In this section, you'll find everything you need to help you get around once you arrive in Bristol. The area section is a great starting point to work out what's what in each district of the city, including the accommodation and attractions you'll find in each.
It's easy to get around Bristol by public transport and make your journey more sustainable. Bristol has an extensive network, including Bus, Train, Park & Ride, e-scooters & e-bikes, and even Boat.
As the UK's first cycling city, we have plenty of traffic-free cycle paths and places to hire bikes across the city as an easy way to travel around. Find cycle route maps and a route planner on Better by Bike.
Cycle Hire - Not to worry if you've arrived in Bristol without your wheels - there are plenty of choices for hiring the right bike for you. Find out more on our cycling page below.
Bristol is a walkable city and easy to walk around. The city centre is compact with many attractions and areas within a short walking distance of each other.
Dott e-scooters and e-bikes are a contemporary, cool and carbon neutral way to explore Bristol. Covering nearly all of the city, they’re easy to find, quick to book and lots of fun.
Look out for the turquoise e-scooters and e-bikes scattered around the city at parking stands, painted bays or in designated Parking Zones. For example, you can pick one up at Bristol Parkway or Temple Meads stations on arrival.
Just follow the following instructions:
Find an available Dott e-scooter and unlock it using the Dott app.
Users will need to download the Dott app and create an account and prove they are over the age of 18 with a valid full or provisional driving licence to ride an e-scooter.
Riders are always encouraged to wear helmets.
E-scooters and e-bikes cost 99p to unlock and then 16p per minute, or you can choose from a variety of passes.
Bristol and Dott operate a Mandatory Parking Zone system which means that you need to park the e-scooter in a specific parking area to complete your ride. These are all easy to find on the Dott app.
For more details on how to use the e-bikes and e-scooters to explore the city, visit TravelWest.
Taxis are a convenient and easy way to get around Bristol and the surrounding areas.
There are two types of taxis in Bristol. These are known as hackney carriages and private hire.
Hackney Carriage Taxis
Hackney carriage vehicles can pick up from taxi ranks and can be flagged down in the street (by holding up your arm or waving to a taxi with it's light illuminated). These are painted Bristol Blue and will have an illuminated light on the roof and display white and red licence plates with black printing on the front and back of the vehicle which display details of the vehicle and the expiry date.
Bristol Taxi ranks are located throughout the city centre. They are indicated with a white box with the word TAXI in.
Private Hire Taxis
Private hire vehicles have to be pre-booked and cannot be flagged down in the street. It is illegal for a private hire vehicle to take a journey which has not been pre-booked or to accept a fare by being hailed. They should display yellow and red licence plates with black printing on the front and back of the vehicle.
There are quite a few private hire taxi companies in Bristol and the nearby areas. These include; Veezu, who also have their own app to pre-book taxis, Eurotaxis and AA Taxis.
First Travel Solutions are able to provide managed taxi travel options from their pre-approved supplier base.
Uber and Ola also operate in Bristol.
Find out more about taxis in Bristol, including taxi safety tips on the Bristol City Council website here. Remember to check that you are in a licensed taxi by checking the ID badge displayed in the car.
Sometimes you want the freedom to explore a city and the surrounding area in your own time and at your own pace. If that's the case then car hire may be for you.
Bristol Car Hire Companies
There is no shortage to car rental agencies in Bristol, but remember to always use a reputable company such as Auto Europe or Sixt Car Hire, which has various locations across the city including Bristol Airport.
Bristol Car Clubs
For visitors who are staying a bit longer and would like the flexibility of having access to a car then Bristol has some active car clubs you could consider like Zip Car Bristol.
If you have your car with you to travel around Bristol, then you’ll inevitably need to find parking in Bristol. Our parking page has lots of information on car parks, electric car parking and on-road parking in and around the city of Bristol.
Travel around Bristol and the surrounding areas in style with your own private hire, coach hire or chauffeur service.
First Travel Solutions are the managed transport division of FirstGroup plc, the UK's leading transport company. They provide coach, minibus and managed taxi travel options from their pre-approved supplier base which numbers circa 1,300 companies.
Peter Carol Coaches specialise in private coach hire with an unrivalled level of service. They offer a wide range of business, contemporary and executive coaches with seating capacities from 15 to 49. Contact them for more information.
Chauffeur services are great for transfers from hotels to airports, train stations, ports and local travel for both business and private customers. But also a fantastic and competitive option for weddings, sporting event travel service and special occasions travel and maybe your own private luxury tour. Feel like a VIP from door to door. Fancy!
There are several initiatives and facilities in Bristol to make travel to and around the city as accessible as possible, whether you’re travelling by car or by public transport.
