Getting to Poole

Poole is well connected to other towns and cities in England, and visitors can arrive by train, plane, ferry, bus or car.

By air

The nearest airport to Poole is Bournemouth International Airport. Buses and taxis are available for the seven mile transfer to the town centre. The airport has flights to Scotland, the Channel Islands and many European cities.

By car

Travelling to Poole by car is relatively straightforward and the roads are generally very well maintained and have good signposts. The town is situated 116 miles from London and 171 miles from Birmingham and has excellent road links to the southeast and Midlands. From London and the East, take the M3 south followed by the M27 and then the A31. Continue past Ringwood and follow the signs for Poole. The A350 runs north to Bristol and the A35 to Dorchester and Exeter.

By train

Poole is on a main line rail route connecting to London and there are two trains every hour for most of the day. South West Trains run several cross-country trains every day from Liverpool, Leeds and Edinburgh direct to Poole. Some trains from towns in the South East arrive in Bournemouth.

By bus

National Express runs an efficient service to all major destinations in the UK. There are coaches between Poole bus station and Victoria Coach Station in London about once an hour, via Bournemouth.

By ferry

The busy port at Poole has three daily crossings to Cherbourg and one crossing to St Malo in France. There are also services to Guernsey and Jersey in the Channel Islands. The ferry terminal offers a bureau de change, snack bar, shop and left luggage locker facility.

Bournemouth International Airport

Bournemouth International Airport is a small but growing regional airport and is ideal for both business travellers and tourists alike. It caters for over 300,000 passengers a year and has flights to France, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Greece, Holland, Poland, Spain and Turkey. The airport has a modern terminal building and departure lounge, as well as a working aviation museum for anyone with some free time. Facilities include shops, travel agency, bureau de change and a children's play area.

Bournemouth Airport transportation

By far the easiest way of reaching Poole from the airport is by taxi. Approved taxis meet all arriving flights and they can be booked in advance if required. A bus service runs to and from Bournemouth bus and rail station in the town centre, from where you can get a connecting bus to Poole. Hire cars are also available from the airport.