The Cotswolds region is a designated Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) which should feature on every U.K itinerary.
This 800-square mile region of central south-west England incorporates six different counties. It’s packed with scenic countryside, charming market towns, rivers, castles, churches, stately homes and gardens. It’s best known for its quaint villages full of cute cottages made from honey-coloured Cotswold stone.
As a rural, sparsely populated part of England, getting around the Cotswolds isn’t as easy as other parts of the U.K. That’s why we compiled this guide, based on our multiple trips to the region, to help you get the most out of your visit to the Cotswolds.
Getting around the Cotswolds
Wondering how to get around the Cotswolds?
While there are lots of different options available for getting around the Cotswolds which method you choose will depend on your time scale, your budget, what time of year you are travelling and how confident you feel using that mode of transport.
Car
Although the Cotswolds region covers nearly 800 square miles, getting around the Cotswolds by car is easier and quicker than you may think.
Many of the principal villages you’ll want to visit are a short distance apart so you can cover a lot of ground within one day.
For example, Broadway in the northern Cotswolds to Bibury in the southern section is only 26 miles / 42 km – and there are a lot of attractions to visit in between.
If you choose to do a 2 or 3 day Cotswold itinerary, you can store your luggage in your car so it’ll be easy to move accommodation each night.
You’ll also have greater freedom in choosing where to stay in the Cotswolds. With a car, you can go where you want, when you want and for as long as you want.
Plus, if you are travelling as a couple, family or group, hiring a car can also be a cost effective way to visit the Cotswolds.
Read – 3 day Cotswolds itinerary
Things to consider about driving in the Cotswolds
If you’re not used to driving on the left, driving on rural roads can be an added stress.
Many roads in the Cotswolds are narrow (some are single track) and you will have restricted views around bends. Expect to contend with oncoming coaches, tractors and sheep on the road.
If you want to drive around the Cotswolds, we recommend using Tripiamo. Their comprehensive driving guides are specifically designed to teach international travellers what they need to know to confidently and safely drive in another country. We think they make driving in the U.K feel less daunting.
Hiring a car may not be the best option for solo travellers as you’ll have to do all the driving and navigating yourself. Car hire, insurance costs and petrol can work out expensive for solo visitors. Plus, drivers are not able to sit back and savour the scenery!
Another issue to consider is parking. Parking in the Cotswolds can be tricky as it is limited, particularly in the busy peak season.
We recommend using public car parks in the fringes of the towns and villages (such as you’ll find in Bourton-on-the-Water) or download the Parkopedia app to help you find available space nearby.
Most car parks accept credit cards but carry some cash with you just in case. We also recommend downloading the PayByPhone app which is used by many council-run car parks in the Cotswolds region.
Join a tour
A guided tour is an easy and stress free way to see the Cotswolds.
Although you may not have as much time as you would like in each location, you will see the highlights of the Cotswolds and it’s possible to fit a lot of attractions and sights into one tour.
Your guide will share their knowledge of the history, culture and stories of the local area and you can enjoy the scenery without the stress of driving or navigation.
However, we strongly recommend joining a small group tour or booking a private tour. Joining a large, impersonal coach tour may be cheaper but you will spend precious time waiting for everyone else in your tour group to get off or get on the bus at each location you stop at.
That’s why we carefully select the tour partners we work with so you’ll enjoy the best Cotswold tour possible.
Cotswold Teacup Tours
Led by Victoria, a Cotswold resident, Cotswold Teacup Tours offer private tours that include 3 – 5 different locations.
They are based around themes such as scenery, shopping or gardens or you can tailor a tour to your own interests. Victoria will pick you up (and drop off) at your Cotswold accommodation or, helpfully, from a Cotswold train station. All tours last around six hours.
We have taken a tour with Victoria and thoroughly enjoyed our day. We visited new places and learnt new things during our tour and would highly recommend our readers to book a personalised tour with Victoria. Her local insider knowledge is priceless. Hear Victoria in episodes 20, 27 and 33 of the UK Travel Planning podcast.
Go Cotswolds
This small group tour picks up from Stratford Upon Avon or Moreton-in-Marsh so it’s ideal for anyone visiting the Cotswolds by train.
The 7 – 8 hour tour includes 5 or 6 different Cotswolds villages and locations. Although you don’t have a lot of time in each location, you’ll be able to see a lot in one day.
Go Cotswolds offers two different tours covering different locations so, if you want to fully explore the Cotswolds, you could book for two days (at a discounted price). Special Christmas themed tours are also available.
Group sizes are limited to 16 and private tours are also possible.
In episode #107 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast, I chat with Lisa Benjamin, who (with her husband Tom) founded the award-winning Go Cotswolds Tours just over 10 years ago. Take a listen and hear all about their fabulous tours from Lisa herself!
We also have an exclusive promo code for Go Cotswolds Tours – enter code UKTRAVPLAN at checkout to receive a 5% discount.
Tours from London
If you want your tour to bring you to the Cotswolds from London, we recommend The English Bus and My Tailored Tours.
The English Bus offers a trip to the Cotswolds in combination with Stonehenge, and Bath, or Oxford and Stratford.
