Public Transport
Hi all. This is the public transport page, which will hopefully give you all the current info on the public transport in our branch area. This will include routes and times and most importantly which pubs you can visit using public transport. Our Public Transport officer is Phil Emond who is an expert in the field and also has a little insider information when it comes to Public Transport.
£2 bus fare cap has been extended to 31st December 2024.
The £2 cap on bus fares in England has been extended again until the end of December, the government has announced. The cap applies to more than 130 bus operators outside of London.
Also, the late evening services and the £1 single in Taunton Town area are under contract for 3 years from 30th January 2023.
Pubs to visit along the 28 Bus Route from Taunton to Minehead
The Plough Inn, The Ring of Bells, The Alehouse and The Perkin Warbeck J. D. Wetherspoon in Taunton
The Chapel at Cotford St Luke
Bishop's Lydeard for Quantock Brewery, The Lethbridge Arms and The Bird in Hand
The New Inn at Halse (2 mile hike along single track roads from Bishop's Lydeard WSR Station)
The Farmers Arms at Combe Florey
The Rising Sun at West Bagborough (1.2 mile hike from A358)
The Carew Arms at Crowcombe
The White Horse Inn at Stogumber (2 mile hike from A358)
The Bicknoller Inn at Bicknoller
Watchet for Pebbles Tavern, The Star Inn, The Esplanade Club, The Bell Inn, The London Inn, The West Somerset Hotel, Watchet Royal British Legion (RBL), Watchet Football Club and Watchet Bowling Club
The Mason's Arms, The Wyndam Arms and The Railway Inn in Williton
The White Horse Inn and Torre Cider Farm at Washford (Half mile hike from A39)
The Washford Inn (currently closed but shows signs of reopening)
The Butcher's Arms at Carhampton
The Britannia Inn at Alcombe, Minehead
The Kildare Lodge and The Duke of Wellington J. D. Wetherspoon at Minehead
Use https://whatpub.com/ for more information on these Public Houses.
Local Bus Service Information
The £1 single in Taunton Town will be available until the end if January 2026. New service times on certain routes from April 14th 2024 will give more than enough time for evening visits to many pubs in our branch. The maximum return fare is £4.00
Taunton Town 1 Wellsprings and Priorswood, Town Centre extends in evenings to Musgrove Hospital and Silk Mills Park & Ride.
Country Services
21 Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea. Operates Daily.
22 Wellington. Operates Daily.
25 Milverton, Wiveliscombe.
28 Taunton, Watchet, Minehead. Operates Daily.
30 Ilminster, Chard. 2 late services stop at Gate Way Park & Ride.
28 now serves Norton Fitzwarren and Cotford St Luke on certain services as 28A including all day Sunday & Public Holidays
Taunton Park & Ride is operated by Stagecoach SW Gate Way to Silk Mills via Town Centre. Every 20 minutes not Sundays or Public Holidays.
National Express Coaches
Bridgwater, Taunton, Wellington & Yeovil. Services can also be used between local points pre-book or pay driver.
Trains
Cross Country Taunton
Great Western Trains
Bridgwater, Highbridge for Burnham, Taunton & Yeovil Penn Mill.
South West Railway Crewkerne & Yeovil Junction.
West Somerset Railway. Various Stations.
All above companies have extensive Websites.
Correct April 2024.
Contact details of all Public Transport Operators in Somerset Branch
All Bus Services details can be found on Traveline website (https://www.traveline.info/) just enter place you wish to travel to and all services at that point will be shown including time table, all stops and route maps.
Also see bustimes.org for Somerset: https://bustimes.org/areas/98
Bus Operators in our Branch
AT West. Buses of Somerset. Dartline. Falcon Express. First West of England. Hatch Green. Megga Bus. Somerset CC. South West Coaches.
AT West - Atwest is a registered charity, founded in 2005 for the provision of wheelchair-friendly and fully accessible transport to the residents of West Somerset. Telephone: 01643 709701. Website: https://www.atwest.org.uk/.
Pubs on Exmoor National Park
Full details of all of these Exmoor pubs can be found on What Pub.
The Exmoor National Park in the South West of England was created in 1954 as an area of outstanding natural beauty. Covering 267 sq.miles (692 sq.km.) it is a fascinating area, its highest point is Dunkery Beacon 1705 ft (519 M) the highest in Southern England out side of Dartmoor. Over 20 Grade 1 listed buildings on the Moor, 10 are churches some dating back to early 13th century. 8 rivers from 8 to 54 miles flow through the park.
29% is in Devon, which is covered by North Devon Branch and 71% in Somerset covered by Somerset Branch. It has a population of 10.600 and nearly 50 places of interest. On a clear sunny day, it is joy to have it so close to where we all live, however Mother Nature can cause many problems when it is misty and the cloud base is low. So whether it is sunny and warm, or cold wet and miserable, how about a visit to one of its many Pubs and Bars.
Amazingly, Exmoor has 42 with in the park boundary with 4 just a short walking distance out side. Somerset has 27, including a Deli Store in Dunster, and North Devon has 19. All but 10 have accommodation offering a huge amount of beds in what is relatively small area when compared with other National Parks in the UK. Find out more at https://www.visit-exmoor.co.uk.
They all sell Real Ale and most Real Cider so hopefully it will encourage you all to explore what is to many, on your door step.
For the 8 locations that offer a bus service details can be found on line by selecting the Village name then add ‘Bus Service’. Only Dunster via the Steep has a daily service all others are Monday to Saturday except Public Holidays, also for Dunster the West Somerset Railway is close by.
Good Beer Guide 2024 Public Transport information Page 199
All pubs with only a bus symbol mean that more than two services operate near or pass the pub in question.
Breweries
Full details in GBG 2024 pages 361 to 364
Unless stated all services are operated by Buses of Somerset.
Bason Bridge 67 Somerset CC
Black Bear (Part of Bear Pub), Exmoor Ales, Nuttycombe brewery, Wiveliscombe 25. Exmoor
Ales has a Brewery Shop and Nuttycombe a Brewery Tap.
Fine Tuned & Parkway Somerton 54
Quantock, Bishops Lydeard 28 (Daily Service) and West Somerset Railway Station. Licensed
Bar opens from 10.00 with shop selling various products. (Bus Stops out side when serving WSR Station. If not alight at stop before A358 Roundabout and walk under subway).Check for Sunday opening times.
Tapstone, Chard BofS 30.99 and South West Coaches 96.
Cider/Perry Producers
Bridge Farm, East Chinnock BofS 6, & South West Coaches 96
Hecks, Street BofS & First West of England. 77, 374, 375, & 376 Has an excellent Farmers Market Shop
Loaders Cider at Cotford-St-Luke 25
Parsons Choice, West Lyng 29
Riche’s Cider Watchfield SCC 67
Sheppy’s Three Bridges Dartline 20 & BofS 22 (Daily)
All services details from Traveline South West 0871 200 22 33. You can create a journey planner from their Web Site and Bus Times.Org Somerset
Breweries, Cider/Perry Producers please check before travel that you may visit, as some times this is not convenient.
Cider/Perry: Producers available on branch web site or from Branch Cider/Apple Officer Stephen Hawkins .
Correct April 2024.