Before I decided to study at Exeter, I wondered how difficult it would be to travel from Exeter. I worried that I might not be able to take advantage of living so close to Mainland Europe because of how far I thought I was going to be. But I was completely wrong, traveling to Mainland Europe from Exeter is just as easy as traveling from London. So if you are an international student worried about how Exeter may be “in the middle of nowhere”, I’m about to prove you wrong!
Most convenient Â
First of all, some of you may be wondering, does Exeter have an international airport? The answer is yes! Although quite small, you can fly with several airlines from and to Exeter. This is the most convenient way for you to travel to Europe. If you’d like to save some money, there are bus services running through Exeter to Exeter airport.
On the other hand, if you’d like more convenience, you can always take the taxi to the airport. I suggest using Apple Central Taxis as it is the official airport authorized taxi company. The car ride takes 16-minutes without traffic.
Flying out from Exeter airport is the most convenient, in terms of travel time. However, as Exeter airport is quite small, there are less flights available from and to Exeter. For this reason, plane tickets are very expensive.
Most affordable
If you would like to save more money, flying from Bristol airport is the way to go. Exeter is only 1.5 hours away from Bristol airport, which is England’s third largest regional airport. This means there are more flights coming in and out of Bristol airport and therefore ticket prices are more affordable. You can easily get to Bristol airport using the South-West Falcon bus that runs every 15-minutes from Honiton P&R or Sowton P&R bus stops, which takes you straight to the airport. Pre-booked tickets are possible from www.megabus.com, but I suggest you purchase your tickets on the bus as it is cheaper. If you are under 25, one-way bus tickets are only £5 and return tickets are only £8. If you prefer taking the train, you can stop at Bristol Temple Meads and catch a bus to the airport. But the Falcon bus will be more convenient as the journey takes you straight to the airport.
 An alternative Â
The second mode of transportation you can take is the Eurostar. The Eurostar offers train services from London St Pancras International to a number of countries in Europe. It is not your typical train ride with its fastest train ride of 2 hours 20 minutes to Paris and 2 hours 21 minutes to Brussels. Other countries include The Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and many more.
The National Rail website has additional information on destinations and you can book Eurostar online.
From Exeter, you can take the National Rail to London St Pancras easily and book tickets online at:Â http://www.nationalrail.co.uk or https://www.gwr.com.
You can also take the bus to London with https://www.megabus.com or https://www.nationalexpress.com.
I cannot guarantee prices for Eurostar and National Rail, but the total cost of travelling by train from Exeter will most likely be more expensive than travelling by plane. However, there is the convenience of being able to bring luggage without being charged!
To conclude, traveling to Europe from Exeter is very accessible and very affordable as well. If you would like to travel, choose from these three options and you’ve got yourself a trip to Europe. So, the next time you think Exeter is in “the middle of nowhere”, think again!