Getting around Poole
Poole is a compact, pedestrian-friendly town on the south coast of England, and most visitors find they can cover the centre on foot while using buses for anything further afield. The town sits within the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole conurbation, so services frequently spill over into neighbouring Bournemouth and Christchurch, which makes getting around the wider area straightforward.
Walking
The town centre is compact and easy to explore on foot. The High Street is mostly pedestrianised, and the key central areas — the Dolphin Shopping Centre, the High Street and Poole Quay — are all within walking distance of one another. Amenities, parks and the waterfront are likewise easily reached on foot.
For visitors with limited mobility, the High Street and Poole Quay sit on one level, with kerbs designed for the visually impaired. The Dolphin Shopping Centre has lifts and ramps, and both the train and bus stations are a level walk from the shopping centre. A Shopmobility scheme hires out wheelchairs by the day.
Buses
Public transport in Poole is predominantly bus-based. The main local operator is morebus, whose "More" branded services cover local routes, including the Poole–Parkstone–Westbourne–Bournemouth–Christchurch corridor, as well as services to Broadstone, Wimborne, Wareham and Swanage. Morebus also runs longer-distance links to Southampton, Dorchester and Salisbury, and operates low-floor, easy-access buses.
Within the town, the Route One service runs Monday to Saturday roughly every 30 minutes, linking Poole Town Centre attractions such as Poole Quay, Poole Park and the Dolphin Shopping Centre. Bus passes are accepted on this route.
Several ticket options make bus travel simple:
- Getting About day ticket — unlimited travel on most bus services across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, and uniquely valid on all the main bus operators across the three towns. Buy it from the driver of the first bus you board; it is valid for the rest of the day.
- Getting About smartcards — available from the morebus office at the bus station, the information office at Bournemouth Rail & Coach Station, or the yellow bus enquiry office on Avenue Road.
- Dayrider — unlimited travel across Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch and further afield for a full day, with hop-on, hop-off convenience; buy from the driver.
- Nightrider — unlimited travel between 7pm and 7am on any morebus Monday to Saturday within Zone A.
Traveline SW is a useful source for further timetable information.
Trains
Poole railway station connects the town to London Waterloo, with a journey of about two and a half hours and two trains per hour for most of the day. Services are regular and convenient, though rail fares are generally expensive, so it pays to book carefully. Trains also provide regional connections onward from Poole.
Coaches
Coaches run between Poole bus station and London Victoria roughly once an hour, via Bournemouth. There are also coach services to Heathrow Airport.
Metro, tram and light rail
Poole has no metro or extensive rapid transit system. Getting around by public transport means relying on buses and trains rather than any tram or light rail network.
Taxis and private hire
There are a number of local taxi and private hire firms in Poole, both large and small. One of the larger operators, PRC Streamline, covers Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Wimborne, Ferndown and the surrounding area, runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and offers a booking app.
Cycling
Poole has a growing network of cycle routes, with bicycles available for hire. There are more than 50 miles of cycle paths, including traffic-free and coastal scenic routes, and the terrain is largely flat, which makes cycling an appealing option. National Cycle Network Route 25 connects Poole to nearby towns including Bournemouth, and cycle lane infrastructure has seen recent improvements.
Ferries and the Sandbanks crossing
Poole's commercial port handles cross-Channel freight and passenger ferry services connecting with the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey, as well as the French port town of Saint-Malo in Brittany. Daily ferry services run from Poole Harbour to Cherbourg in France and to Jersey and Guernsey.
Closer to home, the Sandbanks–Studland chain ferry (Bramble Bush Bay) links Poole with the Purbecks and accepts motorised vehicles, foot passengers and cyclists. It operates from roughly 07:00 to 23:00, about every 20 minutes. From the Sandbanks/Poole side, departures are on the hour, twenty past and twenty to the hour, with the first at 07:00 and the last at 23:00. From the Studland/Swanage side, departures are at ten past, half past and ten to the hour, first at 07:10 and last at 23:10.
Getting there by road
If you are driving, approach from the east by taking the M27 until it becomes the A31, continue past Ringwood and follow the signs for Poole. From the west, come in on the A35. Car hire is available through online brokers such as Auto Europe.
Reaching Poole from the airport
For visitors arriving by air, coach services run between Poole bus station and Heathrow Airport, making the coach a practical option for reaching the town from the airport.
Accessible travel
Beyond the level walking routes and Shopmobility wheelchair hire already mentioned, several beach facilities cater to visitors with limited mobility. All beach car parks are surface car parks. Sandbanks and Branksome Chine each have one accessible beach wheelchair that can be used in the sea, available from May to September on a first-come, first-served basis between 09:30 and 16:30 at the beach offices; a fully refundable £50 cash deposit is required and the chairs cannot be pre-booked. From May to September, Sandbanks beach also has Mobi-Mats to help wheelchair users move from the promenade onto the sand and closer to the sea. For more information, contact Resort Information.