Mountain pass · 1 km off the route
Gotthard Pass
- Summit
- 2,106 m summit
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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 Colmar, which turns a slog into a proper road trip.
It's split between the A4, the A1var and the A2, with no single road carrying more than 18% of it. On the way you go past Bexley, Maidstone and Folkestone, and you'll be near Colmar roughly 9 h 14 min in. It crosses 2 borders: United Kingdom to France near Calais and France to Italy near Rome.
This is a mountain drive. It reaches about 1,426 m and climbs around 2,373 m in total, so check the high roads are open before you set off. The Gotthard Pass is 1 km off the route if you have time for a detour.
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.
The road, kilometre by kilometre
Towns within a few kilometres of the fastest route, with the time it takes to reach them without stopping, plus where you cross the border.
- StartLondon
- 25 kmBexley16 min in
- 62 kmMaidstone40 min in
- 115 kmFolkestone1 h 14 min in
- 146 kmInto France
- 177 kmCalais1 h 54 min ingood place to stop
- 278 kmArras2 h 59 min in
- 351 kmSaint-Quentin3 h 47 min in
- 391 kmLaon4 h 12 min ingood place to stop
- 436 kmReims4 h 41 min in
- 560 kmVerdun6 h 1 min ingood place to stop
- 636 kmMetz6 h 50 min in
- 671 kmSaint-Avold7 h 13 min in
- 859 kmColmar9 h 14 min in
- 1347 kmInto Italy
- 1827 kmRome
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- A4337 km · 18%
- A1var307 km · 17%
- A2305 km · 17%
- A26263 km · 14%
Famous roads on or near the drive
From the 500-plus passes and driving roads drivers collect in the Plan Your Road Trips app. None are on the fastest route, but these are close enough for a detour.
Famous road · 1 km off the route
Tremola (old Gotthard Pass road)
- Summit
- 2,106 m summit
- Hairpins
- 24 hairpins
Famous road · 2 km off the route
Route des Vins d'Alsace
- Length
- 170 km long
Mountain pass · 3 km off the route
Passo della Futa
- Summit
- 903 m summit
Best stops between London and Rome
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Cathedrals & Temples
Church of San Lorenzo Maggiore
One of the oldest churches in Milan, featuring an early Christian octagonal plan and Roman-era colonnade.
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.
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.
Cathedrals & Temples
Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano)
Italy's largest church and the third-largest in the world, a breathtaking Gothic masterpiece adorned with 3,400 statues and 135 spires.
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 Colmar, which turns the drive into a proper road trip.
Which roads do you take from London to Rome?
The fastest route uses the A4 (about 337 km), the A1var (about 307 km), the A2 (about 305 km), the A26 (about 263 km). It passes Bexley, Maidstone, Folkestone, Calais.
Where should I stop on the way from London to Rome?
If you stop every couple of hours, Calais comes up about 2 h in, and Laon comes up about 4 h in, and Verdun comes up about 6 h in. All are just off the main road.
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.