Salisbury to Old Sarum
Salisbury station
· 6 min
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SAVE UP TO 78%
Shared
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from
£3.63
each
Private
Whole vehicle, up to 8
£16.75
per vehicle
About 6 min · Iron Age hillfort
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Salisbury to Old Sarum in about 6 minutes, from £3.63 each. Picked up at the drop off point near the main entrance of Salisbury train station, dropped in the English Heritage car park at Old Sarum castle. Or the whole vehicle for £16.75.
Updated October 2026
Old Sarum castle is 2.1 miles north of Salisbury (postcode SP1 3SD). The quickest way is a 6 minute shuttle; the cheapest is to walk.
How else can I get to Old Sarum?
You can walk in 45 minutes to an hour, cycle in about 15 minutes, take the X4 bus from the station to the Old Castle stop, take a taxi from the rank at the station, or drive and park at the castle.
| Way | How it works | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | About 2 miles, uphill at the end | 45 min to an hour | Free |
| Local bus | X4 from Salisbury station (stop SB) to the Old Castle stop, then a 0.4 mile walk | Check the timetable, plus the walk | Check the fare |
| Taxi | Hackney carriages wait at the rank outside the station on South Western Road | About 6 min | By the meter |
| Driving and parking | The English Heritage car park in the outer bailey, off Castle Road (A345) | About 6 min | Free for members; check the charge for non members |
| Cycling | Bike racks at the site | About 15 min | Free |
Walking and cycling times are estimates from OpenStreetMap route planners, for clear roads and a steady pace; the hill makes them slower. We never quote bus fares or times: check them with Salisbury Reds.
How much is a shuttle from Salisbury to Old Sarum?
£3.63 each in a full shuttle of 8, or £16.75 for the whole vehicle.
Everyone pays an equal share of the fare plus one booking fee per booking, so each person who joins lowers everyone’s price.
| People sharing | Each |
|---|---|
| 2 | £9.25 |
| 3 | £6.75 |
| 4 | £5.50 |
| 5 | £4.75 |
| 6 | £4.25 |
| 7 | £3.90 |
| 8 (full) | £3.63 |
| Whole vehicle (private) | £16.75 in total |
Where does the shuttle pick me up?
At the drop off point near the main entrance of Salisbury train station, and it drops you in the English Heritage car park at Old Sarum castle, about 200 metres from the shop and admission point.
How long is the shuttle from Salisbury to Old Sarum?
About 6 minutes from the station to the castle car park, on clear roads.
How does sharing a shuttle work?
Book a shuttle and others heading the same way can join it, and everyone pays an equal share of the fare, so the more people, the less you each pay.
Nobody joins? Full refund, unless you choose to go private. If nobody has joined you 2 hours before pickup, it doesn’t run and you pay nothing. Your hold is released in full and we email to let you know. If you’d rather keep it as the whole vehicle, tick “I’d rather go private if nobody joins”: your shuttle then goes ahead as a private one and you pay the difference, so £16.75 for the whole vehicle in total. You can change your mind on your trip page until 2 hours before pickup.
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Choose Shared shuttle. Pick the day and a pickup time, or join a shuttle that’s already going.
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We hold your price. We hold the price you chose on your card. Nothing is taken yet, and your final price can only be the same or lower.
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Others join your shuttle. People heading your way the same day, up to 8 in the vehicle, in groups of any size. We email you each time someone joins.
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Your price drops as people join. Everyone pays an equal share of the fare, plus one booking fee per booking (from £3.63 each). 2 hours before pickup we take your final price and release the rest of the hold.
What is there to see at Old Sarum?
Old Sarum castle and Old Sarum cathedral are on the same hilltop site, so one trip covers both.
The ruins of the Norman royal castle sit on the central mound, reached by a wooden bridge into the inner bailey. In the outer bailey around it you can still see the outlines of the original Old Sarum cathedral and its later extension.
The first cathedral at Old Sarum was consecrated in 1092. In the 1220s the clergy moved down to the river valley and began the Salisbury Cathedral you see in the city today, and the old cathedral was taken down. English Heritage cares for the site and says the average visit takes about an hour.
The four ways on a map
The station, the castle, the bus stop and the walking and cycling routes on one simple drawn map.
Your shuttle is a licensed private hire car run by Premier Taxis Salisbury.
Other shuttles from Salisbury
Salisbury to Avebury
from £13.00 each
Questions
The shuttle is quickest, about 6 minutes from the station. Share from £3.63 each or go private for £16.75 a vehicle. Walking takes 45 minutes to an hour, cycling about 15 minutes, and the X4 bus from the station stops at Old Castle, 0.4 miles from the entrance.
Share a shuttle and everyone in it pays an equal share of the fare: £7.50 each for 2 people, £5.00 each for 3, down to £1.88 each for 8. Each booking adds a £1.75 booking fee. Your group never pays more than £9.25 for 1 person, £11.75 for 2 or £13.00 for 3, booking fee included. A private shuttle is £16.75 for up to 8 people. That is all you pay.
Premier Taxis Salisbury, a private hire firm licensed by Wiltshire Council. Shared Shuttles takes the booking and the payment; the licensed firm does the driving.
Yes. Every shuttle is a licensed taxi from Premier Taxis Salisbury, with a licensed driver.
Yes. The castle ruins and the outlines of the original cathedral are on the same English Heritage site, so one visit covers both.
Yes. Tick "Add a return" when you book and pick a time to be collected from the Old Sarum car park.
At Salisbury station we meet you at the drop off point near the main entrance of Salisbury train station. At Old Sarum castle we meet you in the English Heritage car park. Your trip page shows the driver, the car, the number plate and how many minutes away they are.
Check before you go
Times, prices and opening hours change, so we link to the official pages rather than copy them.
Old Sarum opening times and ticket prices
Old Sarum directions, parking and buses
Traveline South West journey planner
Related pages
Facts last checked: 21 October 2026.
Need help? 01722 672136