Plymouth in Devon, about 240 miles west of London, is the most famous place through which the Pilgrims set out for the New World in 1620.
Today, you can visit Plymouth Hoe, in the area known as the Barbican, the actual starting point, and perhaps join the locals for their Thanksgiving commemorations. La Barbacana continues to be an active anchor for the city’s fishing fleet.
And Plymouth remains an active deep-water port with one of the largest natural harbors in the world. It is used by the Royal Navy. His naval shipyard, Her Majesty’s Naval Base, Devonport, is the largest naval base in Western Europe and the only refueling and refueling facility of the Royal Navy. It is also a commercial shipping port, home to ferries to France and Spain, and within the port are many small anchorages and marinas. If you are a boater, you can sail to Plymouth from various points along the south coast of England.
So there are plenty of good reasons to visit Plymouth, and if you’re not a fan of shipping, here are some other great ways to get there.
Read more about Plymouth.
How to get there
By train
Great Western Railway trains run hourly to Plymouth Station from Paddington Station, throughout the day. The trip lasts between three and three and a half hours. In the summer of 2019, the cheapest round trip was £ 67.50 when purchased in advance as two one-way, low-activity tickets.
Choose your tickets carefully for this trip and avoid buying a round trip ticket because the variation in prices can be huge. On the day we found the £ 67.50 fare, we also found a round-trip ticket for the same trains and schedules costing almost £ 40 more. Whenever you go, use the Cheapest Fare Finder, described below. If you can be flexible about what time of day you travel, you can really save a package.
- Read more about train travel in the UK
UK Travel Tip The cheapest train fares are designated ‘Advance’: anticipation depends on the journey, as most rail companies offer advance fares on a first-come, first-served basis. Advance tickets are generally sold as one-way or “single” tickets. Whether or not you buy advance tickets, always compare the price of the “single” ticket with the round trip or the “return” price, as it is often cheaper to buy two individual tickets rather than one single ticket. round trip.
It can still be confusing trying to match cheap tickets to train times and travel dates. Simplify your life and let the National Rail Inquiries computer do it for you. Use their Cheapest Fare Finder search tool – if you can be flexible about times and dates, that’s even better. Check the boxes marked “All Day” at the far right of the tool to get the absolute rate available in dollars.
By bus
National Express runs regular bus trips to Plymouth Coach Station during the day from London Victoria Coach Station. Direct coaches depart every few hours between 8am and 11:30 pm The journey takes between five and almost seven hours and fares (as of Summer 2019) ranged from £ 11 to £ 23 each way.
- Read about bus travel in the UK
- Book National Express Bus tickets in the UK
UK Travel Tip National Express offers a limited number of ‘fun fare’ promotional tickets which are very cheap (£ 6.50 for a normally £ 39.00 fare, for example). These can only be purchased online and are usually posted on the website a month to a few weeks before the trip. It’s worth checking the website to see if tickets are available for your chosen trip. Because these fun fare tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis, it can be quite confusing trying to match the cheapest tickets with the trip you want to take. Make your life easier and use the company’s online rate finder. The tool presents you with a calendar showing the rates available on any given day. If you can be flexible about your travel dates, you can save a lot.
By car
Plymouth is 238 miles west of London via the numbered M4, M5 and A roads. It takes about 4 1/2 hours to drive. Keep in mind that gasoline, called petrol in the UK, is sold by the liter (a little over a quart) and the price is usually over $ 1.50 to $ 2.00 per quart.
- Use the Automobile Association Route Planner to map a route with suggested stopovers and gas stations.
- Check daily gasoline prices (gasoline)
