Travel to Cornwall
Your guide on how to get to Cornwall
By road
It takes less than five hours to get from London to the heart of Cornwall by either train or car. Drive along the M4 motorway from London, or M6 from Manchester, and then the M5 to Exeter and finally either the A30, that is mostly dual carriageway, or the A38 through Plymouth and Saltash into South East Cornwall. Alternatively if you enter Cornwall from North Devon, there is the scenic Atlantic Highway A39 through Bude which you can join from Junction 27 on the M5. Due to the high volume of traffic on Cornwall's roads during the summer months the main A30 route before Bodmin can become congested especially at weekends. Travelling overnight or outside peak rush hours is recommended to avoid long delays.
- To plan your journey use the AA Route Planner for a tailor made travel plan with timings and mileage
- For information on possible delays or roadwork's throughout the UK or in Cornwall visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/cornwall
- Travelling to Cornwall with a caravan? Check out our caravan towing guide
By train
Contact National Rail Enquiries for train times and fare information on 08457 484950
High speed First Great Western train services run frequently from London Paddington station including the Night Riviera Sleeper Service to Penzance where customers are welcome to remain on board until 7.00am
There are also direct trains daily from Edinburgh, Birmingham, Bath and Bristol to Cornwall and its branch lines
Every weekend from May to September, and every day during July and August, direct, inter-city rail services are available to Newquay (at other times you will need to change trains on the way, usually at Par or Plymouth
Cross Country Trains (Arriva Trains) also operate some services into Cornwall from the Midlands, the North and Scotland
The First Group co-ordinate rail and bus services from stations. For bus link details telephone 08457 484950. Park-and-ride schemes run in season at Liskeard (for Looe) and Lelant Saltings (for St. Ives).
By coach
Public transport information on travel within the UK to Cornwall can be obtained from Traveline by calling 0871 200 2233 or visit www.travelinesw.com
Coach travel times from London or Birmingham to the city of Truro are around 7-8 hours
By air
Newquay Cornwall Airport is one of the fastest growing regional airports in the UK linking Cornwall to major cities across the country as well as internationally
There are regular air links to Newquay Airport from London (Gatwick) (1hr) and East Midlands (1hr 15 mins) and during the summer from Belfast, Newcastle upon Tyne (1hr 10 mins) and Dusseldorf (1hr 40 mins) arriving on the Atlantic surf coast with its miles of golden sand
bmibaby flies from East Midlands and Manchester to Newquay. To book see website or call 0905 828 2828
Flybe flies from London Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Belfast and Edinburgh. To book see website or call 0871 700 2000
Skybus flies between Newquay and the Isles of Scilly. Day trips available. To book see website or call 0845 710 5555
Lufthansa flies from Dusseldorf to Newquay. To book see website or call 0871 945 9747
Full timetables for services can be found at www.newquaycornwallairport.com
The distance between the airport and Newquay town centre is about 6 miles, and takes approximately 15 minutes by car. Expect to pay about £15 by taxi, 7am - 11pm. There is no taxi rank at the airport as such, so please book in advance. Biotravel are the official taxi company at the airport and have 10 taxis on standby ready for customers, plus a meet and greet service at the Arrivals gate. They also offer a peak time taxi share scheme. Call 01638 880006 or visit www.biotravel.co.uk.
Summercourt On-Demand Bus Service 410 provides an on-demand service between Newquay and Newquay Airport. This service departs every 30 minutes at times to suit flights and operates every day that the airport is open. The journeys must be pre-booked by calling 01726 861108.
Newquay Cornwall Airport has recently introduced a dedicated bus stop to the west of the terminal building. Western Greyhound provides a service from Padstow to Newquay via Newquay Airport – route 556. Adult fares: Newquay to Padstow costs £4.50 single or £6.50 day return. Newquay to the Airport costs £2.70 single. Timetables for the Western Greyhound Service 556 can be found at www.westerngreyhound.com or by calling 01637 871871. Car hire is available at Newquay Cornwall Airport through Europcar and Hertz or Cornwall Classic Car Hire who will meet you at the terminal.
Please note: An Airport Development Fee of £5 per departing passenger was introduced from October 2005 to help secure the future of Newquay Cornwall Airport. The Airport Development Fee will be collected at the airport. Children under the age of 16 will be exempt (proof of age may be required).
By ferry
- There are many ferry companies that operate daily services to the UK and these terminals are within easy reach of the major motorways leading you down to Cornwall
- Stena Line operates daily ferry crossings from Ireland and Holland to Britain. You can travel from Belfast, Larne, Dublin Port, Dun Laoghaire, Rosslare and the Hook of Holland
- Irish Ferries and Norfolk Line* also run services from Ireland (and France*) to the UK
- P&O Ferries have several services from Ireland, France, Spain, Holland and Belgium to UK destinations
- DFDS Seaways operate between Holland and Newcastle and from Denmark to Harwich
Travelling across the Channel from France to the UK can take as little time as 35 minutes on the Eurotunnel from Calais to Folkestone and just 1 hour and 20 minutes on the ferry service between Calais and Dover. Plymouth is the closest port to Cornwall being just across the River Tamar. Brittany Ferries offer services from Roscoff and Santander into Plymouth as well as further services from France and Spain into Portsmouth and Poole.
Fjord Line operates a fleet of ferries connecting Western Norway to the UK with sailings from Bergen, Stavanger and Haugsesund into Newcastle upon Tyne with easy access to the UK motorway network. From the Channel Islands and France you can travel by fast ferry to the Southern UK ports of Weymouth, Poole and Dorset with Condor Ferries. Services are available from Jersey, Guernsey, St. Malo and Cherbourg.
And finally, if you are still not sure how to get to Cornwall, take a look at Transport Directs website, Britain’s free online route and journey planner. Find bus and train times, plan your car journey, plan your cycle route, park and ride information, traffic news, flight information and more.
