How to Find Us

Travelling by Bus

If you are already in the 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 at the Centre Promenade 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 and will take approximately 24 minutes. On your return jouney, we advise checking live traffic updates if you have a train to catch.

You can buy a ticket from the driver when you board the bus with cash or a contactless bank card. You can also buy a weekly or monthly ticket online – or download the First Bus mobile app to buy single tickets in advance. 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 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 Museum.

Travelling by Bicycle

We are just off Route 334 of the Sustrans National Cycle Network at Ashton Court. Route 334 runs north to south, to the west of Bristol, 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, but not across the bridge to Leigh Woods.

Crossing the bridge on a pushbike is free of charge and there are cycle lanes on the approaches to the bridge at both sides which allow you to bypass the toll barriers. Please be aware of traffic and 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.

Travelling on Foot

To reach us on foot, you can follow the Avon Trail from Bristol City Centre, Pill – or even Bath or follow the Brunel in Bristol trail. Both walks involve walking uphill. If you enjoy shorter walks or would like to bring your dog walking with you, ask in the Museum about some of the great walks in our area. We have maps and leaflets with routes you can follow, whether you’d prefer to go across the Downs, into the woods or find a nice route back into the city centre.

Serious walkers might enjoy the Bristol Bridges Walk. Book available to purchase from our shop.

Park and Ride

There is a Park and Ride service available at Long Ashton Park & Ride site (Route 505) which can take you to Clifton, Redland and Southmead Hospital. To reach us, get off at Clifton Village or Christchurch Clifton – just a short walk from the bridge. The Park & Ride site is located just off the A370 traveling into Bristol from North Somerset, Postcode: BS3 2HB.

Travelling by Car

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.

Bristol’s Clean Air Zone does not currently include the bridge or Clifton Village, but 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 is also in operation 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 the MiPermit, either online of via the app.

There is a £1 toll charge to cross the bridge in a vehicle payable by credit/debit card or contactless,  but you can cross the bridge on foot or by bicycle free of charge.

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

Visitors with Mobility Issues

Two disabled spaces are available next to the Leigh Woods toll booth which blue badge holders are welcome to use. The Visitor Information Centre is accessible at street level and the bridge itself is all on one level – but is 214m or 712ft long.

Read our Accessibility information or download our Access Guide. Read independent reviews of the Museum and see more images of the bridge, Centre and facilities at the AccessAble website.

Travelling by Taxi

If you would like to travel 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) or download an app such as trainline.com or Rome2Rio from your smartphone app store.

The Airport is well connected to European destinations, as well as 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’re visiting from abroad, you might have questions about your personal safety. Bristol is a friendly city and crime figures for the Clifton Village and Leigh Woods area are low. 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, who wear yellow high visibility jackets. The Bridge Attendants can help you if you have a problem but if you feel you are in danger, telephone the Police on 999.

Many people like to visit the bridge in the evenings to see the illuminations and 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 may be busy, particularly on Fridays or Saturdays. In the city centre, you may see people asking for money, especially by 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.