Although it might be easiest to explore the rural villages and rolling hills of the Cotswolds by car, it’s definitely possible to visit the region without one. But if you do, one of the most important decisions to make is where to stay. Which town or village is best? Do you choose whichever is the easiest to get to, or go for somewhere prettier with more character which is harder to reach?
If you want a relaxing trip and are happy to just soak up the scenery, explore a town or two and do some walks, then Stow-on-the-Wold, Broadway, Chipping Campden and Burford are all good choices. They’re accessible by public transport and have great pubs, restaurants and hotels.
But if you’re looking to see more of the region, you’re better off choosing one of the Cotswolds’ public transport hubs. These are the places with the best transport links so you can easily explore multiple towns and villages over a few days without dealing with complicated connections.
We’ve picked four of the best places to stay in the Cotswolds without a car. Each of them includes suggestions for accommodation as well as places you can easily visit on foot, by bus or train. Bus services are limited on some routes (especially on Sundays), so do check timetables.
1. Moreton-in-Marsh
- Pros: Convenient position on a train line, good bus connections so it’s easy to reach popular spots like Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold, lots of tour options.
- Cons: Busy road running through the centre.
The town of Moreton-in-Marsh in the north Cotswolds is known for its weekly Tuesday market, the largest in the region. It also has a historic High Street lined with 17th- and 18th-century buildings, an aviation museum and literary links to JRR Tolkien. Moreton is one of the few Cotswold towns on a mainline train line, making it an easy base for visiting the Cotswolds without a car.
How to get to Moreton-in-Marsh
Moreton-in-Marsh is on a direct train line to London Paddington (1.5 hours away). The same train also stops in Oxford (33 minutes). Or you can change trains at Worcestershire Parkway for connections to Cheltenham (1 hour) and Birmingham New Street (1.5 hours).
Where to stay in Moreton-in-Marsh
The Manor House* hotel dates back to the 16th century and has plenty of historic character, with wooden beams, leaded windows and log fires. It’s dog-friendly, and has a two AA Rosette restaurant as well as a bar, brasserie and library, and is surrounded by tranquil walled gardens.
The White Hart Royal* is a 17th-century former coaching inn which hosted Charles I on his way to the Battle of Naseby in 1645. It’s a popular place to eat, and also has a selection of guest bedrooms, ranging from good-value small doubles to deluxe rooms with seating areas.
Places you can visit from Moreton-in-Marsh
On foot: Batsford Arboretum is an easy 1.7-mile walk from Moreton. There are also circular walks from Moreton to Blockley (6.9 miles) or to Longborough, Sezincote House and Bourton-on-the-Hill (7 miles). You can also walk one-way to Stow-on-the-Wold (6.7 miles) and catch a bus back.
By bus: The Pulhams 801 bus (every day) connects Moreton with Chipping Norton (20 minutes), Stow-on-the-Wold (20 minutes), Bourton-on-the-Water (35 minutes) and Slaughter Pike (25 minutes), which is a 10-minute walk to Lower Slaughter or 30 minutes to Upper Slaughter.
You can also use the less-frequent Stagecoach 1/2 bus (every day) to visit Blockley (13 minutes), Broadway (30 minutes) and Chipping Campden (30–50 minutes). Or take the Stagecoach 51 bus (Monday–Saturday) to Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon (50 minutes).
The Robin, the Cotswolds’ bookable bus service, also covers the area around Moreton-in-Marsh. Its North Cotswolds service can be used to visit smaller villages like Donnington or Daylesford.
And from May–September, Heritage Bus Service 11 connects Moreton to Chipping Campden, Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water on weekends and bank holidays.
By train: Moreton-in-Marsh is on a direct train line to Oxford (33 minutes), which also stops in the small Cotswold villages of Kingham (7 minutes) and Charlbury (20 minutes).
By tour: Go Cotswolds run several day tours from Moreton, visiting different locations:
- Cotswolds Tour:* Chipping Campden, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bibury and Bourton-on-the-Water.
- Secret Cotswolds:* The Rollright Stones, Burford, Broadway, Stanton and Guiting Power.
- Bath and Southern Cotswolds:* Tetbury, Castle Combe and Bath
- Cotswolds Walks and Villages:* Broadway, Broadway Tower, Windrush Valley and Burford.
- Clarkson’s Farm Tour:* Diddly Squat Farm Shop, Hawkstone Brewery and The Farmer’s Dog.
Read more: 3+ day Cotswold itinerary without a car from Moreton-in-Marsh
2. Bourton-on-the-Water
- Pros: Beautiful setting, good walks, easy access to Stow, Bibury and the Slaughters.
- Cons: Big crowds in summer, limited accommodation options and can be pricey.
Riverside Bourton-on-the-Water is one of the most popular destinations in the Cotswolds. It has plenty to see and do, including the Cotswold Motoring Museum, Model Village and Birdland.
