Train stations in the Cotswolds are few and far between. Trains go to London (1hr., every 1-2hr., £30) via Oxford (30min., £9.50) from Moreton-in-Marsh Station. (Open M-Sa 5:45am-7:15pm, Su 5:45am-12:30pm.) In the Southern Cotswolds, trains run from Cam and Dursley Station (3 mi. from Slimbridge, unstaffed) to Gloucester (15min., every hr., £4) and London Paddington (2hr., every hr., £20). It’s easier to reach the Cotswolds by bus. The Cheltenham TIC’s free Getting There details service between the town and 27 destinations. The free Explore the Cotswolds by Public Transport lists routes for major services between villages. Consult the TIC for departure times; schedules vary depending on the day. Pulham’s Coaches #801 (☎01451 820 369) runs from Cheltenham to Moreton-in-Marsh (1hr., M-Sa 7 per day, £2) via Bourton-on-the-Water (35min.) and Stow-on-the-Wold (50min.). For Lower and Upper Slaughter, ask to stop at Slaughter Pike, between Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold; the villages are half a mile from the road. Castleways Ltd. #606 (☎01242 602 949) goes from Cheltenham to Broadway (50min., M-Sa 4 per day, £2.40) via Winchcombe (20min., £2.20). Johnsons buses #21 and 22 (☎01564 797 000) run to Chipping Campden from Moreton-in-Marsh (20min., M-Sa 9 per day) via Broadway (5min., M-Sa 5 per day) before ending in Stratford (1hr., M-Sa 8 per day).
In the Southern Cotswolds, Stagecoach bus #51 runs from Cheltenham to Cirencester (40min., M-Sa every hr., £2.70). Beaumont Travel (☎01452 309 770) bus #855 Fosse Link runs to Cirencester from Moreton-in-Marsh (1hr., M-Sa 8 per day, £2) via Stow-on-the-Wold (40min.) and Bourton-on-the-Water (20min.). Both buses are covered by a Cotswold Rover ticket, which may be purchased from the driver (£5, children £3.50). Service from Cheltenham to Gloucester is frequent on Stagecoach bus #94 (30min.; M-F every 10min., Su every 20min.). From Gloucester bus station, Stagecoach bus #91 runs to Slimbridge Crossroads (Su 4 per day). Traveline (☎0870 608 2608) is a lifesaver for those traveling by public transportation, especially in the Cotswolds, where a journey from one small village to another may require a few transfers.
The easiest way to explore is by car, but the best way to experience the Cotswolds is on foot or by bike. The Toy Shop, on High St. in Moreton-in-Marsh, offers bike rentals with a lock, map, and route suggestions. (☎01608 650 756. £12 per ½-day, £14 per day. Open M and W-Sa 9am-1pm and 2-5pm.) The YHA in Stow-on-the-Wold also rents bikes with a lock and helmet. (☎01451 830 497. Open daily 8-10am and 5-10pm. £6 per ½-day, £9.50 per day.) Taxis are a convenient, if expensive, way of getting to areas inaccessible by public transportation. TICs have lists of companies serving their area: “K” Cars (☎01451 822 578 or 07929 360 712) is based in Bourton-on-the-Water, and Cotswold Taxis (☎07710 117 471) operates from Moreton-in-Marsh. Coach tours cover the Cotswolds from Cheltenham, Gloucester, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, Tewkesbury, and other cities. Try the Cotswold Discovery Tour, a full-day bus tour that starts in Bath and visits five of the most scenic villages. (☎09067 112 000; www.madmax.abel.co.uk. Tours Apr.-Oct. Tu, Th, Su 9am-5:15pm. £30.)
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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