Travel and Transport

Local buses

Getting around Torbay is easy thanks to a good bus network. Buses are run throughout Torbay by Stagecoach, with a network that stretches from Brixham to Babbacombe.

 

You can buy tickets for each journey from the bus driver. You can pay in cash, and you will be given change if necessary, but it helps if you give the driver coins rather than notes. The fare will get more expensive the further you travel.

 

Some services are also provided by First Devon & Cornwall. You can buy tickets from the driver, including day and weekly tickets.

 

Note that First's tickets cannot be used on Stagecoach buses, nor Stagecoach tickets on First's buses!

 

Bus passes

You can buy a pre-paid bus pass from Stagecoach. These tickets last one, two or three weeks and allow unlimited journeys within Torbay. You can buy these tickets - and get a great discount - at LAL Torbay.

Longer local journeys

Some of Stagecoach's buses run to towns outside Torbay, including Kingswear (for Dartmouth), Totnes, Exeter and Plymouth. There are also services run by First Devon & Cornwall to Plymouth via Totnes.

Long-distance coaches

Buses which run on long routes with only a few stops are called 'coaches'. National Express run long-distance coaches from Paignton and Torquay to towns and cities all over Britain. For example, there are several coaches direct to London every day. You can buy National Express tickets at LAL Torbay from the Transfers counter.

Trains

Britain's rail network is one of the fastest ways to get around. Trains, which are operated by several different companies, may be more expensive than coaches, but there can be great value tickets if you can book a journey in advance. You can get information at the railway station and at www.nationalrail.co.uk. The fares available at the station are usually the same as those on the internet, and station staff must offer you the lowest fare for your journey. We cannot book railway tickets at LAL Torbay.

Visiting London

If you want to visit England’s capital, it’s easy to travel to London from Torbay.

By coach

National Express coaches run direct to London Victoria coach station, and the journey takes about six hours. There are several services every day. One of the most popular is service 404 which leaves Paignton at about midnight and arrives in London at about 06.30, then returns from London at about 23.00 and arrives in Paignton at about 05.00. If you want to spend only one day in London, this can be booked as a day return for about £27. Book at the Transfers counter at LAL Torbay.


There is also a daily Megabus service between Torbay and London Victoria. This leaves Paignton at about 08.00, arriving in London just after 13.00, and returning from London at about 17.00, arriving back in Paignton after 22.00. Advance tickets start at £5 each way, and can be booked at www.megabus.com.

By train

Trains to London usually require one change of train, but still take only about 3½ hours. However, the services are not ideal for day trips. The earliest service will get to London at about 10.00 on Saturdays and the last train leaves London at around 18.00. Book at the railway station.

Devon's road signs are colour coded, and unique to the county. They help you choose a suitable road and avoid really difficult lanes.

Driving in Britain

If you have brought your own car or want to hire a car in Torbay, you must keep to the law and be prepared for some odd features on our roads. Be aware that the roads in Devon can be very narrow, and parking is often difficult and expensive in towns and cities.


You must have an appropriate driving licence to drive in Britain. If you come from EU or European Economic Area countries, you can drive any vehicle which is permitted by your licence AND which is shown on your licence.


If you are from any other country, your licence or permit must be valid for at least 12 months from the date you arrive in Britain. You can drive on a foreign licence for up to 12 months, and cannot drive any vehicle with more than 8 seats.

 

Rules of the road

Britain’s roads are governed by the Highway Code, and you should buy a copy from any bookshop if you intend to drive in Britain. The following are important points to note:


Britain drives on the LEFT. This also means that you must only overtake on the right, and go clockwise round roundabouts.


You MUST wear a seat belt in vehicles.


The legal alcohol limit is 80mg alcohol in 100ml blood. If you drive while over this limit you can be sent to prison, fined £5,000 and banned from driving. That’s if you don’t kill yourself first. DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE.


You MUST NOT use a mobile telephone while you are driving.


If you have an accident, you must report it to the Police and give your details to any other drivers involved in the accident.


All road signs give distances in miles and yards and speeds in miles per hour. 1 mile = 1.6km (so 50 mph is about 80km/h). 1 yard is about 1 metre.


A white circle with a black diagonal line means that the ‘National Speed Limit’ applies to the road. The National Speed Limits for cars, unless signs say otherwise, are as follows:

  • 30 mph (48km/h) in towns and villages
  • 60 mph (96km/h) on other single-carriage roads
  • 70 mph (112 km/h) on roads with two or more lanes in BOTH directions (dual carriageways and motorways)

You MUST stop at Zebra pedestrian crossings (which have black-and-white stripes on the road and flashing orange lamps on striped posts) if pedestrians are crossing or waiting to cross.


A red circle filled with blue with either one or two red lines across it and/or yellow lines by the side of the road mean you must not park there. Britain’s parking attendants and traffic wardens are well-known for being ruthless in applying fines.