There’s no train station in Bourton so it takes a bit more planning to get there, but when you do you’re within easy reach of many of the Cotswolds’ prettiest spots, particularly if you like walking. And staying overnight in Bourton means you get to see it without the crowds.
How to get to Bourton-on-the-Water
Bourton-on-the-Water’s closest train station is in Moreton-in-Marsh, and the two are connected by the Pulhams 801 bus (every day) in around 35 minutes. You can also catch a train to Cheltenham and take the 801 bus in the other direction, which takes 45 minutes to reach Bourton.
Where to stay in Bourton-on-the-Water
Chester House Hotel* is a Victorian Cotswold stone property with 22 en-suite bedrooms decorated in a modern country style (some of which are dog-friendly). There’s a mix of double, twin and family rooms, and the hotel also has a good Italian restaurant, L’Anatra (the duck).
Lansdowne Guest House* is a family-run B&B which has won awards for its breakfasts. It’s a five-minute walk from the village centre and has 14 bedrooms, including one with a four-poster bed. They also rent several self-catering cottages in the village, sleeping four–eight people.
Places you can visit from Bourton-on-the-Water
On foot: Pretty Lower Slaughter is only 1.5 miles from Bourton, or you can visit both Upper and Lower Slaughter on a 5.4-mile circular walk. You can also walk from to and Stow-on-the-Wold (4.2 miles) and catch a bus back. Or take a peaceful circular walk to Wyck Rissington (4.6 miles).
By bus: The Pulhams 801 bus (every day) runs from Bourton to Slaughter Pike (3 minutes) which is a 10-minute walk from Lower Slaughter, Stow-on-the-Wold (15 minutes), Moreton-in-Marsh (30 minutes) and Chipping Norton (50 minutes). You can also visit Northleach (15 minutes), Bibury (35 minutes) and Cirencester (55 minutes) on the Pulhams 855 bus (Monday–Saturday).
The Robin, the Cotswolds’ bookable bus service, also covers the area around Bourton-on-the-Water. Its North Cotswolds service can be used to visit smaller villages like Notgrove or Naunton.
And from May–September, Heritage Bus Service 11 connects Bourton to Chipping Campden, Stow-on-the-Wold and Moreton-in-Marsh on weekends and bank holidays.
By tour: There are no Cotswold day tours starting from Bourton-on-the-Water, but you could take the Pulhams 801 bus to Moreton-in-Marsh and join a tour from there.
Read more: 8 Cotswold day trips from Bourton-on-the-Water without a car
3. Cheltenham
- Pros: Great transport links, wide range of places to eat and stay, including budget options.
- Cons: Not right in the Cotswolds, no tours available.
Regency Cheltenham is located just west of the Cotswolds, but has good transport connections both by bus and on the vintage Gloucestershire–Warwickshire Steam Railway. The town is home to the Wilson Art Gallery and Museum, Holst Victorian House and Pittville Pump Room. It also has some great places to eat, drink and shop, and is famous for its festivals and horse-racing.
How to get to Cheltenham
Cheltenham is on a direct train line to London Paddington (2 hours). You can also catch direct trains to Bristol Temple Meads (40 minutes) and Birmingham New Street (45 minutes).
Where to stay in Cheltenham
The Queens Hotel* was one of the country’s first purpose-built hotels when it opened in 1838. It’s a short walk from the town centre, looking out over Imperial Gardens. There are 84 guest bedrooms as well as Victoria’s Restaurant, a summer terrace, lounge and the Gold Cup Bar.
No 38 The Park* is a Georgian townhouse turned boutique hotel near leafy Pittville Park in the north of Cheltenham. There are 13 bedrooms, some with rolltop baths, as well as communal spaces decorated with antiques, flowers and artworks. There’s also a good restaurant and bar.
Places you can visit from Cheltenham
On foot: There are some lovely walks around Cheltenham, including on Cleeve Hill to the north (6 miles) and Leckhampton Hill to the south (3 miles), both of which have circular walks along the Cotswold Way. You can access the start point for the walks via a short journey by local bus.
By bus: The Pulhams 801 bus (every day) connects Cheltenham to Bourton-on-the-Water (45 minutes), Stow-on-the-Wold (1 hour), Moreton-in-Marsh (75 minutes) and Chipping Norton (95 minutes). You can also take the Stagecoach 51 bus (every day) to Cirencester (40 minutes).
The Pulhams X52 bus (every day) calls at Northleach (35 minutes) and Burford (50 minutes) on its way to Oxford. And the Stagecoach 66 bus (every day) runs to Painswick (40 minutes).
The Stagecoach W and Pulhams 606 buses (Monday–Saturday) run to Winchcombe (20 minutes). The 606 also continues on to Broadway (100 minutes) and Chipping Campden (2 hours).
