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 January
Estimated hotel price
€76
1 night at 3-star hotel
Barnstaple in January
Estimated hotel price
€76
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 05m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Barnstaple, followed by Great Western Railway. The train journey from Barnstaple to London takes 2h 42m and costs around €53 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Edinburgh, expect to pay about €129 for a 7h 17m 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 Europcar, 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 60 miles and will cost you around €13. From London, the ticket costs about €18 for a journey of 195 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 05m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Barnstaple, followed by Great Western Railway. The train journey from Barnstaple to London takes 2h 42m and costs around €53 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Edinburgh, expect to pay about €129 for a 7h 17m 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 Europcar, 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 60 miles and will cost you around €13. From London, the ticket costs about €18 for a journey of 195 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 (1,411 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,003 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,532 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,788 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,025 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,664 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,493 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,305 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (896 reviews)
Ryanair
Good (5,195 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,374 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,846 reviews)
Pegasus Airlines
Good (640 reviews)
GOL
Good (1,129 reviews)
Kenya Airways
Good (287 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (673 reviews)
Vueling
Good (1,208 reviews)
IndiGo
Good (497 reviews)
Jet2
Excellent (177 reviews)
AccesRail
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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)
€89+
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The Imperial Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
€98+
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The Royal & Fortescue Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
€78+
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Kentisbury Grange
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
€109+
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The Cedars Inn by Greene King Inns
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
€82+
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 €18.32 and €24.42. The most frequently booked car type in Barnstaple is Standard (Class Commercial Truck or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Vauxhall Corsa or similar) is, on average, 51% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

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 €18.32 and €24.42. The most frequently booked car type in Barnstaple is Standard (Class Commercial Truck or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Vauxhall Corsa or similar) is, on average, 51% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Barnstaple