Network Rail says the scheme reconnects more than 50,000 people to the railway.
Clevedon has no station and none is planned. Its line closed in 1966 and the trackbed is largely built over. From Clevedon the practical options are Yatton, about four miles away, or the bus.
Until 2028, most Portishead commuters use the X4 bus to Bristol along the A369.
Getting to the station
- Worle (Diamond Batch): 312 spaces, 2.1m height barrier, 20 minutes for 40p, £3.60 for 24 hours, £5.20 for two days, £12.20 a week. Season tickets £130 for three months, £250 for six, £450 for a year. Ten minutes free in the drop-off bay.
- Nailsea and Backwell: 271 spaces including 5 EV bays, 2.1m barrier, 40p for 20 minutes, £3.60 for 24 hours, £5.20 for two days. Station permits £250 for six months, £450 for twelve.
- Weston-super-Mare: the town’s long-stay option is Locking Road car park on Francis Fox Road, 325 spaces, £6 for 24 hours and £30 for a week, which is the cheapest way to leave a car near the station for a few days.
Full tariffs and any live changes are on the council’s car parks pages, and there is more on driving in the district on our roadworks and travel page.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the train from Weston-super-Mare to London?
2 hours 5 minutes on the fastest direct GWR service to Paddington, on the 06:24 and the 09:29. Most other direct trains take 2 hours 10 to 2 hours 14 minutes.
Which North Somerset station is fastest to London?
Nailsea and Backwell, at 1 hour 52 minutes on the 07:42. Yatton is next at 1 hour 58 minutes. Both are quicker than Weston-super-Mare because they are closer to Bristol Parkway on the fast route.
Is there a train station in Portishead?
Not yet. New stations at Portishead and Pill are under construction as MetroWest Phase 1, with passenger services due to start in 2028, running hourly to Bristol Temple Meads in about 25 minutes.
Does Clevedon have a railway station?
No. Clevedon’s branch line closed in 1966 and there are no plans to reopen it. The nearest station is Yatton.
How much is a season ticket from Weston-super-Mare to Bristol?
£2,536 a year, £243.50 a month or £63.40 a week, as quoted on 10 August 2026. Nailsea and Backwell to Bristol is much cheaper at £1,272 a year.
What is the cheapest way to get from North Somerset to London by train?
Book an Advance single well ahead on a specific train. On the day, the cheapest walk-up from Weston is the Super Off-Peak Return at £95.60, which is not valid on the morning peak services.
Sources
- National Rail timetables and walk-up fares via traintimes.org.uk for departure times, journey times and fares, checked 10 August 2026.
- Trainline season tickets for the weekly, monthly and annual season prices.
- Network Rail: the Portishead Line for the new stations, 2028 opening and journey times.
- North Somerset Council car park locations for station car park tariffs and capacities.
Fares and timetables change. Check National Rail before you travel.
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