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Welcome to the Itinerary Planner. Use this tool to build your own journey or choose from an exciting range of specially selected tours.

To build your own Itinerary, click Add to Excursion to add an item to your Itinerary basket.

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  • Holidays and Tourist information - Official Tourism Board - Visit Dorset.
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  1. Leave the car and enjoy the sights
    Leave the car and enjoy the sights
  2. Travel by train in Dorset
    Travel by train in Dorset

You are here: Visitor Information > Travel Information > Getting Around

Getting Around

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Bluebird Coach Hire, Day Trips and Holidays

Coach hire, chauffeured tours, day trips and adventures, UK and European coach holidays. We operate…

Bluebird Coaches, Dorset

South Western Railway

South Western Railway is a joint venture between FirstGroup and MTR Europe, two of the world's…

South Western Railway

Purbeck Breezer

*LATEST INFORMATION* Don’t forget your face covering, which is compulsory by law, unless you are…

Purbeck Breezer number 40 bus in Corfe Castle village

City Cruises Poole

Cruises operate daily from Poole Quay and Swanage Pier (1st April - 31st October 2020). Harbour &…

Solent Scene and Island Scene boat cruises
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  • 1Bluebird Coach Hire, Day Trips and Holidays
  • 2South Western Railway
  • 3Purbeck Breezer
  • 4City Cruises Poole
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Travel around our beautiful county by bus, train, boat, bike or car. Consider leaving your car at your accommodation and make the journey by public transport part of your day out - sit back, enjoy the view and let someone else do the driving!

Whichever way you choose to travel, make sure you enjoy Dorset’s beautiful coast and countryside to the full.

If you are travelling by car, Travel Dorset gives the latest traffic information. If you choose to travel by bus or train, Traveline South West can give you various options and timetables.

Travelling by bus or coach

It's really easy to travel around Dorset by bus or National Express coach. Travelling into the larger towns for shopping or entertainment can be stress free when you catch one of the bus services connecting all the main towns in Dorset. Let Traveline South West help plan your journey from A to B.

For National Express coaches you will need to buy your ticket in advance, but for other local bus services you can buy your ticket from the driver on the day of travel and you do not need the exact money. Each bus company offers a range of one-way, return, day, week, month or group tickets. You can now use contactless payment on Purbeck Breezer, More Buses and First Dorset buses (including Jurassic Coaster), up to a maximum of £30, so you no longer need to pay with cash.

Travelling across Christchurch, Bournemouth and Poole? Buy a Getting About Ticket for a whole day of travel.

The Jurassic Coaster and Purbeck Breezer buses are ideal for walkers who want to walk a section of the South West Coast Path, as you have the option of travelling out or back by bus. Plus you can sit on the top deck and get great views of our coast and countryside!

Want to use your bus pass? Find out when and how you can use it on Dorset buses.

Travelling by train

You are never far from a railway station in Dorset as there are 23 stations on the national rail network. This includes: 9 Stations on the Great Western Railway routes including Sherborne and Gillingham and 14 stations on the South Western Railway routes including Christchurch, Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester, Wareham and Weymouth.

You can buy tickets online, by telephone and at railway station ticket offices or self-service machines on station platforms. A variety of one-way, return, day, season and group tickets are available. You might also save money on the entrance to attractions by using the Days Out Guide 2 for 1 ticket.

Visit the National Rail website for more information and to get live train departure times.

Need to get a bus from the railway station to your final destination? Purchase a PlusBus ticket and save money.

Vintage train travel

The Swanage Railway is the picture postcard branch-line to the seaside. Steam and diesel trains weave their way through the beautiful Isle of Purbeck countryside for 6 miles from Norden Station, passing the magnificent ruins of Corfe Castle to the sandy beach of Swanage - the eastern gateway to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. 

Stations are located at Norden, Corfe Castle, Harmans Cross, Herston Halt and Swanage.

Travelling by boat

Avoid the traffic and travel by sea on a boat tour or ferry. Boat trips can be enjoyed as an alternative to road or rail travel and can be caught from Poole, Wareham, Swanage, Lulworth Cove, Weymouth and West Bay. Boats can also be chartered for touring along the coast.

Why not take a day trip to the beautiful Channel Islands or France with Condor Ferries from Poole or take advantage of the many boat trips along the Jurassic Coast? You can even combine boat and bus or boat and train travel with City Cruises and save money!

Travelling by bicycle

Discover Dorset's spectacular coast and countryside by using our cycle networks whilst you are here.

There are a mixture of long and short distance routes, plus signposted and circular trails available.

