Getting Around Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a compact coastal resort on the south coast of England, and most of the sights a visitor wants — the beach, the pier, the gardens and the main shopping streets — sit close together in the centre. That makes walking the default way to move around town, with buses, trains and taxis filling in the gaps for longer hops or for reaching the rail station.
Orientation: The Square and the Town Centre
Almost everything in central Bournemouth radiates from a spot known simply as The Square. It is the open space where you will find the Tourist Information office, the entrance to the main gardens, and the access point to the pier. The Square is the lowest point in central Bournemouth, so a useful trick is to simply walk downhill whenever you want to find your way back to it.
A few local landmarks help you get your bearings:
- The main shopping area lies inland (north) from The Square. Old Christchurch Road marks the upper limit of the main shopping district.
- Holdenhurst Road runs from Old Christchurch Road up to the rail station and is a student area known for late-night takeaways.
- West Cliff is the clifftop seafront area overlooking The Square, home to upmarket hotels and the Bournemouth International Centre.
- The Triangle, up Commercial Road from The Square, is the town's gay village and specialist shopping area.
- Further west is Westbourne, a quaint area of boutiques and cafes mostly along Seamoor Road, popular with an older clientele.
- To the east is Boscombe, a suburb with pleasant Victorian architecture, shops and eateries, plus the O2 Academy and antique shops toward the Pokesdown end.
- Christchurch Road (without the "Old") is a long road leading out of the centre toward the town of Christchurch, with Boscombe and Pokesdown strung along it.
On Foot
Bournemouth is small enough to walk around, and the town centre is well served on foot. The one caveat is the railway station: it sits a hike of roughly ten to fifteen minutes uphill from the centre, so you may prefer to take transport for that leg, especially with luggage.
Rail
Bournemouth's railway station is served by South Western Railway trains from London Waterloo and other locations along the south coast, including Poole and Weymouth. Services include express and semi-fast trains that continue on to Weymouth, plus a slower service that terminates at Poole.
CrossCountry trains from Manchester, via Birmingham New Street, terminate at Bournemouth, and some trains also arrive from other cities such as Nottingham and Newcastle upon Tyne. In summer, a wider variety of places are linked directly to Bournemouth.
There is no metro or tram network in Bournemouth — the town's public transport is built around rail, buses and taxis.
Buses
The main local bus operator is the "blue" More buses, whose routes extend across the wider Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area. The principal stops are at the rail station and at The Square, which makes both useful interchange points for getting around.
For longer-distance travel, National Express runs a direct coach service from London Victoria that takes approximately two and a half hours.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are available in Bournemouth. For a practical visitor, they are most useful for short trips where walking is inconvenient — for example, the uphill journey between the rail station and the town centre, or late-night returns after an evening out.
Getting There from the Airport
Bournemouth Airport (BOH), located at Hurn, is served by a few airlines flying directly from various destinations throughout Europe. The airport has no train station of its own, but shuttle bus services operate to connect it with the town.
An alternative for visitors is to fly into Southampton Airport and take the train into Bournemouth; that journey takes roughly 35 to 45 minutes and costs around £12.50.
Arriving by Car
Unless you are travelling from the South-West of England, most road journeys into Bournemouth come via the M27, which turns into the dual-carriageway A31 and passes through the New Forest. At Ringwood, look for the A338 exit for Bournemouth.
Take care when entering Bournemouth on the Wessex Way, as there are numerous speed cameras. Timing matters too: arriving at midday or early afternoon on a warm, sunny day can mean long queues of congestion. It is strongly advised to arrive very early or even the evening beforehand, otherwise you may spend a considerable time sitting in traffic on the A31.