...by Road Easy and quick. Just 40 miles from Exeter along the Devon Expressway (the continuation of the M5) you cross the Tamar Bridge, the gateway to South East Cornwall. The A38 continues westwards, providing swift access to most parts of the region. You could be parking your car an hour after passing Exeter!
For access to the Bodmin Moor area, take the fast A30 trunk road from Exeter. Both this route and the A38 offer enjoyable driving and great views.
A picturesque alternative route to the south-eastern corner of the region is via the Torpoint Ferry from Plymouth; new, larger ferries have reduced queuing times, but allow half an hour or more to get through Plymouth and across the river. But what an experience! – salt spray, small boats, even the occasional nuclear sub gliding in...
For cyclists and walkers there's yet another Tamar crossing – a pedestrian ferry running from Stonehouse (Devonport) to Cremyll on the Rame peninsula.
If you're coming from further down Cornwall, come via the A38 from Bodmin or the A390 from St Austell via Lostwithiel. But there is also a small car-ferry from Fowey to Bodinnick, with skilled boatsmen powering you across the tidal flow – an experience that's well worth the extra time! And for pedestrians, there's a small-boat ferry from Fowey to Polruan.
...by Rail The main Plymouth - Penzance line provides regular services to Liskeard and Saltash, with local services stopping at intermediate stations. The Looe branch line service from Liskeard gives access to East Looe and the coast. The eastern edge of the region is served by the Tamar Valley branch line running north from Plymouth to Calstock and Gunnislake.
...by Cross Channel Ferry There are regular all-year-round ferry car ferry services to Plymouth from Roscoff (Brittany) and Santander (Spain).
...by Coach National Express operates express coach services to Plymouth, Liskeard and Bodmin from departure points all over Britain, including airports. These include a regular service from London Victoria and Heathrow Airport. Call 08705 80 80 80.
Stagecoach Megabus operate low-cost bus services from major cities to Plymouth, Newquay, Redruth and Penzance.
Regular local bus and rail services operate throughout the year. Buses link all of the local centres and also cover the smaller villages and more outlying areas. For a bus, coach, rail and ferry timetable, contact the Tourist Information Centres or telephone the Passenger Transport Unit, Cornwall County Council on 01872 32 21 42.
Taxi services are available throughout the region.
Approximate journey times by car from: Birmingham : 3 hours 40 mins
Bristol : 2 hours 30 mins
Leeds : 5 hours 50 mins
London : 4 hours 50 mins
Manchester : 5 hours
Reading : 4 hours
Southampton : 3 hours 25 mins
...by Rail
...by Cross Channel Ferry