Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

Barnstaple travel guide

Barnstaple Tourism | Barnstaple Guide

You're Going to Love Barnstaple

With a population of 32,532, Barnstaple is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. Consider staying at least one whole day in Barnstaple to see all of its attractions.

Where to Eat in Barnstaple

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Waterside (Chivenor Business Park) and Heanton Court (Braunton Rd) are great picks.

When to visit Barnstaple

Barnstaple in December
Estimated hotel price
€72
1 night at 3-star hotel
Barnstaple in December
Estimated hotel price
€72
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Barnstaple

Plane

Although Barnstaple doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Exeter Airport (EXT), which is located 59 km from Barnstaple. Exeter Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from British Airways, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways and other airlines departing from Ireland. The shortest flight to Barnstaple from Ireland departs from Dublin and takes around 1h.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Barnstaple, followed by Great Western Railway. The train journey from Barnstaple to London takes 1h 48m and costs around €59 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Leeds, expect to pay about €55 for a 5h 02m trip. The train station in Barnstaple is called Barnstaple, and is located 0.8 km from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Barnstaple is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 277 km from Barnstaple. You’ll find branches of Europcar and Alamo, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Barnstaple using National Express or FlixBus. From Birmingham, the bus ride to Barnstaple takes 233 km and will cost you around €13. From London, the ticket costs about €16 for a journey of 282 km. Barnstaple’s bus station is located 0.2 km from the city centre.

Plane

Although Barnstaple doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Exeter Airport (EXT), which is located 59 km from Barnstaple. Exeter Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from British Airways, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways and other airlines departing from Ireland. The shortest flight to Barnstaple from Ireland departs from Dublin and takes around 1h.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Barnstaple, followed by Great Western Railway. The train journey from Barnstaple to London takes 1h 48m and costs around €59 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Leeds, expect to pay about €55 for a 5h 02m trip. The train station in Barnstaple is called Barnstaple, and is located 0.8 km from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Barnstaple is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 277 km from Barnstaple. You’ll find branches of Europcar and Alamo, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Barnstaple using National Express or FlixBus. From Birmingham, the bus ride to Barnstaple takes 233 km and will cost you around €13. From London, the ticket costs about €16 for a journey of 282 km. Barnstaple’s bus station is located 0.2 km from the city centre.

Airports near Barnstaple

EXTExeter
BRSBristol
CWLCardiff Wales

Airlines serving Barnstaple

KLM
Good (1,386 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,367 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,961 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,737 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,925 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,468 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,622 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,251 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (862 reviews)
Ryanair
Good (5,159 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (1,037 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,277 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,822 reviews)
Pegasus Airlines
Good (638 reviews)
GOL
Good (1,106 reviews)
Vueling
Good (1,185 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (664 reviews)
Kenya Airways
Good (281 reviews)
Jet2
Excellent (169 reviews)
IndiGo
Good (484 reviews)
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Where to stay in popular areas of Barnstaple

Most booked hotels in Barnstaple

See all
The Park Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
€88+
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The Imperial Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
€109+
View
The Barnstaple Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
€93+
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The Royal & Fortescue Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
€91+
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Kentisbury Grange
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
€104+
View
Cedars Inn by Greene King Inns
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
€78+
View

Hiring a car in Barnstaple

Expect to pay €1.53 per litre in Barnstaple (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between €18.34 and €24.45. Full-size (Opel Vivaro or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Barnstaple, while also 39% cheaper than other types, on average.

Expect to pay €1.53 per litre in Barnstaple (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between €18.34 and €24.45. Full-size (Opel Vivaro or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Barnstaple, while also 39% cheaper than other types, on average.

Find car hire in Barnstaple

Barnstaple Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Barnstaple city guide for the best Barnstaple travel tips. To help you organise your Barnstaple trip ideas, this Barnstaple visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.