Although visiting the Cotswolds without a car involves a bit more planning, it often means you save money on petrol and parking, as well as helping to lower your environmental impact.
And as a bonus, you can also save money on Cotswold attractions by visiting without a car – from stately homes and gardens to museums and family-friendly sites. You can also get free extra perks like free drinks if you arrive by bus, train, bike or on foot. Here’s what car-free Cotswolds discounts are available – as well as how to get to each attraction using public transport.
Palaces and stately homes
Blenheim Palace
UNESCO World Heritage site, birthplace of Winston Churchill and one of the largest and grandest stately homes in England – Blenheim Palace is a Cotswolds must-see. You can tour the lavish state rooms decorated with art, antiques and tapestries as well as exploring acres of formal gardens and parkland. There’s also a popular kids adventure playground and regular events.
How to get there without a car: Blenheim Palace is on the edge of Woodstock. You can take a train to Hanborough then the Stagecoach S7 bus (daily) to Woodstock. Or a train to Oxford then a Stagecoach S3 or S7 bus (both daily) to Woodstock. Both buses stop outside the palace gates.
Car-free perks: Get 20% off Palace, Park and Garden tickets (normally £41 for adults) if you arrive by bus, train or bike. Use the code GREEN20 during online checkout and take proof of travel to show on arrival. Tickets are valid for a year so you can come back multiple times too.
National Trust sites
Lacock
The National Trust village of Lacock is known for its historic charms, and has been a filming location for the Harry Potter and Downton Abbey films. You can visit former medieval nunnery turned country house Lacock Abbey and learn about the history of photography at the Fox Talbot Museum. There are also pubs, cafés and some cute honesty shop stalls in the village to explore.
How to get there without a car: Lacock is four miles south of Chippenham, which is the closest train station. The Faresaver X34 bus (daily) connects Chippenham to Lacock in 13 minutes.
Car-free perks: Show a valid bus ticket at the National Trust Stables café or Courtyard Tea Rooms to get a free regular hot drink (only redeemable on the day of travel).
Woodchester Park
Woodchester Park is another Cotswold National Trust site with special offers for car-free visitors. This peaceful, secluded wooded valley includes lakes, a disused quarry and 19th-century boat house. There are three walking routes to follow – and you can add on a visit to the unfinished Victorian Gothic-style Woodchester Mansion (not run by the National Trust but tours are available).
How to get there without a car: Woodchester Park is seven miles southwest of Stroud. The Stagecoach 65 bus (daily) from Stroud stops at The Cross in Nympsfield, a 10-minute walk to the park’s Tinkley Gate. It also connects to Cam and Dursley, Stonehouse and Gloucester.
Car-free perks: Get a free regular hot drink if you travel by bus, train or bike.
Museums
Corinium Museum
Go back to the Roman era at Cirencester’s Corinium Museum. In the second century, Cirencester or Corinium Dobunnorum was the second largest Roman town in Britain with a population of 15,000. The museum features Roman mosaics, sculptures and artefacts, but also takes you though through other periods of Cirencester’s history, from Saxon jewellery to medieval stonework.
How to get there without a car: Cirencester’s nearest train station is Kemble, seven miles away. The Stagecoach 882 bus (Monday–Saturday) connects them and takes 12 minutes.
Car-free perks: Save 10% on entry (normally £8.40) if you arrive by bus, train or bike.
Court Barn Museum
Chipping Campden became a centre for the Arts and Crafts movement after architect and designer Charles Robert Ashbee moved his Guild of Handicrafts from the East End of London to the town in 1902. You can learn more about the guild and their work at the Court Barn Museum, and there are often exhibitions by contemporary Cotswold craftspeople, designers and artists too.
How to get there without a car: The nearest train stations to Chipping Campden are in Moreton-in-Marsh or Stratford-upon-Avon. They’re both connected to Chipping Campden by the Stagecoach 1/2 bus (Monday–Saturday) which takes around 40 minutes.
Car-free perks: Get 2 for 1 entry to the museum (normally £7) if you arrive by bus, train or bike.
Oxfordshire Museum & Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum
Just down the road from Blenheim Palace are the two Oxfordshire Museums. The Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum is the county’s only dedicated military history museum and tells the stories of local people involved in conflicts, both at home and abroad. And the Oxfordshire Museum takes you through the area’s history, from the Jurassic period to the Romans and Victorians.
How to get there without a car: The museums are in Woodstock – like Blenheim you can get there on the Stagecoach S7 bus from Hanborough or Stagecoach S3 or S7 buses from Oxford.
Car-free perks: Get 2 for 1 entry to the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum if you arrive by train (normally £7). You need to a show a valid train ticket and printed voucher, which can be downloaded from the National Rail website. You also save 10% in the Oxfordshire Museum café and shop.
Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein
Bath might be best known for its literary links with Jane Austen, but Frankenstein author Mary Shelley also lived in the city while she wrote her famous science fiction novel in 1816. Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein tells the – often tragic – story of her life, and shows how her Monster was brought to life in films and TV series. You can also add on an escape room experience.
