Travel to Cornwall from the rest of the UK is becoming easier all the time, Improved road and air links are shortening travel times and broadening the range of available travel options.

Nearly five million people visit Cornwall annually, most during the summer months, so you'll find it easier to get here, and to get around, off season, when the roads are less crowded and fares and accommodation rates more affordable.

By Train

Train services to destinations in Cornwall are operated by First Great Western and Virgin Trains. There are direct main line services from London Paddington, and Waterloo, Bristol, Birmingham and connecting services from all over the UK. The mainline service from London Paddington takes abour five hours with stops including Taunton, Exeter, Plymouth, St Austell, Truro and Hayle. For service information and booking visit the National Rail Enquiries website.

Branch line services run to Falmouth, St Ives. Newquay, the Looe Valley and the Tamar Valley. These scenic branch lines provide fabulous views of the Cornish coast and countryside. For more details including fares and timetables go to carfreedaysout.com.

By Air

Newquay Cornwall Airport, the largest commercial airport serving Cornwall, is situated at St Mawgan on the North Cornwall Coast about three miles North East of Newquay. The airport is undergoing a period of rapid expansion with plans for a new terminal building to accommodate growing passenger numbers. Seven carriers currently operate flights to more than 20 UK and European destinations including London Stansted, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Dublin, The Isles of Scilly, Jersey, Alicante, Girona, Chambéry, Dusseldorf, Geneva and Zurich. British International operates a helicopter service to St Mary's and Tresco in the Isles of Scilly from the Penzance heliport.

By Car

Road travel is the route most prone to seasonal variations. In the summer months most self-catering accommodation is booked Saturday-to-Saturday, so it's advisable to travel on any other day of the week if possible. West of Exeter, the main Cornwall arterial route is the A30 which, for the most part, is fast dual carriageway. The completion of the Indian Queens to Bodmin dual carriageway section of the A30 has reduced journey times to mid and West Cornwall significantly, but remaining short stretches of single carriageway continue to provide the potential for congestion during July and August. Check the online road traffic informations sites listed opposite for details of the current situation.

Exploring Cornwall

By Bus

Local bus services in Cornwall are provided by First Group and Western Greyhound.

By Train

Regular mainline services run from Penzance to Plymouth, en route stations include St Erth, Hayle, Cambourne, Redruth, Truro, St Austell, Par, Lostwithiel, Bodmin Parkway and Liskeard. Branch line services run by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership offer some of the most scenic rail journeys in the UK, traversing stunning coastal routes, river crossings and wooded valleys and visiting picturesque towns and villages including St Ives and Carbis Bay, Penryn and Falmouth.

By Bike

As well as an abundance of quiet country roads, Cornwall provides a number of traffic-free cycle routes. National Route 3, known as the Cornish Way, connects Bude in the North East of the county to Lands End in the South West, via either St Austell or Newquay on Route 32. Route options include the Clay Trails - a series of traffic-free routes around the Eden Project in the heart of Cornwall's china clay country. Route 32 includes the Camel Trail, which runs from Bodmin, through Wadebridge to Padstow along the Scenic River Camel estuary. The Mineral Tramways route connects the North and South Coast from Devoran to Portreath, following the route of an historic mining tramway that is now part of the Cornish mining World Heritage site. For more information about cycle routes in Cornwall visit the Sustrans website

On Foot

The South West Coast Path runs from Minehead to Poole Harbour encompassing 630 miles of coastal walking. As well as linear routes, there are numerous circular walks incorporating a section of the path. Distance and terrain varies from level walks of less than a mile to 8 mile walks with steep climbs. What they all have in common is stunning coastal scenery, abundant wildlife and historical and cultural heritage dating from the iron age through the industrial revolution to the present day. The Official Guide to the South West Coast Path has details of all of them, information about temporary path closures and other news and GPS tracks for download.

By Boat

Several ferry crossings operate on Cornwall's rivers and as well as providng a shorter more convenient route to your destination, they offer a rich travel experience in themselves. The King Harry Ferry, which crosses the River Fal bewtween Trelissick and Philleigh on the Roseland peninsula, was voted one of the world's ten top ferry crossings. Other scenic ferry crossings include the Fowey to Mevagissey ferry, The Black Tor passenger ferry from Rock to Padstow, the Fowey to Polruan passenger ferry and the Fowey to Bodinnick car ferry. For details of other ferry services, boat trips and river-based services and events see the Fal River Links website

By Car

Whilst the car can be the most convenient way to travel in Cornwall, during the summer season traffic volumes can make it a frustrating experience. Congestion on major routes, parking cost and availability and restricted access are all problems you should expect to encounter when travelling around Cornwall by car in the Summer months. If you really must take the car you can avoid some of the worst problems by making use of one of the increasing number of park and ride schemes available. Park and ride schemes operate, among other places, in Truro, Falmouth, Plymouth, St Ives, Padstow and Looe.