Getting Around, Bournemouth Travel, Transport and Car Rental
(Bournemouth, Dorset, England, UK)
Bournemouth is situated in the centre of the south coast of Britain and is well served by public transport. This seaside resort has a large bus station and a major station train, with excellent connections throughout
England. Bournemouth is situated nearby many other towns, cities and tourist attractions. Many visitors also travel outside of the town, and renting a car is often the best method of transport, with a number of major 'A' roads and motorways situated close by, including the A35 (Wessex Way).
Airports / Arriving by Air
Bournemouth is served by a number of airports, the closest and most convenient of which is
Bournemouth International Airport (BOH), and also nearby
Southampton Airport (SOU). London Airports, including
London Heathrow Airport (LHR),
London Gatwick Airport (LGW),
London Stansted Airport (STN) and
London City Airport (LCY) are also within easy travelling distance of Bournemouth, by either train, coach or car.
Bournemouth International Airport (BOH) Guide
London City Airport (LCY) Guide
London Gatwick Airport (LGW) Guide
London Heathrow International Airport (LHR) Guide
London Luton Airport (LTN) Guide
London Stansted Airport (STN) Guide
Car Rental
The district of Bournemouth is served by a number of major roads, dual-carriage ways and motorways. Although the traffic in and out of Bournemouth can be heavy during peak commuting hours (07:30 to 10:00 and 16:00 to 18:00), driving in the town centre is fairly easy. Many tourists staying here either bring their own set of wheels or choose to rent cars, and these are the best method of transport when travelling outside of the town, to explore the surrounding countryside and nearby towns.
There are plenty of parking garages and off-street parking areas, and parking is available at Avenue Road, Bath Road, Beacon Road, Berry Court, Bournemouth International Centre (B.I.C.) , Braidley Road Bridge, Cotlands Road, Durley Chine, Durley Road, Eden Glen, Glen Fern, Lansdowne Road, Leyton Mount, Madeira Road, Pavilion, Richmond Gardens, Richmond Hill, St. Stephen's Road , Terrace Mount , Town Hall, Town Hall Annexe, West Hill and at the Winter Gardens.
By Foot
Bournemouth is well pedestrianized and one of the best ways to travel around is by foot. This is an excellent way to see some of Bournemouth's numerous tourist attractions, museums, galleries and landmarks. Finding your way around central Bournemouth is very straightforward and many of the town's major sights and attractions are within easy walking distance of each other.
Boats and Ferries
The continental ferry ports can be easily reached by the port of
Poole, close to Bournemouth, and also nearby
Southampton and
Portsmouth. Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries and P&O Ferries have regular ships that sail from Poole to mainland Europe.
Buses and Coaches
Tel: +44 (0)1202 636 100
Buses are heavily used by both locals and tourists alike and provide a particularly inexpensive way to travel in this part of Dorset and the surrounding areas. Bournemouth buses and coaches travel to many other towns and cities nearby, including Boscombe, Christchurch, Poole and Wimborne, and even Salisbury. Bus passes are available for set periods and these can be particularly convenient when travelling extensively and there are bus stops throughout town, with timetables and route information. The bus station is situated next to the main Bournemouth Train Station.
Coaches here are operated by National Express and regularly travel to the London Victoria Coach Station, London Heathrow Airport and also provide direct links to
Bristol,
Birmingham,
Brighton, Eastborne, the Midlands,
Glasgow and
Edinburgh.
Trains
Tel: +44 (0)8457 484950
The train service provides good connections throughout England and there are two main train stations, the Bournemouth Train Station in the centre, and Pokesdown Train Station, to the east. Operated by South West Trains, South Central Trains and Virgin Trains, regular services travel to towns and cities including London Waterloo, which can be reached in just over one and a half hours, Basingstoke, Birmingham, Chichester, Dorchester, Edinburgh,
Manchester,
Oxford, Poole, Southampton, Wareham,
Weymouth, Worthing and
Winchester. Advance seat reservations can be booked if required and cycle racks are also available outside of Bournemouth Train Station
Taxis
Taxis in Bournemouth are one of the most convenient ways to travel around the Bournemouth area and are usually reasonably priced. They can be easily caught from taxi ranks in the town centre, at the Travel Interchange, outside of the main railway station and at Bournemouth International Airport. The town has around 250 licenced taxis where are usually painted yellow and white, and almost 400 licence private taxi vehicles, which are available 24 hours a day. Also in quieter areas, taxis can be ordered by telephone and there are a number of reputable taxi firms that your hotel can recommend.
Bicycles
Bicycles are a popular way to travel around recreational areas and the seafront promenades, and much of Bournemouth is generally very flat, although there are some steep hills on the outskirts of Bournemouth. There are also numerous cycle trails and pathways throughout the area, many of which are particularly scenic. Bournemouth has a number of bicycle rental shops available, suiting holiday makers.
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