Travelling by road

Plan your days out with the help of Travel Dorset, which offers information and advice about parking, roadworks and live travel alerts.

Look out for park and ride schemes in Weymouth and Poole to help take the hassle out of your trip to town centres or festivals.

Taxis are available from train stations and airports as well as towns and villages.

Electric Car Charging Points can be found throughout Dorset in the towns of Blandford Forum, Bournemouth, Bridport, Christchurch, Dorchester, Gillingham, Lyme Regis, Poole, Sherborne, Swanage, Weymouth and Wimborne Minster. Some are located in car parks, near shopping areas, at holiday accommodation or you can find other charger points on the Zap Map website or CarWow website.

Want to go car free?

Let us tempt you into discovering car free days with some exciting itineraries for you to explore the area. Leave your car behind, let someone else do the navigating and take the stress out of travelling. And when you travel by boat, open top bus or steam train, it becomes part of your day out - fun for all the family.

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Number of results: 39

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  1. South Western Railway

    South Western Railway

    Type

    Type:

    Rail

    London

    South Western Railway is a joint venture between FirstGroup and MTR Europe, two of the world's leading train companies. With over 235 million passenger journeys a year, the South Western franchise covers urban, suburban, regional and long-distance…

  2. Bluebird Coaches, Dorset

    Add Bluebird Coach Hire, Day Trips and Holidays to your Itinerary

    Bluebird Coach Hire, Day Trips and Holidays

    Type

    Type:

    Bus and Coach

    WEYMOUTH

    Awards

    • Visit Britain We're Good to Go 2021We're Good to Go

    Coach hire, chauffeured tours, day trips and adventures, UK and European coach holidays. We operate a high quality fleet ranging from 8 to 57 seats.

  3. Purbeck Breezer number 40 bus in Corfe Castle village

    Add Purbeck Breezer to your Itinerary

    Tripadvisor

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 99 reviews99 reviews

    Purbeck Breezer

    Type

    Type:

    Bus and Coach

    POOLE

    Awards

    • Visit Britain We're Good to Go 2021We're Good to Go

    *LATEST INFORMATION* Don’t forget your face covering, which is compulsory by law, unless you are exempt on medical grounds. Contactless card payments are accepted, or you can buy your ticket on the mobile app - clickit2ride. Hop on board a scenic…

  4. Solent Scene and Island Scene boat cruises

    Add City Cruises Poole to your Itinerary

    Tripadvisor

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 422 reviews422 reviews

    City Cruises Poole

    Type

    Type:

    Boat Trips & Tours

    POOLE

    Cruises operate daily from Poole Quay and Swanage Pier (1st April - 31st October 2020). Harbour & Islands Cruises run throughout the winter period from 3rd November 2020 - 19th March 2021 at selected times. Please see our website for more…

    Price Free to £47.00 Per Ticket
  5. Cyclexperience Cycle Hire at Purbeck Park, Norden.

    Add Purbeck Park to your Itinerary

    Purbeck Park

    Type

    Type:

    Car Park

    CORFE CASTLE

    Just off the A351 north of Corfe Castle, Purbeck Park has space to park 350 vehicles. If travelling to Corfe Castle or Swanage, using the Car Park is the easiest way to avoid traffic queues or finding a parking space in smaller car parks.

    …

    Price Free to £5.00 Per Ticket
  6. Swanage Railway - photo taken by Andrew P.M. Wright

    Add Swanage Railway to your Itinerary

    Tripadvisor

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 3033 reviews3033 reviews

    Swanage Railway

    Type

    Type:

    Rail

    SWANAGE

    Swanage Railway has now re-opened. Gift Cards are now available to purchase from Swanage Railway to be redeemed against any Swanage Railway product - including train tickets, dining trains and even driver experiences. The gift cards can be purchased…

    Price Free to £37.00 Per Ticket
  7. Swanage Railway at Corfe Castle Station - photo taken by Andrew P.M. Wright

    Add Corfe Castle Railway Station to your Itinerary

    Corfe Castle Railway Station

    Type

    Type:

    Rail

    CORFE CASTLE

    From Corfe Castle Station, catch a Swanage Railway train to Norden, Harman's Cross, Herston Halt or Swanage. The station building dates from the opening of the line in 1885, but following closure and narrowly avoiding demolition in the 1970’s has…

  8. Swanage Railway - photo taken by Andrew P.M. Wright

    Add Herston Halt Railway Station to your Itinerary

    Herston Halt Railway Station

    Type

    Type:

