Introduction
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.

When to visit Barnstaple

Barnstaple in March
Estimated hotel price
€71
1 night at 3-star hotel
Barnstaple in March
Estimated hotel price
€71
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 37 miles from Barnstaple. Exeter Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Ryanair, British Airways, Aer Lingus and other airlines departing from Ireland. The shortest flight to Barnstaple from Ireland departs from Dublin and takes around 1h.

Train

AccesRail is the only carrier operating train routes to Barnstaple. The train journey from Barnstaple to London takes 2h 25m and costs around €167 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Southampton, expect to pay about €107 for a 6h 20m trip. The train station in Barnstaple is called Barnstaple, and is located 0.5 miles from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Barnstaple is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 172 miles from Barnstaple. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Budget, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Barnstaple using National Express or FlixBus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Barnstaple takes 65 miles and will cost you around €15. From London, the ticket costs about €18 for a journey of 180 miles. Barnstaple’s bus station is located 0.1 miles from the city centre.

Plane

Although Barnstaple doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Exeter Airport (EXT), which is located 37 miles from Barnstaple. Exeter Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Ryanair, British Airways, Aer Lingus and other airlines departing from Ireland. The shortest flight to Barnstaple from Ireland departs from Dublin and takes around 1h.

Train

AccesRail is the only carrier operating train routes to Barnstaple. The train journey from Barnstaple to London takes 2h 25m and costs around €167 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Southampton, expect to pay about €107 for a 6h 20m trip. The train station in Barnstaple is called Barnstaple, and is located 0.5 miles from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Barnstaple is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 172 miles from Barnstaple. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Budget, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Barnstaple using National Express or FlixBus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Barnstaple takes 65 miles and will cost you around €15. From London, the ticket costs about €18 for a journey of 180 miles. Barnstaple’s bus station is located 0.1 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Barnstaple

EXTExeter
BRSBristol
CWLCardiff Wales

Airlines serving Barnstaple

KLM
Good (1,467 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,779 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,269 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,889 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,131 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,744 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,543 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,424 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (965 reviews)
Ryanair
Good (5,288 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,471 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,880 reviews)
Pegasus Airlines
Good (641 reviews)
GOL
Good (1,184 reviews)
Kenya Airways
Good (295 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (680 reviews)
Vueling
Good (1,249 reviews)
WestJet
Good (3,283 reviews)
Jet2
Excellent (182 reviews)
IndiGo
Good (541 reviews)
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Where to stay in popular areas of Barnstaple

Most booked hotels in Barnstaple

See all
Stoke House Bed And Breakfast
4 stars
Excellent (9.7, Excellent reviews)
€81+
View
The Park Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
€74+
View
The Barnstaple Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
€77+
View
The Royal & Fortescue Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
€72+
View
The Cedars Inn by Greene King Inns
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
€87+
View

Hiring a car in Barnstaple

Expect to pay €1.54 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 €18.39 and €24.52. The most frequently booked car type in Barnstaple is Compact (Nissan Juke or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size car hire (Opel Vivaro or similar) is, on average, 22% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay €1.54 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 €18.39 and €24.52. The most frequently booked car type in Barnstaple is Compact (Nissan Juke or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size car hire (Opel Vivaro or similar) is, on average, 22% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Barnstaple