How to Find Us

There are many ways to reach the Clifton Suspension Bridge, read ahead to plan your visit.

Getting to the Clifton Suspension Bridge by Bus

If you are already in Bristol city centre, it is easy to reach us by bus. Use the Travel West Journey Planner to find the best route.

Take the No 8 circular bus from Bristol Temple Meads railway station, or opposite the Hippodrome Theatre. Get off the bus at Clifton Village or at Christ Church, Clifton. The bridge is a short, level walk from either of these bus stops. This bus journey is timetabled to go roughly every 10 minutes. It takes approximately 24 minutes. We advise checking live traffic updates on your return journey if you have a train to catch.

You can buy a ticket from the driver onboard the bus with cash or by using a contactless bank card. You can also download the First Bus mobile app to buy single tickets in advance. Weekly or monthly tickets can be purchased online. The First Bus smartphone app will help with timetable information and journey planning.

The X4 bus travels between Bristol and Portishead approximately every 30 minutes in the daytime between Monday – Friday. This bus will stop along the A369 at the Clifton Lodge entrance of the Ashton Court Estate. It is then a short walk (7 minutes) along Bridge Road to reach the Clifton Suspension Bridge museum.

Getting to Clifton Suspension Bridge by Bicycle

We are just off Route 334 of the Sustrans National Cycle Network at Ashton Court. Route 334 runs from north to south and connects Sheepway (Portbury) and Felton via Ashton Court and Long Ashton. Use the Better By Bike Route Planner to plan your journey. The on street WESTbike and WESTscoot service will allow the hire of a bike as far as Clifton. These bikes will not be able to cross the bridge to Leigh Woods.

Crossing the bridge on a pushbike is free of charge. There are cycle lanes on both sides at the approaches to the bridge, which allow cyclists to bypass the toll barriers. Please be aware of traffic and any lowering barriers as you merge back into traffic for your crossing. There are bicycle racks opposite the museum (next to our Coffee Cart) for your convenience. There are also popular cycle and mountain bike trails at nearby Ashton Court.

Walking to Clifton Suspension Bridge

To reach us on foot, you can follow the Avon Trail from Bristol City Centre, Pill or Bath. You can also follow the Brunel in Bristol trail. Both walks involve walking uphill. If you enjoy shorter walks or are looking for dog-walking areas, ask in the museum about some of the great walks near us. We have maps and leaflets available with routes you can follow that cover all preferences. Whether its Clifton Downs, Leigh Woods or just a nice route back into the city.

Serious walkers might enjoy the Bristol Bridges Walk. The book is available to purchase from our shop.

Driving and Parking at Clifton Suspension Bridge

Our museum can be found at Bridge Road, Leigh Woods, Bristol, BS8 3PA – please note that the Museum does not have a dedicated car park.

Two disabled spaces are available next to the Leigh Woods toll house. Blue badge holders are welcome to use these. Read our Accessibility information or download our Access Guide. Independent reviews of the museum and its facilities and images of Clifton Suspension Bridge and Bristol city centre can be found at AccessAble website.

Bristol’s Clean Air Zone does not currently include the Clifton Suspension Bridge or Clifton Village. It does include Bridge Valley Road and the Portway (see map). When planning your journey, please check your vehicle and the charges that apply.

Parking in Clifton Village is pay and display. Payment for longer periods can be made with coins, or by using the RingGo phone app. Use postcode BS8 4AW for your SatNav. This will take you to the bridge approach at the junction of Observatory Road and Sion Hill on the furthest side of Clifton Village. It is best to park in the shopping area.

A pay and display scheme also operates in Leigh Woods. Charges apply from 9am-9pm on all days including bank holidays. Parking costs £1 an hour for up to 4 hours, or £6 for 12 hours in a long stay bay. Payment can be made at the machines, by text message or by using  MiPermit, either online or via the app.

There is a £1 toll charge to cross the bridge in a motor vehicle. This is payable by credit/debit card or contactless payment. Pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders can cross the bridge free of charge.

Nearby attractions include Clifton Observatory and Clifton and Durdham Downs (which has on-street parking).

Getting to Clifton Suspension Bridge by Taxi

If you would like to travel to us by taxi, you can find information about types of taxi and a list of fares on the Bristol City Council website.

Travelling to Bristol

Bristol is only 90 minutes by train from London and 15 minutes by train from Bath. Journey times and prices vary according to the time of day. For more information please check train timetables (telephone +44 8457 48 49 50). You can also download an app such as trainline.com or Rome2Rio from the App Store or Google Play.

The Airport is well connected to European destinations. It also travels to Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. The Airport Flyer Express Bus Service takes 30 minutes to reach Bristol Temple Meads railway station in the city centre.

National Express and MegaBus offer national coach services which stop in Bristol city centre.

Your Safety

If you are visiting from abroad, you might have questions about your personal safety. Bristol is a friendly city. Crime figures for the Clifton Village and Leigh Woods area are low. Still, look after your belongings and remember that cars drive on the left in the UK.

The bridge is equipped with CCTV cameras and is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by Bridge Attendants. They can be seen wearing yellow high-visibility jackets. The Bridge Attendants can help you if you have a problem. If you feel that you are in danger, telephone the Police on 999.

Many people like to visit the bridge in the evenings to see the illuminations or take photos of Clifton Suspension Bridge at night. It is a popular destination for photographers and film makers.

If you are travelling back to Bristol City Centre at night, be aware that The Harbourside has lots of pubs and bars and it may be busy. This is especially the case on Fridays or Saturdays. In the city centre, you may see people asking for money, especially near cash machines. If you would like to help, you may prefer to buy a magazine from ‘Big Issue‘ vendors, who are identified by their red bibs.