Exeter Travel

Exeter Travel

Main railway lines run to Exeter St David’s from London (around 2 hours), and from the centre, north and west of the UK via Bristol (1 hour, with luck). St David’s station is a short distance from the city centre, and a branch line runs from it via Exeter Central (near the university) to Exmouth. There is another branch line to north Devon, and the main line continues down through Devon and Cornwall, heading for Penzance.

By Air

Scheduled flights operate into Exeter airport from many points around the UK (but not London) and from selected airports in western Europe; most of the flights are by Flybe. A fair-sized charter operation also exists.
Exeter aerodrome first opened in 1937, and has now grown into an international airport. It has scheduled flights, mostly with Flybe, to and from France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland and Ireland, plus about a dozen other provincial airports in the UK.

Charter flights are operated to many destinations worldwide: Austria | Barbados (Panama Cruise) | Bulgaria | Canada | Cyprus | France | Greek Islands (Corfu, Crete) | Ireland | England (Mediterranean Cruise, Itailian Holidays, Italian Holidays) | Madeira | Malta | Norway (Coastal Voyage) | Portugal (Algarve) | Spain | Spanish Balearic Islands (Ibiza, Minorca, Majorca) | Spanish Canary Islands (Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Tenerife) | Switzerland | Tunisia | Turkey | United Kingdom (Channel Islands, Isles of Scilly) | USA

It is easily accessible from the A30, the primary road that runs through the centre of Devon and Cornwall, and it is a short taxi-ride from Exeter St David’s station on the mainline railway to Penzance. This means that Exeter airport is an important national and international gateway for the entire south-west peninsula, encouraging businesspeople and holidaymakers to come to the region.

The existing passenger terminal has recently been enlarged and modernised, and the plans for the overall expansion of the airport include the construction of a completely new terminal building.
For more information, see: www.Exeter-airport.co.UK.

Air travel can be quite inexpensive these days and its will pay to check out the cheap carriers for special deals. A flight and hotel can be good value for that special break!

By Road

Driving to Exeter on the M5 takes an hour and half from Bristol in normal traffic conditions, though jams can occur in peak holiday periods. From London and the south east, an alternative is the A303/A30, a pleasant route that’s been dualled for most of its length.

By Coach

Coach services are slower than train, but usually cheaper; National Express, 08705 808080, www.nationalexpress.com, runs scheduled coach services to Exeter from all over the UK.

By Sea

If you want to come right into Exeter along the Exeter Ship Canal, your boat will need to be yacht-sized at most (max draft 3m, air draft 10m, loa 50’). There are, of course, visitor moorings in the estuary as well. For more information about visiting and mooring, phone 01392 274306.

Otherwise, come to Plymouth or Weymouth by Brittany Ferries and continue your journey by train, coach or car.