Getting to the Broads is easier than ever now. You can reach the national park from London in just two hours by rail or road and it's on the doorstep of Norwich airport for international travellers.
There are good transport links however you choose to travel and once you get here it’s simple to get around under your own steam or by public transport.
Public transport is a fantastic option to reduce your carbon footprint and help to reduce congestion on the roads.
Try out the travel planner for instructions on how to get to the Broads. The planner by default takes you to Wroxham/Hoveton, but you can change your location and destination using the tool below.
Major trunk roads to the Broads are the M11, A11, A12, A140 and A14 from London, the South East of England, ferry ports and the Channel Tunnel. The A14, A11, A47, A17 and A1 serve the Midlands and the North.
You can use GoCompare's fuel price calculator to help budget for your journey to and around the Broads.
Greater Anglia operates a half-hourly train service between Norwich and London Liverpool Street with local connecting services within East Anglia. Average journey time from London is 1 hour 50 minutes, however there are now multiple services that take around 1 hour 30. There are connecting services from the Midlands, the north of England and Scotland via Peterborough.
Daily services from all major cities to Norwich are operated by National Express, which also operates regular connections from Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
You can travel over night from the Hook of Holland to Harwich, and wake up refreshed and ready to make the most of your Broads holiday, or take the shorter day crossing. Norwich and all the connections to the Broads is 1 hour 30 by road or just over two hours by train.
Norwich is home to Norwich International Airport which has over 300 worldwide connections via Manchester, Paris and Amsterdam. Journey time from Norwich to Amsterdam is 40 minutes (daily flights). London Stansted Airport is within easy reach by road (85 miles).
You can visit Kayak to book your flights to Norwich today.
You can access the Broads from either Great Yarmouth or Lowestoft. Great Yarmouth is a busy, commercial harbour with strong currents so entry needs to be timed carefully. Low bridges on Broads’ rivers may present restrictions for vessels with a high flybridge or unable to lower their masts. Access to the Broads from Lowestoft is available through Mutford Lock, again some size restrictions apply.
Local Broads stations are located at: Acle, Beccles, Berney Arms, Brundall, Brundall Gardens, Buckenham, Cantley, Great Yarmouth, Haddiscoe, Hoveton and Wroxham, Lingwood, Lowestoft, Norwich, Oulton Broad, Reedham, Salhouse, Somerleyton and Worstead
First buses go from Norwich (Castle Meadow) to Hoveton/Wroxham and then on to Stalham. From Norwich Bus Station they go to Loddon, Beccles and then Lowestoft, for connections to Oulton Broad.
There are many car parks around the Broads from where you can access the water. The Broads Authority manages free parking at locations including Barton, Filby, How Hill, Ranworth, Herringfleet Hills, Stanley Hills and Sutton Staithe and Rockland Staithe.
The city of Norwich and most of Norfolk and Suffolk’s market towns have parking suitable for coaches and/or drop off points. Detailed town and city centre maps and route maps are available from Visitor Information Centres. Many attractions in the Broads also have facilities for coach parking but it is advisable to ring ahead to check availability.
Bittern Line for northern Broads
Wherry Line for central and southern Broads
Bure Valley Railway for narrow gauge steam trains from Hoveton/Wroxham to Aylsham (wheelchair accessible)
Visit the Broads and the Broads Authority work in partnership to give visitors all the information and inspiration they need to make their trip to the Broads perfect.
The Broads Authority looks after the national park for visitors, boaters, wildlife and its community.
Visit the Broads provides a strong unified voice for Broads tourism-related businesses, from accommodation providers to holiday boat operators, and other stakeholders with an interest in tourism activity.
Visit the Broads welcomes new members - read more information for Broads businesses →
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