We are curious if, in fact, travelers can get around Cornwall on a bus and/or train. Travel commentary suggests it is possible, but really? We are wanting to explore Penzance, St. Ives, Truro, and possibly, Plymouth & Tintagel. Grateful for any suggestions.
Posted by
Camano Island, WA, usa
1526 posts
I traveled in this area only on trains. There are the main lines and some small gage lines to some of the dead end places. Traveling by public transportation in easily done in most of Southern England. It gets a little more difficult on the far West Coast because of all the little bays and inlets...but a bus or taxi would probably be available. Pick your A to B locations and look it up on either Google or Bing maps and they will give you times and transportation are available from which street or station. The are several books on the different train lines available at the library.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Yes, doable (and I've done it), but requires research. It is not like a big city where you can just wait for a bus, they are usually once per hour or less. And, they do not necessarily connect to the trains, you may need to walk from the railway station into the town centre to find your bus.
For rail, there is one main line, running Plymouth-Truro-Penzance with one train every two hours from London, plus a others to other destinations, and branch lines (NOT narrow gauge) to the coast, Newquay, Falmouth and St Ives.
For more info on all buses and trains, go to the official Cornwall council site: http://www.cornwallpublictransport.info/
I would not recommend Google, as bus times and even routes change every few months.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
7204 posts
Loved all the towns you want to visit, but I had a rental car. I like being able to come and go as I please rather than being dependent on a train or bus schedule. That being said, the roads in Cornwall are winding and narrow and it does take longer than one might expect to get from point A to point B.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Your comments are very helpful. We enjoy train travel and have had several successful train/bus excursions through-out the UK, France & Spain. From your responses, having a reliable train/bus schedule is a must. Can you suggest a source for such schedules?
Posted by
usa
13 posts
Found this. Hope it helps.
http://www.cornwallpublictransport.info/bus_maps.asp
Also just finished reading Bill Bryson's latest:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Road_to_Little_Dribbling:_More_Notes_From_a_Small_Island
He covers Cornwall a bit.
Posted by
white plains, ny, usa
4164 posts
I have been to Cornwall a number of times , and for my money , a car is the way to go . A little pain in learning to drive in the UK is a small price to pay for the rewards it provides . There is a lot of advice on this website about hiring a car and dealing with the appurtenant issues of doing so . For me , a car in rural UK is a joy , and worth learning and doing .
Posted by
2599 posts
It would probably be best to stay somewhere central as that would be a hub for local bus routes. Truro is such a place and it is also on the main rail line that goes the length of Cornwall. (Spur lines to St.Ives, Falmouth and Looe could be a possibility). Test out the rail schedules here:> www.nationalrail.co.uk
For buses, try :>http://www.traveline.info