Dorchester travel guide

Dorchester Tourism | Dorchester Guide

You're Going to Love Dorchester

With a population of 16,879, Dorchester is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. Consider staying at least one whole day in Dorchester to see all of its attractions.

Where to Eat in Dorchester

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Fox Inn (Pound Hill) and Côte Brasserie - Dorchester (3 Brewery Square) are great picks.

When to visit Dorchester

Dorchester in January
Estimated hotel price
£71
1 night at 3-star hotel
Dorchester in January
Estimated hotel price
£71
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Dorchester

Plane

Although Dorchester doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Bristol Airport (BRS), which is located 48 miles from Dorchester. Bristol Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from easyJet, British Airways, Loganair and other airlines departing from the United Kingdom. The shortest domestic flight to Dorchester departs from London and takes around 5h 45m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Dorchester, followed by South Western Railway. The train journey from Dorchester to Liverpool takes 7h 07m and costs around £192 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Manchester, expect to pay about £205 for a 7h 25m trip. Located 0.3 miles from the city centre, Dorchester South is the busiest station in Dorchester. Another popular train station is Dorchester West, located 0.0 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Dorchester is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 114 miles from Dorchester. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and DRIVALIA , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Dorchester, including National Express, BlaBlaBus and FlixBus. From London, the bus ride to Dorchester takes 130 miles and will cost you around £21. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about £52 for a journey of 305 miles.

Plane

Although Dorchester doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Bristol Airport (BRS), which is located 48 miles from Dorchester. Bristol Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from easyJet, British Airways, Loganair and other airlines departing from the United Kingdom. The shortest domestic flight to Dorchester departs from London and takes around 5h 45m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Dorchester, followed by South Western Railway. The train journey from Dorchester to Liverpool takes 7h 07m and costs around £192 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Manchester, expect to pay about £205 for a 7h 25m trip. Located 0.3 miles from the city centre, Dorchester South is the busiest station in Dorchester. Another popular train station is Dorchester West, located 0.0 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Dorchester is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 114 miles from Dorchester. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and DRIVALIA , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Dorchester, including National Express, BlaBlaBus and FlixBus. From London, the bus ride to Dorchester takes 130 miles and will cost you around £21. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about £52 for a journey of 305 miles.

Airports near Dorchester

Airlines serving Dorchester

KLM
Good (849 reviews)
SWISS
Good (925 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,473 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,601 reviews)
Air France
Good (982 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,481 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (832 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (710 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (781 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,443 reviews)
Ryanair
Good (3,454 reviews)
GOL
Good (685 reviews)
Vueling
Good (814 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (514 reviews)
Aegean Airlines
Excellent (492 reviews)
Kenya Airways
Good (153 reviews)
Jet2
Excellent (97 reviews)
Corendon Airlines
Okay (13 reviews)
SunExpress
Good (105 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Dorchester

Average rates range from around £106 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £191 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Dorchester

Most booked hotels in Dorchester

Marley House Bed and Breakfast
3 stars
Excellent (9.3, Excellent reviews)
£136+
Little Court
5 stars
Excellent (9.1, Excellent reviews)
£80+
Summer Lodge Country House Hotel
5 stars
Excellent (9.1, Excellent reviews)
£301+
Woodbury Court
0 stars
Excellent (9.1, Excellent reviews)
£143+
Bay Tree House
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
£84+
Best Western Wessex Royale Hotel Dorchester
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£96+

Hiring a car in Dorchester

Hiring a car in Dorchester costs £41 per day, on average.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 5% cheaper than airport locations in Dorchester.

Expect to pay £1.49 per litre in Dorchester (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £17.83 and £23.77. The most frequently booked car type in Dorchester is Economy (Vauxhall Corsa or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Vauxhall Astra or similar) is, on average, 61% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Dorchester costs £41 per day, on average.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 5% cheaper than airport locations in Dorchester.

Expect to pay £1.49 per litre in Dorchester (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £17.83 and £23.77. The most frequently booked car type in Dorchester is Economy (Vauxhall Corsa or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Vauxhall Astra or similar) is, on average, 61% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.