For the latest information about travelling to Bristol from overseas, please check the UK Government website. We also recommend checking VisitBritain’s ‘Plan Your Trip’ page, which includes plenty of helpful tips to help with any practical questions you may have about visiting the country.
Public Transport
Bristol’s main railway and bus stations are in the heart of the city, close to many key attractions, hotels, shops, and eateries. Temple Meads railway station, the city’s principal station, is situated in the Redcliffe area, a short distance to the east of the city centre, while Bristol Bus & Coach Station is situated opposite Bristol Shopping Quarter, a short distance to the north of the city centre. We recommend using the TravelWest website to find the best way to reach your destination by public transport in Bristol and the wider region.
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• Travelling to Bristol
• Travelling around Bristol
With a Great Western Railway PlusBus pass, you can get unlimited travel on most buses in Bristol’s urban area for as little as £2 per day with your train ticket. Taxi services and e-scooters are also easy to find around the city centre. Read more about public transport in Bristol.
Driving & Parking in Bristol
If you are bringing your car to Bristol, there are a few things to be aware of and to help you out. In total, there are over 11,000 parking spaces in Bristol city centre. Many of the car parks operated by Bristol City Council feature electric vehicle (EV) charging bays on the Revive network - find a full list on their website. You’ll also find 12 Pod Point charging bays on the ground floor of the Cabot Circus car park.
However, to avoid congestion in the city centre, we recommend using one of the city’s six Park & Ride services.
Bristol operates a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in the city centre. Charges apply 24/7 to all higher emission vehicles not meeting the zone’s requirements. As a general guide, charges will not apply to:
- Euro 4, 5 and 6 petrol vehicles manufactured roughly from 2006 onwards
- Euro 6 diesel vehicles, manufactured roughly from the end of 2015 onwards
- Fully electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
- Modified or retrofitted vehicles registered with the Energy Saving Trust's Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS)
- Motorbikes
Buses and coaches are subject to a daily charge. To check if charges apply to your vehicle, use the UK Government's online compliance tool.
Be aware that there are bus gates throughout the city. A bus gate is a short section of road which only buses and authorised vehicles can use. All Bristol's bus gates are in use 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
- Find out more about bus gates
Coaches
Bristol provides dedicated coach parking at a range of locations, alongside several on-street pick-up and drop-off points across the city. You can also find out more about coach travel and coach hire companies operating in the area such as First Travel Solutions and megabus.