    Rail

    Herston, SWANAGE

    Herston Halt is a request stop. Like many halts across the country, trains only stop on request. Travelling passengers should give early notice to the Guard on their train that they wish to alight here and passengers waiting for a train on the…

  9. Swanage Railway Station

    Add Swanage Railway Station to your Itinerary

    Swanage Railway Station

    Type

    Type:

    Rail

    SWANAGE

    Catch the Swanage Railway train from here to Herston, Harmans Cross, Corfe Castle or Norden. Swanage Station is the seaside terminus of the Swanage Railway branchline, with all the charm of a seaside holiday of days gone by. The station is in the…

  10. Swanage Railway at Harmans Cross station - photo taken by Andrew P.M. Wright

    Add Harman's Cross Railway Station to your Itinerary

    Harman's Cross Railway Station

    Type

    Type:

    Rail

    Harman's Cross, SWANAGE

    The station is located in a tranquil spot, within unspoilt rolling Dorset countryside which has inspired artists and writers for generations, including Thomas Hardy and Enid Blyton. Many of Swanage Railway's special events are hosted at Harman’s…

  11. Greenslade Pleasure Boats at Brownsea Island

    Add Greenslade Pleasure Boats to your Itinerary

    Tripadvisor

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 79 reviews79 reviews

    Greenslade Pleasure Boats

    Type

    Type:

    Boat Trips & Tours

    Poole Quay, POOLE

    *2020 Poole Harbour Cruises now open & available*. Every day at 11am, 12.30pm & 2pm. 2 metre distance will be in place, face covering will be required. Daily trips running from March – October.

    Price £6.00 to £13.00 Per Ticket
  12. Swanage Railway's Norden Station is located next to Norden Car Park

    Add Norden Railway Station to your Itinerary

    Norden Railway Station

    Type

    Type:

    Rail

    CORFE CASTLE

    Norden Railway Station is situated to the north of Corfe Castle, directly adjacent and accessible from the main A351 road before you reach Corfe Castle village. Just follow the clearly marked brown tourism signs to Norden Car Park, where there is…

  13. Studland Ferry, sandbanks ferry

    Add Studland - Sandbanks Ferry to your Itinerary

    Studland - Sandbanks Ferry

    Type

    Type:

    Boat Trips & Tours

    STUDLAND

    The Sandbanks Ferry is now back in service and is running to the usual timetable further information, and latest updates, can be found on the ferry’s website.

    www.sandbanksferry.co.uk

     

     

     

  14. EVision Electric Vehicle Hire logo

    Add EVision Electric Vehicles to your Itinerary

    EVision Electric Vehicles

    Type

    Type:

    Car & Van Hire

    CULLOMPTON

    EVision Electric Vehicles is the UK’s first, and largest, award winning, all electric car and van hire company. Operating a nationwide fleet that exclusively comprises the highly acclaimed and industry award-winning, state-of-the-art pure electric…

  15. Great Western Railway

    Add Maiden Newton Train Station to your Itinerary

    Maiden Newton Train Station

    Type

    Type:

    Rail

    Dorchester

    Nestling between scenic rolling hills in the Frome valley, there are some wonderful opportunities to explore stunning countryside from the station at Maiden Newton.

  16. South Western Railway

    Add Hamworthy Train Station to your Itinerary

    Hamworthy Train Station

    Type

    Type:

    Rail

    Poole

    Train station with regular services to Poole, Bournemouth, London and Weymouth.

  17. South Western Railway

    Add Gillingham Train Station to your Itinerary

    Gillingham Train Station

    Type

    Type:

    Rail

    Gillingham

    Train station in the beautiful Blackmore Vale with bus links to Shaftesbury (of Hovis Hill fame).

  18. Wareham Train Station

    Add Wareham Train Station to your Itinerary

    Wareham Train Station

    Type

    Type:

    Rail

    Wareham

    Wareham is a historic market town. Regular bus services leave the station for Wareham Town Centre and nearby Swanage and Corfe Castle.

  19. South Western Railway

    Add Moreton Train Station to your Itinerary

    Moreton Train Station

    Type

    Type:

    Rail

    Dorchester

    Moreton Station. Pretty village with tearoom, garden centre and famous church with spectacular engraved windows by Laurence Whistler. Close to Clouds Hill and Dorset Snowsport Centre (taxis must be booked in advance as there is no taxi rank).

  20. South Western Railway

    Add Bournemouth Train Station to your Itinerary

    Bournemouth Train Station

    Type

    Type:

    Rail

    Bournemouth

    Bournemouth is a large coastal resort with seven miles of golden sands and a large surfing community.

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Know Before You Go - Covid-19 information
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