How to travel around the Cotswolds without a car

It can be challenging to travel between the villages of the Cotswolds without your own form of transport. If you’re visiting from London for example, taking a day trip or short break, you might wonder, how best to get around the Cotswolds without a car…

With over 800 square miles to explore, it is undoubtedly easier and more comfortable to hire a car and drive yourself, but this doesn’t mean you have to – especially as the roads can appear narrow and winding compared to what you’re used to in the States!

When planning your trip to the Cotswolds by public transport, please bear in mind that we do not have Uber, and buses are not particularly frequent. For example, some villages may only be serviced by buses twice a day, while busier routes may be hourly. And if you’re dining out, it’s highly recommended that you book a taxi in advance.

Cotswolds by train

As we talk about in our travel tips, visiting the Cotswolds from London by train brings you into Kingham, Moreton in Marsh, Chippenham or Kemble on the Great Western Railway line. This line gives you access to towns such as Charlbury and Combe, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, Chippenham and Bath Spa, but to see the true gems of the region, and the smaller villages, you will need to use a taxi or a bus.

Cotswolds by bus

By far the most agreeable option for a bus service is ‘The Robin’. A relatively new concept, the bookable bus service covers all of the Cotswolds and can be booked at your convenience. Simply call them up, tell them your destination and where you’re starting from, and they will provide your closest bus stop.

You can book up to two weeks in advance, and you’ll receive text messages on the day.

Public buses are also available through Stagecoach, Go Ride, Johnsons Execlbus, Pullham’s Coaches, Swanbrook and Cotswold Green, giving you access to Stratford Upon Avon, Chipping Campden, Broadway, Malmesbury and other towns.

Combining the train and bus to see the Cotswolds

Of course, we want to make it easy and fun for you to get around the Cotswolds, so UK By Train has helpfully created the ‘Cotswolds Discoverer’ pass.

Using this pass you can use any combination of train and bus to get around the entire region. Have a look at where you can visit in the image below. The numbers represent bus numbers along the broken lines, and the solid lines are railways.

Forget public transport and book a private driver guide!

If all that sounds like too much hassle, we would welcome your call to talk about which villages you’d like to see. We would be delighted to provide you with the most luxuriously comfortable, private hire vehicle and driver guide to show you all the highlights and share local historical and interesting anecdotes of our beloved region.

You can manage either the north or the south of the Cotswolds in a day, or both in a two-day tour with a Rosehill tour guide. However you choose to see the Cotswolds, we’re quite sure you’ll be utterly enamoured. Have a wonderful trip.