Cathedrals & Temples
Church of San Lorenzo Maggiore
One of the oldest churches in Milan, featuring an early Christian octagonal plan and Roman-era colonnade.
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Road trip route · United Kingdom · France · Switzerland · Italy
London to Rome drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 19 hr 43 min
- Distance
- 1827 km
- Fuel (est.)
- €233
- Tolls (est.)
- €55
The London to Rome drive
The drive from London to Rome covers 1135 miles (1827 km) and takes about 19 hr 43 min without stops, including the 35-minute Eurotunnel shuttle from Folkestone to Calais. That's a long haul for one day, most drivers split it over two days, stopping overnight near White Cliffs of Dover, which turns a slog into a proper road trip.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around €233 one-way plus roughly €55 in motorway tolls. Switzerland requires a motorway vignette (vignette required). Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 1135 miles this is longer than 100% of the 144 routes covered here, so it is worth treating as a trip in itself rather than a transfer. Split across 4 days it works out at about 4.9 hours behind the wheel each day, which leaves most of the daylight for the places in between.
Best stops between London and Rome
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Castles & Palaces
Leeds Castle
A castle on islands in a lake formed by the River Len in Kent, often called the loveliest castle in the world.
Castles & Palaces
Dover Castle
A medieval fortress overlooking the English Channel, known as the Key to England due to its strategic defensive significance.
Natural Wonders
White Cliffs of Dover
Iconic chalk cliffs reaching up to 110 meters high along the English Channel, symbolizing Britain for centuries.
Landmarks
Colmar Old Town
A fairy-tale Alsatian town with brilliantly colored half-timbered houses along the canals of its 'Little Venice' quarter.
Landmarks
Riquewihr
One of the most beautiful villages in France, a perfectly preserved medieval wine village enclosed within 16th-century ramparts.
Castles & Palaces
Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg
A towering medieval fortress restored by Kaiser Wilhelm II, commanding panoramic views over the Alsatian plain from its Vosges mountain perch.
Castles & Palaces
Hever Castle
Romantic 13th-century double-moated castle that was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, set within award-winning gardens and a 38-acre lake.
Museums
The Last Supper (Santa Maria delle Grazie)
Leonardo da Vinci's iconic mural painting of the Last Supper, housed in the refectory of a Dominican convent in Milan.
What you need for this drive
Rules for each country on the route, in the order you meet them.
United Kingdom
- Motorway
- 112 km/h · 48 in town
- Tolls
- Individual tolled crossings (Dart Charge, M6 Toll)
- Drives on
- the left
Low-emission zones: London ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone).
France
- Motorway
- 130 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- Autoroute à péage
- Must carry
- warning triangle, hi-vis vest
- Winter tyres
- 1 November - 31 March
Low-emission zones: ZFE (Zones à Faibles Émissions) — needs a Crit'Air (Certificat qualité de l'air).
Switzerland
- Motorway
- 120 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- Autobahnvignette
- Must carry
- warning triangle
Low-emission zones: Geneva Stick'AIR.
Italy
- Motorway
- 130 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- Autostrade
- Must carry
- warning triangle, hi-vis vest
- Winter tyres
- 15 November - 15 April
Low-emission zones: ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato).
Checked against national road authorities and the ECB reference rates. Rules change — confirm before you travel.
Famous drives in United Kingdom and France and Switzerland and Italy
Legendary routes you could bolt onto this trip, with real distances and stop counts.
Amalfi Coast Drive
30 miles of stomach-churning sea-cliff hairpins, lemon groves, and pastel villages
68 km · 1.4h driving · 5 stops · 3 days
Verdon Gorge: Route des Crêtes
Europe's deepest canyon, turquoise water 700m below, and a clifftop road with no barriers
104 km · 3h driving · 5 stops · 2 days
Snake Pass + Peak District
Cobblestone villages, Bronte-novel moors, and the moodiest 14 miles of road in England
104 km · 2h driving · 7 stops · 3 days
Furka Pass + Three-Pass Loop
Goldfinger filmed here, and so should you, with two more passes thrown in
127 km · 2.3h driving · 6 stops · 2 days
London to Rome FAQs
How long is the drive from London to Rome?
Driving from London to Rome takes about 19 hr 43 min nonstop, covering 1135 miles (1827 km), including the 35-minute Eurotunnel shuttle crossing. Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from London to Rome?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly €233 one-way. Expect around €55 in motorway tolls. Switzerland requires a motorway vignette (vignette required). Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from London to Rome in one day?
It's possible but long: 19 hr 43 min of driving. Most people split it over two days, with an overnight stop near White Cliffs of Dover, which turns the drive into a proper road trip.
What other drives can I plan on Plan Your Road Trips?
We publish drive times, distances and fuel estimates for 144 routes across Europe and beyond, including 57 other drives in the same country. Browse them all on the routes index.
What are the best stops between London and Rome?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include Church of San Lorenzo Maggiore, Leeds Castle, Dover Castle: see the full list of 9 stops on this page.
More drives from London & Rome
London → AberdeenLondon → AmsterdamLondon → BarcelonaLondon → BathLondon → BirminghamLondon → BrightonLondon → BristolLondon → BrugesLondon → BrusselsLondon → Cambridge
Planning a bigger trip? Try the free United Kingdom road trip planner, browse every destination we cover or the Italy planner, take it with you on the road, or read the driving in Italy guide.