Getting to the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley

Less than an hour from many major cities, the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley straddles the England-Wales border covering parts of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire in England and Monmouthshire in Wales. Gloucester and Cheltenham are to our east, Hereford is to the north, the Brecon Beacons and South Wales to our west and the River Severn to our south. 

Getting here could not be easier, whether on foot, by bike, by bus or by train, we have all the information you need to enable you to plan your trip and you'll get to soak up our fabulous scenery on route too. Safe travels! For tips on how to travel to and around the destination without a car see our helpful blog here.

By Coach and Bus

National Express operates nationwide coach services to and from Newent, Chepstow, Gloucester, Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth. A journey from London to Chepstow takes approximately 2h 45m.

For further details visit National Express here or Megabus here.

There are regular bus services throughout the area from major cities and towns too:

For buses in Gloucestershire see here. A journey from Gloucester to Lydney takes around 45 minutes.

For buses in Herefordshire see here. A journey from Hereford to Ross-on-Wye takes around 50 minutes.

For buses in Wales see Traveline Cymru.

Once here local bus services run throughout, see our page on Getting Around the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley for more information.

By Rail

There are railway stations at Abergavenny, Chepstow, Gloucester, Ledbury and Lydney.

For further information, timetables and to book tickets visit National Rail or the Trainline. Great Western Railway (GWR) runs direct services to Newport, Severn Tunnel Junction, Gloucester and Ledbury from London Paddington, Bristol and Swansea.

By Foot or By Bike

See our information on getting around the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley for everything you need to know on walking and cycling here.

By Car

The Dean Wye is within easy access of the M4, M48, M5 and M50 motorways, as well as many other major roads. Driving to the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley is the most common way people travel here.

Average driving distances from major cities:

Bristol - 35 minutes
Cardiff - 45 minutes
Birmingham - 1 hour
London - 2.5 hours
Manchester - 3 hours

By Air

Bristol International Airport, Birmingham International Airport and Cardiff International Airports all handle flights into the region from across the UK, Europe and the USA and are all located within a 90 minute driving distance of the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley.

Train Tripper

Why not try the TrainTripper platform to plan your visit? The TrainTripper website has been developed by Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership to promote car-free leisure trips in and around Gloucestershire. The site lists local hidden gems, focusing on independent businesses to support the local economy and encourage sustainable tourism. Build a personalised itinerary and book your tickets through the site!