AirOrSeaTravel is an independent guide. Bookings on this page are completed on the provider’s own website. How we are funded.

AirOrSeaTravel — find your way there
Bristol · United Kingdom

Car hire and driving in Bristol

Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.

OverviewFlightsHotelsHostelsTrainsBusesCar rentalTours

In United Kingdom traffic drives on the left. Picking up at BRS means 12 km (7 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1061257 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q3086706.

Drives from Bristol

Car rental from Bristol: distances and estimated journey times
RouteCountryDistanceEstimated time
Bristol to NewportUnited Kingdom31 km (20 mi)about 29 min
Bristol to CardiffUnited Kingdom41 km (25 mi)about 37 min
Bristol to GloucesterUnited Kingdom52 km (32 mi)about 47 min
Bristol to SwindonUnited Kingdom58 km (36 mi)about 53 min
Bristol to CheltenhamUnited Kingdom61 km (38 mi)about 56 min
Bristol to WorcesterUnited Kingdom86 km (53 mi)about 1 h 18 min
Bristol to PooleUnited Kingdom93 km (58 mi)about 1 h 25 min
Bristol to SwanseaUnited Kingdom95 km (59 mi)about 1 h 27 min
Bristol to BournemouthUnited Kingdom96 km (60 mi)about 1 h 28 min
Bristol to OxfordUnited Kingdom98 km (61 mi)about 1 h 30 min
Bristol to SouthamptonUnited Kingdom103 km (64 mi)about 1 h 34 min
Bristol to ExeterUnited Kingdom104 km (65 mi)about 1 h 35 min
Bristol to LondonUnited Kingdom171 km (106 mi)about 2 h 37 min
Bristol to BerlinGermany1,100 km (684 mi)about 16 h 47 min
Bristol to MadridSpain1,230 km (765 mi)about 18 h 46 min
Bristol to RomeItaly1,563 km (971 mi)about 23 h 50 min
Bristol to ParisFrance456 km (283 mi)about 6 h 57 min
Bristol to HamburgGermany882 km (548 mi)about 13 h 27 min
Bristol to BudapestHungary1,617 km (1,005 mi)about 24 h 40 min
Bristol to WarsawPoland1,617 km (1,005 mi)about 24 h 40 min

Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.

Where to compare car hire

ExpediaCar hire from the major suppliers, and the one to look at if the flight or hotel is already booked there. Part of Expedia Group.Check car hire on Expedia (opens www.expedia.com in a new tab)
DiscoverCarsCompares local and international suppliers. Read the counter reviews before you pick.Check rental cars on DiscoverCars (opens www.discovercars.com in a new tab)
Auto EuropeA broker specialising in Europe, often with clearer all-in pricing for US renters.Get European rates on Auto Europe (opens www.autoeurope.com in a new tab)
Rentalcars.comBooking.com's car arm, with wide airport coverage worldwide.Compare suppliers on Rentalcars.com (opens www.rentalcars.com in a new tab)
Every link above leaves this site.

We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.

Common questions

Which side of the road do they drive on in Bristol?

The left, as everywhere in United Kingdom.

How are the journey times on this page worked out?

From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.

Where these facts come from

  • GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
  • Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
  • OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
  • Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines

Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.