Group sizes are limited to 16 but, although you will visit several places in one day, you will not spend much time in the Cotswolds and only get to stop at one Cotswold location. However, it’s a good option if you are only in the U.K for a short time.
Book a tour with the English Bus and enter promo code LTP5 for 5% discount on their tours.
My Tailored Tours offer tailored and bespoke tours, which can include destinations in the Cotswolds and beyond such as Bath, Stonehenge, Stratford upon Avon and Oxford.
Check out our other recommendations on Cotswold tours from London here.
Bus
For a rural area, the Cotswolds boasts a good network of buses. The problem is that they are operated by nine different bus companies!
Some companies offer value for money one day explorer passes offering unlimited travel around the Cotswolds but you have to stick to only using that company. We think that this is just too complicated to navigate!
If you want to cover a lot of sights in one day, a better option is to transfer onto different buses. This is not as expensive as it might sound as, currently, single fares on buses in the U.K are capped at £2 per adult.
It’s important to know that bus services do not run frequently so you’ll need to plan your trip carefully. Most buses only run once an hour during the day and stop early in the evening (usually around 6pm or 8pm). Buses are even more infrequent on the weekends. Note that most bus schedules change during winter months and stop earlier in the day than in summer months.
You won’t be able to see as many sights travelling by bus as you would by car or on a tour but you can cover most of the Cotswolds by bus – if you have the time and patience.
A sample bus itinerary in the Cotswolds
If you’re short on time, we recommend taking the train to Moreton-in-Marsh. Catch the 801 bus from outside the station to Stow-in-the-Wold (20 minutes) and then when you’re ready to leave, catch the same 801 bus to Bourton-on-the-Water (a further 15 minutes). You can catch the same bus in the other direction to return to Moreton-in-Marsh (35 minutes).
The 801 bus (run by Pulhams) runs approximately every hour until 8.20pm during the summer. On a Sunday there are only six buses per day.
Walking
Another way to enjoy the Cotswolds is on foot. You may not be able to see lots of different locations in one day but you will get a unique perspective of the area that you won’t get from a vehicle.
Go Cotswolds offers a summer walking tour for up to 12 people. You will walk a small section of the Cotswolds Way (including Broadway Tower) before being taken to Burford where you will do a circular 4.5 km walk encompassing three Cotswold villages.
The tour includes pick up and drop off from Moreton-in-Marsh train station.
Alternatively, if you fancy doing some, or all, of the 102-mile Cotswolds Way hiking trail, Cotswolds Journeys will organise your walk for you.
They will source and book your accommodation, provide maps (or a guide) and transfer your luggage to your new accommodation each day.
Walking in the Cotswolds is, of course, dependent on good weather.
Train
Getting to the Cotswolds by train is easy – but getting around the Cotswolds by train is not.
Moreton-in-Marsh and Kingham are the only small Cotswolds town and village to boast a rail station. Once you arrive at these stations, your options for getting around are by car, tour or bus.
Other train stations in the Cotswolds include Banbury, Bath, Charlbury, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Kemble and Stroud. From here you’ll need a car, bus or taxi to access smaller towns and villages.
It’s possible to see a small part of the Cotswolds if you take the train combined with buses or taxis.
However, you will spend a lot of time navigating and waiting for public transport and your enjoyment on the day will rely on both trains and buses running on schedule.
For example, you could take the train to Moreton-in Marsh, catch the 801 bus to Stow-in-the-Wold and then the 802 bus to Kingham rail station.
It’s not impossible to do, but if you want to see a lot of the Cotswolds in one, stress free day, travelling by train is not the best method.
Getting to the Cotwolds from London
Travelling from London to the Cotswolds is easy.
You can drive from London in around 2.5 hours depending on traffic. Most of the driving route is on a motorway or main roads so it’s a relatively easy drive.
Alternatively, catch a train from London Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh in the heart of the Cotswolds (1.40 hours) or to Kemble, Stroud or Stonehouse on the southern edges of the Cotswolds.
You can also catch a train from London Marylebone to Banbury on the northern edge of the Cotswolds (51 minutes).
Another option is to catch a National Express coach from Victoria bus station in London to Stroud, Banbury, Gloucester or Cheltenham (around 3 hours).
What is the best way to get around the Cotswolds?
So now you know how to get around the Cotswolds! In our opinion the best way to get around the Cotswolds is by car or by joining a tour.
With your own car you can set your own itinerary and timetable. You can set off as early as you like to avoid the crowds, to avoid bad weather or stay out late to make the most of long summer days.
A small group tour will allow you to see a lot in a short space of time as you will be travelling with someone who knows the area well and who knows shortcuts or where to park.
You’ll also learn a lot about the history and culture of the Cotswolds from your guide. Plus, you can sit back and enjoy the scenery without having to concentrate on the road.
The extra bonus of a private tour is that you can move more quickly, ask any question you want and liaise with your guide to tweak the itinerary if there is something in particular you wish to see or visit.
We love visiting the Cotswolds and hope that this guide to getting around the Cotswolds has helped you plan your perfect trip to this beautiful part of England