By train: The GWSR steam train travels from Cheltenham Racecourse to Winchcombe (25 minutes) and Broadway (70 minutes). It’s a great way to travel, with vintage carriages and scenic views. Though do check timetables as trains don’t run every day and timings vary.
Read more: Cotswold itinerary without a car from Cheltenham (3+ days)
4. Cirencester
- Pros: Interesting history, good selection of hotels and restaurants, easy access to Bibury.
- Cons: Harder to get to places like Stow and Bourton, no tours available.
This historic Roman town of Cirencester is known as the ‘capital of the Cotswolds’, and you can go back in time at its Roman Amphitheatre and Corinium Museum. There are also two weekly Charter Markets, which are some of the oldest in the country. And you can shop for local arts and crafts at the New Brewery Arts Centre or catch a concert or show at the Barn Theatre.
How to get to Cirencester
Cirencester doesn’t have a train line but it’s easy to reach by bus. The closest railway station is in Kemble, which is linked by the Stagecoach 882 bus (Monday–Saturday, 12 minutes). Or you can take the Stagecoach 51 bus (every day) from Cheltenham (40 minutes). Cirencester is also connected to London by a direct National Express coach service, which takes around 2.5 hours.
Where to stay in Cirencester
The Corinium Hotel* doesn’t date quite as far back as the Romans, but it was built in 1595. It has original oak beams, a walled garden and four-poster beds and antiques in the character rooms. And it also has a restaurant serving locally sourced produce and a Courtyard Bar.
Ingleside House* is a colourful boutique hotel, with 11 bedrooms in a Grade II-listed building next door to the Barn Theatre. There’s a theatrical, Art Deco-inspired décor in both the hotel and its Téatro restaurant, garden room and piano bar, with vivid colours and modern artworks.
Places you can visit from Cirencester
On foot: There’s an easy 2.5-mile circular walk around Cirencester which visits the Roman Amphitheatre. You can also head further afield to visit Cirencester Park and the village of Stratton (5 miles) or walk to the source of the River Thames along a disused railway line (9.5 miles).
By bus: From Cirencester you can take the Pulhams 855 bus (Monday–Saturday) to Bibury (17 minutes), Northleach (35 minutes) and Bourton-on-the-Water (50 minutes). There’s also the Stagecoach 882 bus (Monday–Saturday) which runs to Tetbury (35 minutes).
The Cotswold Green 54/54A/X54 bus (Monday–Saturday) connects Cirencester to Stroud (45 minutes). Or the Stagecoach 76/77 bus (Monday–Saturday) runs to Lechlade (40 minutes), which is just outside the Cotswolds but has a scenic location alongside the River Thames.
The Robin, the Cotswolds’ bookable bus service, also covers the area around Cirencester. Its South Cotswolds service can be used to visit smaller villages like Ampney Crucis or Coln St Aldwyns. You can also use the similar Wiltshire Connect service from Cirencester to Malmesbury.
Read more: 8 easy day trips from Cirencester to Cotswolds (without a car)
Other options
As well as our four recommended places to stay in the Cotswolds without a car, you could also stay in one of the larger towns and cities on the fringes of the region like Oxford, Bath and Stratford-upon-Avon and make it a combined city break and Cotswold trip if you’re short on time.
Oxford
The historic university city of Oxford is on a direct train line to Kingham, Charlbury and Moreton-in-Marsh. You can also visit Blenheim Palace using the Stagecoach S7 bus (35 minutes), Chipping Norton on the Stagecoach S3 (1 hour) and Burford on the Pulhams X52 (1 hour). Or take the X52 as far as Witney, then change onto the Stagecoach 233 to visit Minster Lovell Hall.
Bath
Bath is a good base for exploring the southern Cotswolds, though journeys normally involve a change en route. You can walk along the canal or take a short train trip to Bradford on Avon. Or catch a train to Chippenham and change for the Faresaver 95/95A bus to Castle Combe (20 minutes), Coachstyle 99 to Malmesbury (40 minutes) or Faresaver X34 to Lacock (15 minutes).
Stratford-upon-Avon
Shakespeare’s birthplace isn’t on a train line to the Cotswolds, but you can explore the north of the region by bus. The Stagecoach 1/2 bus connects Stratford-upon-Avon with Chipping Campden (40 minutes), Broadway (1 hour) and Blockley (1 hour). You can also take the Stagecoach 50 bus to visit Shipston-on-Stour (30 minutes) and Chipping Norton (45 minutes).
Do you have questions about exploring the Cotswolds without a car? Join our Facebook group or follow us on Instagram for public transport news, tips and advice.
* This site contains affiliate links, where I get a small commission from purchases at no extra cost to you.
Save for later
You might also like
