Getting Here

It won't take long to get to paradise, just choose your way to get here!

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GWR Night Riviera Sleeper Penzance

Train

Great Western Railway (GWR) operate high speed train services frequently from London Paddington station including the Night Riviera Sleeper service to Penzance. There are also direct trains daily from Bristol and beyond using Cross-Country.

Once in Cornwall, there's a great rail network for getting around the county, perfect for those car-free breaks. Explore the corners of Cornwall from St Ives to Looe, sit back and enjoy the scenery on the Tamar Valley Line or head to the beach at Newquay or Falmouth.

Park-and-ride schemes are in place at Liskeard (for Looe) and St Erth (for St. Ives).

Night Riviera Sleeper Service

The Night Riviera Sleeper service runs between London Paddington and Penzance. The comfortable cabins have everything you need, including USB and plug sockets, a wardrobe, a sink, and storage space.

The on-board lounge bar is open for drinks and snacks throughout the journey, and you can even order room service!

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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 passing Plymouth and Saltash into South East Cornwall. Alternatively if you enter Cornwall from North Devon, there is the scenic A39 Atlantic Highway running through Bude, which you can join from Junction 27 on the M5.

There can be a high volume of traffic during peak season, school holidays, and on 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 - just click on the link below.

Please be aware that Sat-Navs can lead you to some wonderful places in Cornwall, many of them down narrow country lanes with high hedges and few reversing points. Please follow local road signage to help get you to your destination.

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Coach and bus

National Express operate a full service into Cornwall as far as Penzance, Megabus also go to a few towns including Newquay and Falmouth.

Coach travel times from London or Birmingham to the city of Truro are around 7-8 hours

Many tour operators offer coach holidays to Cornwall, contact your local travel agent for details.

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Air

Flying to Cornwall can offer an attractive and shorter alternative to the journey by train or car.

Newquay Airport is served by a variety of routes from across the UK and beyond. For more information, please visit the Cornwall Airport Newquay Website or call 01637 860600 or e-mail info@newquaycornwallairport.com

The Airport offers year-round onward connectivity to the Isles of Scilly with Skybus.

Exeter Airport is also withing easy reach of Cornwall via the A30 and A38.

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Ferry

Plymouth is the closest ferry port to Cornwall, being just across the River Tamar. Brittany Ferries offer services from Roscoff in France and Santander in Northern Spain into Plymouth as well as further services from France and Spain into Portsmouth and Poole.

In Cornwall already? Click on the link for our guide to public transport across Cornwall.

FAQs

Everything you need to know to plan your perfect Cornish getaway.

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  • Travel to Cornwall by car

    It takes less than five hours to get from London or Birmingham to the heart of Cornwall by 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 passing Plymouth and Saltash into South East Cornwall.

    Alternatively if you enter Cornwall from North Devon, there is the scenic A39 Atlantic Highway running 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 routes 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 Traffic Watch
    • Travelling to Cornwall with a caravan? Check out our Caravan Towing guide

    PLEASE BE AWARE. Sat-Navs can lead you to some wonderful places in Cornwall, many of them down narrow country lanes with high hedges and few reversing points. If you are not sure...don't go on. Better to turn around and find another route than end up lost in the middle of nowhere.

    Travel to Cornwall by coach and bus

    National Express operate a full service into Cornwall as far as Penzance, Megabuss also go to a few towns including Newquay and Falmouth.

    Coach travel times from London or Birmingham to the city of Truro are around 7-8 hours

    Many tour operators offer coach holidays to Cornwall, contact your local travel agent for details.

    For information on public transport, including local bus timetables, once you are in Cornwall, Click here.

    To plan your journey in advance, journey planning websites such as Traveline South West can be useful.

    If you are bringing a coach to Cornwall, did you know Cornwall Council now offers a weekly coach rover ticket. This is available for all car parks where coaches are permitted and costs £15 for 24 hours or £50 for 7 days and £35 for 4 days. These can be obtained by creating an account to use the ZatPermit system.

  • You can drive via either the M4 and M5 to Exeter and then take either the A30 or A38 depending on where in Cornwall you are heading.

    You can also use the M3 and A303 from west London.

    Both National Express and Megabus operate coach's into Cornwall

    Trains to Cornwall leave from Paddington Station

    You can fly to Cornwall from both Gatwick and Heathrow (Jan 2023)

  • The North coast of Cornwall is a wonderful place to come for a holiday. A very family-friendly area, it has long attracted visitors looking for a traditional “bucket-and-spade” holiday, as well as surfers, walkers and those seeking the more relaxed pace of life.

    From Bude down to Sennen Cove, there are loads of long sandy beaches, including the popular ones at Newquay and St Ives, but there are also sections of high cliffs, great for walking or just watching the summer sunsets.

  • Cornwall's south coast tends to be quieter than the north with its vast sandy beaches and great surf. Instead you will find picturesque fishing villages, and the occasional sandy cove. Families can still enjoy a traditional “bucket-and-spade” holiday at places like Looe or Pentewan, whilst others might prefer the yachting meccas of Fowey, Falmouth or St Mawes.

    With beautiful scenery around every corner and vibrant towns and villages full of great places to eat and drink, we are sure you will want to return again and again to the south coast of Cornwall.

  • Avoid the traffic jams, the arguments when the GPS sends you the wrong way and the general hassle of having to drive great distances...

    GWR operate high speed train services frequently from London Paddington station including the Night Riviera Sleeper Service to Penzance. There are also direct trains daily from Bristol and beyond. More info from: nationalrail.co.uk

    Once in Cornwall, there's a great rail network for getting around the county, ideal for when the roads are busy in the summer. Give the driver a rest and grab a cheap day return to St Ives or Looe. Sit back and enjoy the scenery on the Tamar Valley Line or head to the beach at Newquay or Falmouth. For more info, go to Great Scenic Railways

    For National Rail enquiries telephone 08457 484950

    The First Group co-ordinate bus services from many Cornish stations.

    Park-and-ride schemes run in season at Liskeard (for Looe) and St Erth (for St. Ives).

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