How to get there without a car: The House of Frankenstein is a 10-minute walk from Bath Spa train station, which has direct services to Bristol Temple Meads and London. There are also buses to Bristol (First Bus X39) and Chippenham (Faresaver X31), plus National Express coaches.
Car-free perks: Get 2 for 1 entry if you arrive by train (normally £16.75). You need to a show a valid train ticket and printed voucher, which can be downloaded from the National Rail website.
Gardens
Westonbirt Arboretum
The National Arboretum at Westonbirt has one of the world’s most important plant collections, with over 2500 different species of trees and shrubs from across the globe. Although it’s most famous for its spectacular autumn colours, there’s plenty to see year-round. You can follow seasonal trails, climb up to the Treetop Walkway or look out for the Gruffalo – and it’s dog-friendly too.
How to get there without a car: Westonbirt Arboretum is four miles south of Tetbury. The Stagecoach 620 bus (Monday–Saturday) stops at the entrance to the arboretum and connects to Stroud in one direction and Yate and Bath in the other, all of which have train stations.
Car-free perks: Visitors get discounted entry for arriving by bus, train or bike. Entry costs £8.50 on weekdays and £11.50 on weekends and bank holidays for most of the year (versus the full price of £13/£17). Or during peak autumn colour season you pay £11.50/£14 instead of £17/£21.
Family-friendly
Birdland Park & Gardens
Birdland Park & Gardens on the edge of Bourton-on-the-Water is home to over 500 birds, from flamingos and emus to pelicans and King Penguins. You can watch the birds being fed, listen to talks from the keepers and try being a keeper for the day. There’s also the Jurassic Journey section with life-sized dinosaur models, and indoor and outdoor playgrounds for younger kids.
How to get there without a car: Bourton-on-the-Water’s nearest train station is in Moreton-in-Marsh, which is 30 minutes away using the Pulhams 801 bus (daily).
Car-free perks: Save 10% on entry (normally £8.40) if you arrive by train, bus or bike.
Fairytale Farm
Fairytale Farm on the edge of Chipping Norton has taken the fairy tale theme and turned it into a sensory wonderland for all the family. There’s a mix of things to see and do, from an adventure playground to the enchanted walk featuring characters like Little Red Riding Hood. There are plenty of animals to meet too, from alpacas and Shetland ponies to peacocks and swans.
How to get there without a car: The Stagecoach S3 bus from Oxford train station and Chipping Norton stops at Chipping Norton Golf Club, which is a few minutes’ walk from Fairytale Farm. The S3 takes 10 minutes from Chipping Norton or around an hour from Oxford.
Car-free perks: Save 10% on entry (normally £9.99) with a valid train or bus ticket.
Tours
Cotswold Canoe Hire
Take a trip down the River Thames from Lechlade with Cotswold Canoe Hire. They have kayaks, Canadian canoes, rowing boats and paddleboards available for hire to suit all ages and abilities. Or why not try something more dramatic like their swan or flamingo pedalos? Hire starts at one hour, or you can make a day of it and explore areas further afield like Kelmscott Manor.
How to get there without a car: Lechlade’s nearest train station is in Swindon. The Pulhams 64 bus (Monday–Saturday) from Swindon bus station to Lechlade takes 25 minutes. Or the Stagecoach 76/77 bus (Monday–Saturday) connects Cirencester to Lechlade in around 40 minutes.
Car-free perks: Save 10% on all hire costs if you arrive by train, bus or bike.
Bridgerton Tour of Bath
Fans of Netflix series Bridgerton can follow in the footsteps of their favourite characters on this walking tour around the cobbled streets of Bath. The 90-minute tour includes filming locations like Lady Danbury’s mansion, the Featheringtons’ house and the Modiste’s shop. There’s trivia and anecdotes about making the show along the way, along with music and sound effects.
How to get there without a car: The tour starts from the Bath World Heritage Centre on York Street, a five-minute walk from Bath train station.
Car-free perks: Save 20% on the tour (normally £19.50) when you show a valid train ticket and printed voucher, which can be downloaded from the National Rail website.
Just beyond the Cotswolds
There are also several places just outside the Cotswolds where you can get discounts if you’re visiting without a car. These are all part of the National Rail Days Out Guide scheme, so you need to show a valid train ticket and download and print out a voucher in advance to get the discount.
In Stratford-upon-Avon, you can get 2 for 1 entry to Shakespeare’s Birthplace – or a Shakespeare Story ticket which includes entry to Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and Shakespeare’s New Place as well as the birthplace. And get 2 for 1 tickets for the MAD (Mechanical Art & Design) Museum.
In Oxford, you can get 2 for 1 entry at Oxford Castle and Prison, the River and Rowing Museum and The Story Museum. You can also save 15% on several different guided walking tours – either a University and City Tour, an Oxford On Screen Tour or a CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien Tour.
You can also save a third on the cost of tickets to Warwick Castle.
Do you have questions about exploring the Cotswolds without a car? Join our Facebook group for Cotswold public transport news, tips and advice.
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